Zoals al in het Koopspook-topic vermeld, heb ik mij bij de START in Aalsmeer niet kunnen inhouden toen ik deze kit tegenkwam:
Toen ik de boxart zag, vond ik hem schattig. Lelijk maar schattig.
Een Hasegawa kit daterend uit de jaren tachtig, met mallen die eigenlijk uit begin jaren 1970 komen. Alleen zou je dat werkelijk niet denken als je de onderdelen ziet: superfijn detail, ingegraveerde paneellijnen, heel dun glaswerk, zeer goede passing voor die tijd.
Inhoud van de doos:
En wat over het vliegtuig (van Wikipedia), een IJA lichte bommenwerper:
Citaat:
The Kawasaki Ki-48 (Japanese: 九九式雙發輕爆擊機, romanized: shiki-souhatu-keibaku, shortened to 'Sokei', Army Type 99 Twin-engined Light Bomber), was a Japanese twin-engine light bomber that was used during World War II. Its Allied reporting name was "Lily".
The development of the aircraft began at the end of 1937 at the request of the Japanese military high command. Kawasaki received an order to develop a "high-speed bomber" capable of 480 km/h (300 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft), and able to reach 5,000 m (16,400 ft) within 10 minutes. It was inspired by the Soviet Tupolev SB.
Kawasaki had the advantage of the experience of designing the Ki-45 twin-engined heavy fighter. Most technical problems were solved; however the aircraft had a number of shortcomings. It carried only an 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombload. This was actually more than contemporary light bombers such as the Bristol Blenheim or Tupolev SB, and only slightly less than light bombers designed several years later, such as the A-20 Havoc, and the strikingly similar-appearing Martin Maryland and Baltimore. Speed was intended to be its primary defense, much like the later, unarmed, De Havilland Mosquito. So it had only three machine guns (again, an equivalent armament to contemporary light bombers). This made it very vulnerable to enemy fighters later in the war, once they became fast enough to actually catch it. The flight characteristics of the Ki-48 also left much to be desired. Newer generations of Allied fighters caught up in speed, and eventually, the Ki-48 was too slow to outrun them, while superior modern Japanese aircraft, such as the Yokosuka P1Y and the Mitsubishi Ki-67, could only be produced in small numbers. The first versions were lightly armoured, so the Ki-48 was quite aerobatic, and could loop and turn with an experienced pilot at the controls. The aircraft was often used as a dive bomber in Burma. The aircraft was not necessarily a failure, and was considered an acceptable light bomber for the first few years of the war by many historians. Much like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, it was satisfactory for the period when it was designed and produced, but had to be used against much newer and faster competition, due to Japan's inability to produce enough newer aircraft.
Specifications (Ki-48-IIa)
Data from Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Kawasaki Ki.48-I/II Sokei in Japanese Army Air Force-CNAF & IPSF Service, Aircam No.32
General characteristics
Crew: 4
Length: 12.75 m (41 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 17.45 m (57 ft 3 in)
Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 40 m2 (430 sq ft)
Empty weight: 4,550 kg (10,031 lb)
Gross weight: 6,500 kg (14,330 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,750 kg (14,881 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Nakajima Ha115 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 843 kW (1,130 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers
Performance
Maximum speed: 505 km/h (314 mph, 273 kn) at 5,600 m (18,373 ft)
Range: 2,400 km (1,500 mi, 1,300 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,100 m (33,100 ft)
Armament
Guns: 3 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns, in nose, dorsal and ventral positions
Bombs: 800 kg (1,764 lb) of bombs
The development of the aircraft began at the end of 1937 at the request of the Japanese military high command. Kawasaki received an order to develop a "high-speed bomber" capable of 480 km/h (300 mph) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft), and able to reach 5,000 m (16,400 ft) within 10 minutes. It was inspired by the Soviet Tupolev SB.
Kawasaki had the advantage of the experience of designing the Ki-45 twin-engined heavy fighter. Most technical problems were solved; however the aircraft had a number of shortcomings. It carried only an 800 kg (1,760 lb) bombload. This was actually more than contemporary light bombers such as the Bristol Blenheim or Tupolev SB, and only slightly less than light bombers designed several years later, such as the A-20 Havoc, and the strikingly similar-appearing Martin Maryland and Baltimore. Speed was intended to be its primary defense, much like the later, unarmed, De Havilland Mosquito. So it had only three machine guns (again, an equivalent armament to contemporary light bombers). This made it very vulnerable to enemy fighters later in the war, once they became fast enough to actually catch it. The flight characteristics of the Ki-48 also left much to be desired. Newer generations of Allied fighters caught up in speed, and eventually, the Ki-48 was too slow to outrun them, while superior modern Japanese aircraft, such as the Yokosuka P1Y and the Mitsubishi Ki-67, could only be produced in small numbers. The first versions were lightly armoured, so the Ki-48 was quite aerobatic, and could loop and turn with an experienced pilot at the controls. The aircraft was often used as a dive bomber in Burma. The aircraft was not necessarily a failure, and was considered an acceptable light bomber for the first few years of the war by many historians. Much like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter, it was satisfactory for the period when it was designed and produced, but had to be used against much newer and faster competition, due to Japan's inability to produce enough newer aircraft.
Specifications (Ki-48-IIa)
Data from Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft, Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, Kawasaki Ki.48-I/II Sokei in Japanese Army Air Force-CNAF & IPSF Service, Aircam No.32
General characteristics
Crew: 4
Length: 12.75 m (41 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 17.45 m (57 ft 3 in)
Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
Wing area: 40 m2 (430 sq ft)
Empty weight: 4,550 kg (10,031 lb)
Gross weight: 6,500 kg (14,330 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,750 kg (14,881 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Nakajima Ha115 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 843 kW (1,130 hp) each
Propellers: 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers
Performance
Maximum speed: 505 km/h (314 mph, 273 kn) at 5,600 m (18,373 ft)
Range: 2,400 km (1,500 mi, 1,300 nmi)
Service ceiling: 10,100 m (33,100 ft)
Armament
Guns: 3 × 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 89 machine guns, in nose, dorsal and ventral positions
Bombs: 800 kg (1,764 lb) of bombs
Een minpunt van de kit is dat het bommenruim gesloten is. Maar op het web vond ik een paar mooie foto's van hoe dat er van binnen uit ziet:
Dus het is de bedoeling dat het bommenruim open gaat worden gemaakt.
Geniet ervan en ik kijk er naar uit om 'm verder afgebouwd te zien worden zodra je weer terug bent.
