Nakajima Ki-44 "Tojo" Pt 2 Threads

Nakajima Ki-44 "Tojo" Pt 2

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Sunday, 9 December 2001, at 7:04 a.m.

3. "Here's a Ki-44 of No. 87 Hiko Sentai, armed with 40mm cannon, although they are shown removed! Note the difference in the camouflage pattern as it goes from cowl, to forward fuselage section and rest of the fuselage. No a/c numbers

were visible on any part of the A/C from what I was able to see in photos from various angles."

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_87fr_jh_c.jpg

Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3)

Posted By: James Holloway <bobwimple@aol.com>

Date: Sunday, 9 December 2001, at 5:26 p.m.

In Response To: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3) *PIC* (James F. Lansdale)

From a Japanese newsreel showing seveal of these A/C taking off, no serial numbers visable, and all displaying similar weathering, all A/C having the 40mm cannon removed. I apologise for the terrible photography, I hadn't realsed the painting was so crooked! I need to get someone to hold these.

Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3)

Posted By: Yak <yak@targetrabaul.com>

Date: Sunday, 9 December 2001, at 11:22 p.m.

In Response To: Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3) (James Holloway)

Fantastic job with that very tough scheme. It's really amazingly close to the film of that plane. I've seen that same film, and did a version of our Ki-44-IIB in the scheme of one of the other planes on that film. I didn't include a white outline on the tail swoop on our plane... does it show up in your research?

I don't suppose you found any evidence to help you with the green color? I left ours with a kind of standardish IJA green, I don't remember what at the moment, but definitely darker than the ones seen in both your painting and another 87 FR painting I've seen. I think I'll have to think about changing colors...

Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3)

Posted By: James Holloway <bobwimple@aol.com>

Date: Tuesday, 11 December 2001, at 1:53 a.m.

In Response To: Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3) (Yak)

Sir, the white outline tho thin shows up very clearly on all aircraft in the film. As for the colours , the process of photograghing and scanning tends to change the colours quite a bit, plus in these paintings sometimes the colour has to be lightened to be able to show smaller details of the aircraft. I forgot to mention, tho no A/C numbers are seen on any of these planes, the small serial number bar in front of the horizontal stabilizer is visable.

Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3)

Posted By: Micah Bly <yak@targetrabaul.com>

Date: Tuesday, 11 December 2001, at 9:57 a.m.

In Response To: Re: HOLLOWAY Holiday Painting: 87 FR Tojo (3) (James Holloway)

Thanks for the response. I don't have any color photos of these Ki44s at all. I just guessed on the green, so if you have a photo, or something that you went by, I'd sure love to see it.

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Wednesday, 21 November 2001, at 8:01 a.m.

Below is a closeup view of the starboard rudder on a Nakajima Ki-44, s/n 2068, captured at Clark Field, P.I.

Credit: Koku Fan FAOW No.147, 1/85, p.51

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_2068_tail.jpg

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Wednesday, 21 November 2001, at 7:53 a.m.

When the Clark air base complex was captured, squadrons of IJA aircraft were captured. Nearly twenty Nakajima Ki-44 Tojos were captured in the Philippines and eight at Clark Field alone. Tojos captured at Clark were s/nos. 1291, 1747, 1753, 1792, 1883, 2068, 2143, and 2186.

Below is pictured Tojo ,s/n 2068, in NMF (or after stripping) during rapair and later testing by the TAIU as [S 11]. Note the AKENO emblem on the rudder.

Ki-44, s/n 2143, was a "brown" Tojo with a yellow hiragana [MO] on the starboard rudder only. Ki-44, s/n 2186, was a "brown" Tojo with a yellow hiragana [SA] on the starboard rudder. No view of the port side rudder has yet been located on this aircraft.

Credit: Koku Fan FAOW No.147, 1/85, p.51.

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_2068_clark.jpg

Re: Clark Field Tojo s/n 2068 (1 of 2) *PIC*

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Thursday, 22 November 2001, at 6:44 p.m.

