1:32 Kawasaki Ki61-I Hei Hien (Tony)

Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hei Hien 1:32, Hasegawa

A plastic kit of the Japanese army fighter Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hei Hien in 1:32 scale from Hasegawa of Japan, manufacturer's part number ST28. The package brings gray and clear plastic frames, a decal sheet with markings of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force and a rigid box with a hinged lid. The Hei is the sub-version with heavier 20 mm cannon armament. The large scale allows the cockpit and the engine section to be worked up, and with this subject those are among the most interesting places.

The real subject

The Hien, given the Allied code Tony, was an exception among Japanese fighters: instead of a radial engine it carried a liquid-cooled engine derived from a licensed German design. That gave it a narrow pointed nose, for which Allied pilots at first mistook it for German types. The machines fought over New Guinea, the Philippines and over the Japanese home islands. Its best-known user was the 244th Air Regiment, which defended Tokyo from an airfield near the city against raids by B-29 bombers and whose commander was Teruhiko Kobayashi.

Building and painting tips

In 1:32 scale the cockpit is visible right down to the detail, so paint and glue it before the fuselage is closed. Mask the clear parts before spraying. For Japanese machines of this period chipped paint on the wings and at the foot of the cockpit suits: lay down dark metal and over it a thin layer of the covering color, which you then gently take back. Put the decals onto a gloss surface and at the end spray the whole model matte.

Who the model is for

• followers of the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force
• modelers who want a large scale and room for detail
• builders of a fighter collection in 1:32
• anyone interested in the defensive battles over the Japanese home islands

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.