Hasegawa Models 8880 Nakajima Ki-44 Type 2 single-seat fighter Shoki II Type C 1:32 SCALE MODEL KIT

The kit accurately reproduces the form of Shoki II Type C.
The parts are configured with emphasis on ease of assembly.
Large spars are used to secure the fuselage and main wings, and
the design allows for reliable positioning.
The butterfly-shaped air combat flap, which is a feature of this machine, can also be set in the down state.
Includes an additional tank, a small pylon, and a pilot figure in a seated position.

~Keystone of the Imperial Capital's Air Defense~ The Shoki was developed as a heavy fighter with an emphasis on hit-and-run tactics, and had the characteristics of a local fighter with a short cruising range. It will be deployed in the mainland air defense battle and will become the cornerstone of the imperial capital's air defense. As for the Shoki-equipped units, the 70th Flight Squadron, the 23rd Flight Squadron, and the 47th Flight Squadron were in charge of the Tokyo area, and the 246th Flight Squadron was in charge of the Keihanshin area, demonstrating their true potential as air defense fighters against the incoming B-29s. did. The Army achieved success with the Type 97 fighter, which was said to be the ultimate light fighter, and the aviation method for fighter aircraft was centered around light combat aircraft, but the Army Aviation Headquarters Weapons Research Policy in 1931 set out the next generation of combat aircraft. In developing the aircraft, research began on the light fighter (later the Type 1 Hayabusa fighter) as well as the heavy fighter, which was becoming the center of attention in many countries around the world. The Army's requirements were a maximum speed of 600km/h or higher, an altitude of 5000m within 5 minutes, a radius of action of 600km or more, and armament of two 7.7mm machine guns and two 12.7mm machine guns, which were quite harsh conditions by the standards of the time. However, this was an inevitable condition considering that the heavy fighters of other countries were at a level of perfection that would take their first flight, and it would be meaningless for Japan to develop a fighter aircraft that could surpass them. Nakajima Aircraft was in charge of the development of both light and heavy fighters.As the heavy fighter (later Shoki) was Japan's first model, it was enthusiastically developed mainly by young engineers, and Nakajima's unique design was developed. The aircraft incorporates many ideas and features many features. The most difficult part was choosing the engine, as there was no high-output, compact engine available, so we chose the bomber engine Ha-41. This is the basis of the distinctive large-headed design. The fuselage, which has a semi-monocoque structure, is sharply narrowed from the rear end of the cowl flap to the area around the cockpit, making it a symmetrical design to the Navy's Raiden, which followed a similar process down to the aircraft development concept and engine selection method. I did. The wingspan has been shortened to increase speed, and the structure is designed to withstand steep descents of 850km/h and up to 12.6G. In order to maintain turning performance, Nakajima's unique butterfly-shaped flap that doubles as an air combat flap is used. The vertical stabilizer, which is placed behind the horizontal stabilizer, seems to be quite effective as a result of considering lateral stability and vertical stability separately. As a result of the test of the increased prototype machine, the maximum speed was recorded as 626km/h (with conditions such as no weapons). It was determined that with some modifications, it could be used as an anti-bomber interceptor, and after minor modifications to the aircraft, it was adopted as a Type 2 single-seat fighter. The Ha-109 engine, which had been under test for some time, was put into practical use, and after being replaced with the Ha-109 engine, the structure and arrangement of the propeller and oil cooler, and bulletproof equipment were improved and adopted as a Type 2 single-seat fighter. It has a maximum speed of 600 km/h and reaches an altitude of 5000 meters in 4 minutes and 15 seconds. Type 2 had three types depending on armament: A, Otsu, and C. The A type was equipped with two 7.7 mm machine guns in the nose and two 12.7 mm cannons in the wings, and the Otsu type was equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun in the nose. Two 40mm auto-injection cannons were installed in the wings, and the C-type was equipped with two 12.7mm cannons in both the nose and the wings. A further improved type 3 was produced, but production was switched to the Type 4 fighter jet and only a small number were produced. Army Air Force pilots who were used to flying light fighters seemed to dislike the maneuverability of the aircraft, but once they got used to it, they became fascinated by its speed, straightforward maneuverability, and stability when shooting. It seems like it wasn't as difficult as it was said to be. The main production type is the II Type C, which is used for air defense at important points in Thailand, Burma, mainland China, the Philippines, etc., but was mainly used in mainland air defense battles and fought against the B-29. The most famous of Shoki's actual combat units is the 47th Independent Flight Squadron, which was deployed to Burma and Malaya shortly after the outbreak of the war as Shoki's experimental equipment unit, but it did not have many chances to serve as an air defense fighter. However, due to the shock of the first air raid on Tokyo, they moved inland (Matsudo, Chofu, Narimasu) to defend the Imperial Capital, and became the key to the Imperial Capital's air defense. In addition, the 70th Squadron, 23rd Squadron, and 47th Squadron as Shoki equipment units were in charge of the Tokyo area, and the 246th Squadron was in charge of the Keihanshin area, and from then on, the Shoki was used as an air defense fighter against the incoming B-29s. He showed his true potential and played an active role.

Decal (marking)