Ki-55 in 1/48 Scale by Harvey Low

Another Harvey Low beauty, this time a 1/48 scale Tachikawa Ki-55. It is surprising that there is still no mainstream, injection moulded kit of 'Ida' in this scale, especially given the existence of a surviving museum example in Thailand  The Ki-36/55 had an extensive operational history as both an army co-operation aircraft, convoy escorter and advanced trainer. Its service in foreign air arms - China, Thailand, France and Indonesia - offers the potential for unusual schemes and markings. Therefore it would seem to be an ideal choice of subject for Fine Molds, if not Tamiya, but perhaps it does not reach the popularity bar in Japan?

Over to Harvey then:- 

'The Ki-55 was a trainer version of the Ki-36 reconnaissance aircraft, first flown as a prototype in September 1939. It was of all-metal structure, covered by a mix of light alloy and fabric control surfaces, and powered by a 336kW Hitachi Ha-13 radial engine. It was designated as the Army Type 99 Advanced Trainer. It introduced the more powerful Hitachi Ha-13a engine in later variants. When construction ended in January 1944, a total of 1,334 had been built by Tachikawa and Kawasaki. 

'This model is my 1/48 scratch-built Ki-55 'Ida'. It is scratch-built because it is based 'loosely' on the very old 1980's Gull Model vacuform kit, where I had to re-vacuform the rear fuselage and some parts of the wings due to damage to the plastic over the years. I created new vacuform canopies made from basswood molds. 

'The cockpit was entirely scratch-built thanks to my friend Kittichart Boonyapakdi who kindly took detailed interior and exterior photos of the surviving Ki-55 at the Royal Thai Air Museum (some included here). 

The model also has scratch-built flap detail, as well as over a 1000 raised rivets using Micro-Mark rivet decals, as the real aircraft had raised rivets throughout. 

'All markings were hand applied by airbrush using masks that I made on my computer, cut through my Cameo Vinyl Cutting Printer. The aircraft is based on a photo of one of the 25th Kyoiku Hikotai in Manchuria in 1944 (below).'

From Koku Fan Illustrated No.42

Harvey Low

Some further details about 25 Kyoiku Hikotai (教育 飛行隊 - Training Air Unit). It was established in March 1944 to train officer fighter pilots in Manchuria. operating both Mansyu Ki-79 Type 2 Advanced Trainers and the Ki-55 as part of the 101st Air Training Brigade at Kungchuling which also had under command 23, 24, 26 and 27 Kyoiku Hikotai. In November 1944 it was demobilised and possibly incorporated into 5 Kyoiku Hikotai mobilised at the end of December 1944. By July 1945 101 Air Training Brigade had been expanded to include 4, 13 and 22 Advanced Air Training Units, together with 23, 24, 26 and 42 Kyoiku Hikotai, 5 Kyoiku Hikotai was a separate entity with HQ at Chinchow overseeing four Hikotai training camps at Fuhsin-Chinhai, Hsingcheng-Suichung, Koupantzu-Hsinlitun and Kaiyuan-Chuankou. Not to be confused with 25 Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai which was a Manchurian based Ki-45 Toryu air defence unit. When Manchuria was invaded by the Soviet Union some of the training units were deployed on ground attack sorties against the advancing columns. 

Image credit: All model photos © 2005 Harvey Low; Cockpit photos © Kittichart Boonyapakdi vua Harvey Low; Aircraft photo © 1988 Bunrindo Co., in Koku Fan Illustrated No.42 'Japanese Imperial Army & Navy Aircraft Color, Marking' via Harvey Low.