In Response To: More Clark Field Tojos! *PIC* (James F. Lansdale)

I originally wrote about the Nakajima Ki-44 Tojo s/n 2068, that it appeared in the KKF photo to be, "in NMF (or after stripping of paint) during rapair and later testing by the TAIU as [S 11]" and I noted "the AKENO emblem on the rudder."

Today I found another photo of the same Tojo s/n 2068 as captured on Clark Field. It appeared in Dick BUESCHEL's "Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki" book published by Schiffer Military/Aviation History on page 28.

Please note that it originally was in a dark camouflage scheme when captured with outlined hinomaru and the Akeno emblem and katakana [68]on the rudder. In the photo below, the rudder is in backlight. See posting "Clark Field Tojo s/n 2068 (2 of 2) for better imaging of the rudder.

Credit: Richard L. Seely via Dick Bueschel

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_2068_clark_a.jpg

Re: Clark Field Tojo s/n 2068 (2 of 2) *PIC*

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Thursday, 22 November 2001, at 6:52 p.m.

In Response To: More Clark Field Tojos! *PIC* (James F. Lansdale)

See below for the port rudder view of Nakajima Ki-44 Tojo s/n 2068 as captured on Clark Field. While this print is of poor quality, the Akeno emblem and the katakana [68] may be more clearly seen in the original negative for this photo.

Credit: Richard M Bueschel/Schiffer Publication "Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki," p.28

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_2068_clark_b.jpg

Posted By: Pete Chalmers <pchalmers@carolina.rr.com>

Date: Monday, 19 November 2001, at 5:59 a.m.

The photo is from the July, 1972 Kokufan. I provided the original scan - I'm looking at the original magazine page now.

(1) The original camoflage line is visible low on the fuselage - the underside is clearly NOT unpainted but in a gray. The camo. break runs along the lower fuselage and does not flare up to the H.S.

(2) The aircraft DOES have a black forward anti-glare - because the canopy is open, the rear anti-glare cannot be determined.

(3) The serial no. appears to be gray rather than yellow, when compared with the yellow tail marking.

FAOW #16 on the Ki-44 has a number of pictures which lead me to believe that this aircraft is one with the reflector sight, as follows:

p.48-49. 3 pictures of a factory-fresh aircraft in the exact camo. ( colors unknown ) pattern with similar serial placement. No gunsight fitted, but a solid forward windscreen.

p.50 Another captured aircraft ( # 2143 ? ) from the same unit as the color photo; 3 photos, reflector gunsight; identical camo.

Also, if you have the Ki-84 FAOW #19, a suspiciously similar "factory" scheme is to be seen on p.28-29.

Also, many photos of Ki-43-III aircraft seem to exhibit a similar scheme.

I'm certainly not suggesting that this is proof positive that the "Brown" scheme was the only IJAAF late war scheme ( another color photo take in Korea clearly shows a dark almost "naval" green ) , but it does present a possibility as one alternative for late-war Nakajima fighters.

Re: Brown Tojo (1 of 2) *PIC*

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Tuesday, 20 November 2001, at 12:52 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Ki-44 External Colors/Brown Too! (Pete Chalmers)

Pete CHALMERS writes, "The aircraft DOES have a black forward anti-glare" (see below)

Credit: KKF Magazine, 7/72 via Pete Chalmers

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_closeup_a.jpg

Re: Brown Tojo (2 of 2) *PIC*

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Tuesday, 20 November 2001, at 12:56 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Ki-44 External Colors/Brown Too! (Pete Chalmers)

Pete CHALMERS wrote:

(1) The original camoflage line is visible low on the fuselage - the underside is clearly NOT unpainted but in a gray. The camo. break runs along the lower fuselage and does not flare up to the H.S.

