Kawasaki Ki 61-I tei Type 3 Fighter Hien (Tony) 244th Flight Regiment Metropolitan Defense 1:48 Hasgawa 07546

Plastic model airplane for assembly: Kawasaki Ki 61-I Tei Type 3 Fighter Hien (Tony) 244th Flight Regiment Metropolitan Defense 1:48 Hasegawa 07546

We present the plastic model for assembly of the Kawasaki Ki 61-I Tei Type 3 Fighter Hien, also known as "Tony". This 1:48 scale model was created by the renowned company Hasegawa and is part of a limited edition that recreates the aircraft used by the 244th Flight Regiment for metropolitan defense.

Model details:

• Scale: 1:48
• Catalog number: 07546
• Model length: 186 mm

Model features:

• The model recreates the aircraft used by Captain Teruhiko Kobayashi, the commander of the 244th Flight Regiment, who became famous for numerous B-29 bomber shootdowns.
• The set includes new, limited decals that allow for the reproduction of two different aircraft of Captain Kobayashi: "Blue 24" from March 1945 and "Blue 62" from April 1945.
• The illustration on the packaging was created by artist Kato Tankuro.

Historical background: The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien, known as the "flying swallow," was a Japanese fighter aircraft from World War II, used by the Imperial Japanese Army. It was the only mass-produced Japanese fighter with a liquid-cooled engine. This aircraft was initially mistaken by the Allies for the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 or the Italian Macchi C.202, which led to it being given the code name "Tony" by the United States War Department.

The Ki-61 was designed by Takeo Doi and his assistant Shin Owada in response to a 1939 tender for two fighters, one of which was to be built around the Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa engine. Production versions of the aircraft used the DB 601 engine licensed by Kawasaki, known as Ha-40. The Ki-61 was a more versatile fighter, primarily intended for offensive operations and gaining air superiority at low and medium altitudes.

This aircraft was used in various theaters of war, including Southeast Asia, Okinawa, China, and as an interceptor during bombing raids on the Japanese home islands. The Ki-61 was known for being able to match the speed of Allied aircraft such as the P-40, and in some aspects, it was even superior. However, its armament was initially lighter, which required later modifications to effectively combat Allied bombers.

Assembly and painting kit. Does not include paints or glue. Assembly requires separately sold modeling tools (including cutters, files, tweezers), paints, brushes, and plastic model glue (e.g., Tamiya Extra Thin Cement). The photo shows a professionally assembled and painted model.