Thursday 3 September 2020

Shoki # 32 Hiko Dai 47 Sentai


Aviation Artist Ronnie Olsthoorn has recently updated Profile # 22 In Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces 100 on the Ki-44 'Tojo' Aces of World War 2 in light of a newly revealed reference and very kindly shares the revised illustration above. For many years this aircraft, attributed to the Shinten Seikutai (Heaven Shaking Air Superiority Unit) air-to-air ramming flight of Hiko Dai 47 Sentai, was depicted in profiles and on box art with an all red tail based on a single and inconclusive photograph. However a photograph published in Bunrindo's Famous Aircraft of the World Special Edition Vol.8 'Pictorial History of Japanese Army 47th Flying-Sentai' reveals the full right hand side of this aircraft revealing a dark painted rudder with the lighter sentai insignia still apparent. The aircraft is captioned as belonging to the Asahi (1st) Chutai and therefore the insignia colours are presumed blue - or 'cobalt blue' as often described. 
   
With special thanks to Ronnie for providing the revised profile. And worry not - decals for this aircraft and other 47th Sentai 'spectaculars' will shortly be available! 

Image credit: © 2020 Ronnie Olsthoorn.

5 comments:

Dan Salamone said...

Thanks so much for this, both to Nick and of course Ronnie. I have the Rising sheet on pre-order at HLJ and can't wait to get it. This is one gorgeous Shoki!

Dan

Ken Glass said...

Thanks for posting this info & color profile, Ronnie & Nick.

Danilo said...

very interesting and colourful subject! Many thanks to you and Ronnie for posting this profile.
Dan Salamone mentioned he has a Rising sheet of this subject on pre-order. I couldn't find any evidence of a future release of such a decal sheet -could Dan give more details about? Thank you

Straggler 脱走兵 said...

Hi Danilo

The Rising Decals sheets are on pre-order at HLJ in both 1/48 and 1/72 scale but rather hard to find there! Here are the links:-

https://www.hlj.com/1-48-scale-47th-flight-regiment-decal-rsdrd48031

https://www.hlj.com/1-72-scale-47th-flight-regiment-decal-rsdrd72093

I'll be reviewing the 1/72 sheet next week.

Regards
Nick

Ignasio Gonzalez said...

Gorgeous!
That book is a must have, it is much appretiated that the research keeps on going.
Cheers!