(2) The aircraft DOES have a black forward anti-glare - because the canopy is open, the rear anti-glare cannot be determined." (N.B. The rear deck appears brown in this view below)

(3) The serial no. appears to be gray rather than yellow, when compared with the yellow tail marking."

Credit: KKF Magazine, 7/72 via Pete Chalmers

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_closeup_b.jpg

Posted By: Garth O'Connell <garth.o'connell@awm.gov.au>

Date: Sunday, 18 November 2001, at 3:37 p.m.

Negative Number: AC0210

Caption: JAPANESE SINGLE ENGINED FIGHTER AIRCRAFT NAKAJIMA KI-44 "SHOKI (DEVIL-QUELLER)" ALLIED CODE NAME "TOJO" SHOWN IN AMERICAN MARKINGS. AFTER CAPTURE, RESTORED BY TECHNICAL AIR INTELLIGENCE UNIT SWPA AND FLOWN BY ALLIED PILOTS FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES.

Source: Australian War Memorial photographic database

Editors note: Picture at http://anzac.mdsnews.com/attachments/kkoori/ac0210_ki44rearview.jpg

Posted By: Jacob Russell <Bf109nut@aol.com>

Date: Friday, 16 November 2001, at 9:00 p.m.

What's the proper color for Ki-44 cockpits and wheelwells? I have both Otaki and Hasegawa Ki-44 kits. The Otaki kit calls for Aotake for both the cockpit and wheelwells, whereas the Hasegawa kit calls for Nakajima Interior Green for both areas. Robert Mikesh's new book on Japanese Interiors takes no position on this topic, perhaps because there are no known surviving aircraft, so I'm curious.

Also, can anyone confirm or refute the existence of BLACK Ki-44s? I have an AeroMaster sheet that has a Ki-44-II that's described as having natural metal lower surfaces, and black uppersurfaces. Black, or dark brown? There is precedent for AeroMaster getting it wrong. They have a Special Attack Squadron sheet for the Ki-84 that depicts an a/c that was supposedly black, and all information that I've seen points to this plane being brown, rather than black.

Re: Ki-44 External Colors... *PIC*

Posted By: James F. Lansdale <LRAJIM@aol.com>

Date: Saturday, 17 November 2001, at 4:45 a.m.

In Response To: Ki-44 internal/external colors... (Jacob Russell)

You ask, "Also, can anyone confirm or refute the existence of BLACK Ki-44s?"

Although, to the best of my knowledge, no relics or color photography has shown that black Nakajima Ki-44 Tojos existed, it is possible but probably not common!

The origin of the black Tojos may have, in part, come from the famous photo below taken in the Fall of 1944 by Shunkichi KIKUCHI at Mukden A/F, Manchuria of a No.70 Hiko Sentai Ki-44. The upper surface appears very dark (almost black ?). It is the only dark Tojo in the series of photos taken by KIKUCHI-san. It is very likely, but speculative, that the upper surface finish was the "official" IJA dark olive-green, No.7 (FS-34086/34088) or dark blue-green, No.27 (FS-34036/34056). Both colors would appear very dark in b/w photography, particularly if there was a bad exposure or by the use of orthochromatic film.

It is also likely that the lower surfaces were an oxidized (flat) natural metal finish. Other photos of this same airplane show a lighter lower surface finish not apparent in this side-view.

Photo credit: (c) Shunkichi Kikuchi/Bunrindo Publications, "Japanese Army Wings of the Second World War," p.70

Editors note: Picture at http://www.j-aircraft.com/jiml/ki-44_70fr.jpg

Re: Ki-44 internal/external colors...

Posted By: Nick Millman

Date: Sunday, 18 November 2001, at 3:27 a.m.

In Response To: Ki-44 internal/external colors... (Jacob Russell)

There are numerous RAF combat reports from the Burma theatre that describe "black" and "jet-black" Japanese fighters, albeit mostly Oscars. Some scoff at the accuracy of these reports, quoting misinterpretation in the "heat of combat" but I have to say that many are remarkably detailed and describe close-up encounters in broad daylight. Being military personnel, the importance of intelligence and the accuracy of observation would be second nature to these pilots although we must indeed allow for the inconsistencies of visual perception prevalent amongst human observers.

