Featuring another excellent JAAF biplane model, the Nakajima Ko-4 fighter beautifully crafted by Rob Ronconi from the challenging 1/72 scale, mixed media Azur kit of 2009.
Following Japanese Army adoption of the Ko-3 fighter/trainer (a licence built Nieuport 24 C 1 originally designated Type Ni-24) which had replaced the Hei-1 (SPAD XIII) the Ko-4 fighter was manufactured under licence by Nakajima after examples of the Nieuport 29 C 1 were imported to Japan by the Army in 1923. A total of 608 were produced from 1923 to 1932 as the Army's first mass produced fighter, seeing service from 1925 to 1933. Although deployed during the Manchurian and Shanghai incidents from 1931 to 1932 there was no opportunity to test the design in air combat. And at that time replacement by the Nakajima Type 91 fighter had already begun.
From 1925 the Ko-4 was operated alongside the Ko-3 by two Chutai in the 1st Hiko Rentai (Air Wing*) at Kasumigaura, three Chutai in the 3rd Hiko Rentai at Yokaichi, two Chutai in the 4th Hiko Rentai at Tachiarai and one Chutai in the 7th and 8th Hiko Rentai at Hamamatsu and Pingtung (Formosa) respectively.
In service Army pilots were not enthused by the Ko-4, preferring instead the slower Ko-3 for its superior stability and manoeuvrability. The Ko-4 had a tendency to side slip and stall at pre-stall speeds and possessed a high landing speed. The twin-bay biplane had a wooden monocoque fuselage constructed with layers of hot-glued wooden strips wrapped in a spiral around a mould, strengthened by internal longerons and four plywood bulkheads, then covered with linen and doped with cellulose lacquer. The wings were of fabric covered wood. Powered by a 320 hp Mitsubishi licenced Hispano-Suiza, eight cylinder V-8 water cooled engine giving a maximum speed of 145 mph and a cruising speed of 106 mph, cooling was provided by the two distinct Lamblin radiators fitted to the wheel struts. The Ko-4 was armed with two 7.7mm synchronised machine guns.
With special thanks to Rob for kindly sharing these images of his excellent model with Aviation of Japan and for his patience in waiting for them to be posted here!
* Hiko Rentai is usually translated as 'Air Regiment' but to avoid confusion with the convention here of Hiko Sentai as air regiment this article uses the term 'Air Wing' as used in the seminal Pictorial History of Japanese Military Aviation by Eiichiro Sekigawa, translated and published by Ian Allan in 1974.
Image credit: All model photos © 2026 Rob Ronconi; Box art © 2009 Azur-FRROM
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