The
Photographs
The
collection at RAF Cosford is special in many respects and a place I always
wanted to visit. The Kawasaki Ki-100-Ib and the Mitsubishi Ki-46-III
"Dinah" are the only examples of their type in existence and were the
focus on my interest. In particular the Dinah is one of the only multi-engine
Japanese WWII aircraft anywhere. Coincidentally both aircraft share the same
powerplant, the 1,500-hp Mitsubishi Ha-112 radial. The collection includes
another example of Japanese WWII aviation technology--an MXY "Okha".
Because there are examples of this piloted bomb in a number of collections
including NASM, it was of considerably less interest to me.
The cockpits of both the Ki-46III and Ki-100-Ib are well photographed in Mikesh's fine book Japanese Aircraft Interiors 1940-1945. What I have found difficult to locate are detailed photographs of the exterior of these machines for modeling reference and the photographs I have taken were intended to fill that gap. They are numbered 1 through 27; text for each is similarly numbered for reference:
14_ki46
The MXY is parked directly in front of Dinah III.
15_ki46
Port flap detail. Not natural aluminum like the Ki-100, this seemed to be tinted
with an Aotake-like blue by the restorer.
16_
ki46 Port, rear 3/4 view of Ki-46 III serial number 5439. Beautiful lines, one
of the prettiest airplanes I have ever seen.
17_ki46
Starboard main strut, I was told by one of the staff that the wheels are all
original.
18_ki46
In a suit I lay down on the floor and shimmied under the Ki-46 to get this shot
directly up into the starboard wheel well. Color, as well as the pieces left
natural metal are interesting.
19_ki46
Standing directly beneath the nose, looking up through the pilot's floor window.
20/21_ki46
two views directly into the observers station from the starboard side.
22_ki46
the very overbuilt, retractable tail wheel of Dinah. Solid rubber tire.
23_ki46
Starboard rudder. Surprising how open the seals are for the rudder linkage
compared to the Ki-100 or the other fighters around the collection at Cosford.
24_ki46
Rudder linkage close up.
25_ki46
Starboard wing, from tip in. Note hinomaru and pattern of upper green down the
nacelle and 90 degree move to the wheel well doors. Sky blue hub caps. Big wing
tip light.
26_ki46
Dinah's late 30's design shows in specific details, this is the lower starboard
fabric covered aileron linkage, crude compared to the Ki-100.
27_ki46
View directly into the starboard nacelle. A lot of spray paint appears to have
gotten on the Ha 112 cylinders, push-rods.
28_ki46
Port, front, 3/4 view. Prop warning stripe. Placement of yellow/orange combat
leading edge stripe of interest. What a cool airplane.
29_
ki46 Close up of port cowl flaps, Ha 112 manifold and exhaust ejector stubs.
Color of rear of prop and yellow tips of interest.
30_ki46
Starboard front 3/4 view
31_ki46
Tough to get an exact rear view to reference dihedral due to placement.
32_ki46
Port view with insignia from the 81st Sentai, operated Dinah from
1941 through 44, Okha in front.
33.
A6M_ Plunked in front of Dinah is the cowl and Sakae 21 radial of an A6M type 32
or 5. Could this be the powerplant of the fuselage located in the Imperial War
Museum?