The Japanese used small numbers of Oscars in Burma for night-intrusion sorties, fitted with field-rigged fuselage bomb racks, and it is possible that these dark schemes were applied for night operations. Similarly, reports of "blue" and "dark blue" Oscars may refer to aircraft painted for night operations or where the original black finish has faded to a blue-black. We just don't know.

Significantly, the solid black Ki-44 most often illustrated, the 87th Sentai example, seems to have no photographic basis. Rare newsreel footage of the 87th in Burma (courtesy of Joern Leckscheid) shows Ki-44's in the "standard" dark squiggle/mottle over natural metal. This camouflage could be interpreted as grey, brown, various shades of green or all three - but contemporary and near-contemporary documentary evidence points to the predominant use of dark green only.

Numerous contemporary anecdotal references in CBI to a Japanese "Black Dragon" squadron are enigmatic and one wonders if this name arose from the colour of the aircraft of a particular unit. Believed to be a Navy squadron it is tempting to speculate whether these were in fact mis-identified Ki-44's. Here we begin to drift into the mythology of WWII and perhaps we should leave these mysterious black fighters to fly on in the realm of the yellow Zero, on garish 1950's pulp fiction covers and kit box-art !

Posted By: Ed Dixon <swngwing@aol.com>

Date: Tuesday, 12 March 2002, at 6:13 p.m.

Can someone give a new J aircraft modeler a reference for cockpit and wheel well color on my first JAAF fighter? FS ref would be great, or a cocktail to mix. I searched thru the ref material but must have missed it with my new bifoculs

Re: Ki-44 interior color

Posted By: Grant Goodale <grant.goodale@sympatico.ca>

Date: Tuesday, 12 March 2002, at 7:13 p.m.

In Response To: Ki-44 interior color (Ed Dixon)

This is one of life's great mysteries. According to Mikesh ("Japanese Aircraft Interiors"), there is no reference material to verify an interior colour. However, "since the interior coating of the Ki-43 Oscar can be substantiated as being fully coated in the cockpit area with the blue-green aotake, this close cousin ... most likely was painted the same."

The wheel wells were probably NMF.

Posted By: Andy <Hahn-Dreieich@t-online.de>

Date: Tuesday, 4 June 2002, at 2:24 p.m.

Does someone know where I can find photographs

of Shokis armed with the 40mm gun? Seems to be

a very rare aircraft...

Re: Ki-44 "40mm Gunship"

Posted By: Jim Long <jimilong@msn.com>

Date: Tuesday, 4 June 2002, at 4:58 p.m.

In Response To: Ki-44 "40mm Gunship" (Andy)

The late Richard M. Bueschel's book on the Ki-44 has two photos of a Shoki with the 40mm gun tubes. The guns are not mounted, however, perhaps because they were not considered effective and their weight detracted from performance. The book is the Schiffer Military History edition published in 1996, ISBN 0-88740-914-8, LCCN 95-72352. The pictures are on pages 41 and 42. Another picture is on page 44, where a Ki-44 WITH the 40s mounted is in the background of a group picture of pilots of the 47th Air Regiment.

A Japanese language source is the FOAW #16/1989-5 on the Shoki. This Bunrindo Company publication has several good pictures of the 40mm guns and aircraft.

Re: Ki-44 "40mm Gunship"

Posted By: Jim Long <jimilong@msn.com>

Date: Wednesday, 5 June 2002, at 8:07 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Ki-44 "40mm Gunship" (Jim Long)

The Osprey Aviation Elite 5, "B-29 Hunters of the JAAF" by Takaki & Sakaida, also has the picture of the 47th's pilots in front of the Shoki with the 40mm guns, page 26. The 40mm gun is shown on page 30.

