1:144 Mitsubishi G4M1 Betty type 1

Mitsubishi G4M1 Betty in 1:144 scale from IXO MODELS

A finished collector's item, assembled and painted, from the Junior 1:144 range, the manufacturer's part number PIXJ008003. The model is unpacked and stood in a display case - no modeling work awaits it. According to the manufacturer this range has a metal fuselage and a plastic wing and small parts. Check the particular coloring, the markings and the content of the package on the box.

The real subject

The G4M was a twin-engine land-based attack bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, designated as the type 1; the Allies gave it the code name Betty. The designer achieved its exceptional range by giving the machine neither armor nor self-sealing fuel tanks and by filling the whole wing with fuel. The result was a vulnerability that American gunners knew by the nickname the one-shot lighter: a single hit in the wing could set the aircraft alight. The manufacturer added protection only in the course of the war, and the version with self-sealing tanks came too late to make any difference.

What to look for in a finished model

In 1:144 scale what decides is the cleanliness of the printing, the seating of the engine nacelles and the propellers and the smoothness of the joint between the wing and the fuselage. It is an object for display, not a toy - the metal fuselage has weight and the thin plastic parts will not forgive a fall. The printing will stay rich longer if direct sunlight does not fall on the display case.

Who the model is for

• collectors of Japanese aviation equipment
• anyone interested in a finished model without modeling work
• builders of collections in a uniform 1:144 scale

This is a finished model, not a kit. Check the workmanship, the assembly, the painting and the extent of the package on the box.