Francillon's encyclopedia, "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War," has one closeup picture of the 40mm gun installation on Ki-44 #1747, a plane captured at Clark on 14 February 1945.

The old Maru Mechanic on the Shoki (Maru Mechanic Number 9 of March 1978) haa a drawing of the gun and its ammo, a profile drawing of a Shoki with 40mm guns, and three small pictures of an armorer loading 40mm rounds into an access hole on the wing of a Ki-44.

If you don't have the Japanese books and want to try to get them, I recommend E. George. Contact him by e-mail or visit his website. George's website is featured on our j-aircraft homepage.

Posted By: Andrew <younaj1@hotmail.com>

Date: Monday, 17 June 2002, at 6:11 p.m.

I am making the ARII 1/48 Ki-44 and I am wondering if anyone can help with the colours used on this aircraft. With the colour artwork that comes with the kit, I can see that one of the aircraft is painted in dark brown with green mottle over what may be either natural metal or blue-grey. Does anyone have any info as to what these colours may be and if they are correct. I would also appreciate any help with the interior colors of Ki-44s as the ARII kit is in japanese only! Thanks for any help,

Naruhodo! Dai-hachi-ju-go sentai da yo!

Posted By: Nick Millman

Date: Saturday, 22 June 2002, at 10:39 a.m.

In Response To: Ki-44 colours - HELP! (Andrew)

I believe this artwork depicts one of the aircraft flown by 85th Sentai ace Yukiyoshi Wakamatsu.

Posted By: Ian Robertson <iroberts@boisestate.edu>

Date: Saturday, 29 June 2002, at 8:14 p.m.

I've seen models of the Ki.44 with the cockpit doors in the open position; however, I've never seen a photo like that. Were these doors commonly used by pilots, or just in emergencies?

Re: Ki.44 cockpit doors (open or not?)

Posted By: Nick Millman

Date: Sunday, 30 June 2002, at 6:00 a.m.

In Response To: Ki.44 cockpit doors (open or not?) (Ian Robertson)

The purpose of these doors was not primarily for pilot access - indeed most photographs show pilots climbing in without the doors being open - but to facilitate ground crew access for servicing and adjustments within the cockpit area, especially in respect of the cowling guns. A panel forward of the windscreen could also be removed to provide access to the breech mechanism and ammunition feed from the magazine stowage immediately below.

There is a photograph in FAOW 16 (page 74) showing a pilot posing in the cockpit with the starboard door open. If you have detailed the cockpit of your Ki-44 model not much of it will be seen unless you have one or both of these doors open! I think it is legitimate to do so. One of my own Ki-44 models is displayed trestled up at the tail with both cockpit doors open and both cowling gun panels removed.

Posted By: Daniel Gastelumendi <acratador@tutopia.com>

Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2002, at 1:30 p.m.

Was flown the Ki-44 "Tojo"by the Chinese Air Force?

Somebody has some photo or drawing of this subject?

Re: Chinese Ki-44?

Posted By: Geoff Payne <geoffrpayne@aol.com>

Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2002, at 5:24 p.m.

In Response To: Chinese Ki-44? (Daniel Gastelumendi)

Yes the Chinese did have a number of Ki44's. There is a picture in Mikesh, "Broken Wings of the Samurai" page 148. Also in Bueschel, Nakajima, ki44, Shoki, page 49-51.

Re: Chinese Ki-44!

Posted By: Sean G. <aseang@earthlink.net>

Date: Tuesday, 24 September 2002, at 5:22 p.m.

In Response To: Chinese Ki-44? (Daniel Gastelumendi)

During the Chinese People's Revolution, you could find Ki-44's, along with most everything else that could be patched together by both the Nationalist's and Communist's.

Re: Chinese Ki-44!

Posted By: Nick Millman

Date: Friday, 27 September 2002, at 4:43 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Chinese Ki-44! (Sean G.)