Nakajima J1N1-S "Gekko" (Irving) Colours

An interesting question at Hyperscale provided food for thought about the colours of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Nakajima J1N "Irving" in its various incarnations. It is easy to perceive the IJN colour schemes as "boring", plain dark green over grey, especially if one resorts to standard hobby paints like Tamiya IJN Green and IJN Grey. But explore a little deeper and there is a rather richer seam to be mined.

The question was primarily about the undersurface (and also the interior, of which more anon), where several references suggest light grey paint. Chris Cowx, however, made a very interesting observation based on first hand examination of wreckage, which sent me off in a perusal of the scant photographic evidence. The observation is too significant to become lost in the Hyperscale clutter so I hope that Chris won't mind me quoting it here for posterity and for the benefit of the dedicated Japanese aircraft community:-

"I have spent a bit of time doing some wreck hunting in the south pacific and have seen an early Irving from the exact unit and time frame in question. The 60+ years of weathering has of course removed most of the paint, however the undersides seem to be in NMF. There is red oxide primer remaining and it seems to have been sprayed freehand over the upper surfaces with no discernable paint below. You can see where the primer ends in a soft demarcation and there is no trace of it below that. Comparing it to other wrecks that are known to be NMF beneath shows a similar pattern of remaining paint. It would be a fair assumption that if there was no primer on the undersides then there would have been no paint."

Now it can be very difficult to determine light grey paint from oxidised natural metal in photographs, but in this case the photographs studied suggest that they were indeed unpainted natural metal. These two pieces of complementary and corroborative evidence beg the question what did the various published references use as a basis for presenting the undersurfaces as light grey?

Mr Mikesh identified the original external paint on the NASM J1N1-S Irving s/n 7337 as Thorpe's N2, equivalent to Munsell 10 G 3/2. At first this appears counter-intuitive. Surely on a nightfighting aircraft the black green of N1 would be more appropriate? Then one considers the characteristics of NIVO (Night Invisible Varnish, Orfordness), a dark grey-green, and the RAF experience to summise perhaps that the Imperial Navy were discovering for themselves that the most effective night camouflage paints were lighter.

But it is more complex than this. In his examination of Japanese aircraft colours at NASM in the Asahi Journal Vol.3 No.1, Mr Mikesh measured the surviving extant paint traces on s/n 7337 as being to a Munsell value of 1.9G 3.0/0.7, which he equated to the closest Munsell standard value of 10 G 3/2. How this conclusion was drawn is unclear because as may be seen from the analysis here the measured value is actually slightly closer to N1 and closer to the value of 2.5 G 3.0/0.5 - a green so dark and with so little green chroma that it is almost a dark grey, as the close comparison to FS 25081 reveals. Was this a dull and faded N1 or N2 with much of its green chroma robbed by time and temperature?

It is always tempting, in the absence of other evidence, to assume a continuous standard provided by a single extant example. This is not entirely foolproof, because aircraft production painting is rarely an undeviating continuum but instead usually reflects a series of modifications to answer changing logistical or operational needs. We need go no further to find a striking anomaly than Gallagher's 'Meatballs and Dead Birds', where an abandoned 'Gekko'at Atsugi, tail code 'YoD-172' is described as having been painted in a "shade of green unlike any other at Atsugi", a green compared to the colour of the seal on the front of a dollar bill. Courtesy of a valued correspondent in the USA suggested matches for the green in FS 595b are 14090, reported as slightly too intense, 14120 which has a slight grey caste and 14115, the closest although lacking yellow. Of course these can only be approximations but the colours are included to give an impression of how bright this green may have appeared. That such bright greens existed in the paint colour standards is confirmed by the extant Kariki 117 'D' series swatches shown here, including Ryôichi Watanabe's suggested FS 595b comparisons as reported in Arawasi magazine Issue 9, Apr-Jun 2008.

Early Irvings at Rabaul look very dark, almost black in photographs, and with all the usual caveats about the dangers of interpreting b/w photographs it may be that they were painted in the equivalent of N1 on the upper surfaces only, before being shipped south. The irony here is the possibility of the exact opposite of what we once believed, that in reality these aircraft undertook their first operations in a very dark, almost black green and finished up as nightfighters wearing much lighter greens.

However the authors of the modeler's eye series monograph on the Gekko draw an opposite conclusion, reporting that the earlier aircraft appeared to be a much lighter green, "believed to be the result of in-field painting of unfinished (silver) aircraft without proper priming, resulting in the lighter appearance." That conclusion is difficult to draw from the photographs studied and the description of the colour schemes is somewhat ambiguous in its reference to the "all dark green scheme". The book is mainly a vehicle for building the Tamiya 1/48th kit and the colour information is confined to a generic description "dark green" and the citing of Tamiya paint AS-1/XF-11 'Dark Green' which appears to be more like N2.

The Fujimi Irving kit instructions suggest a "Blak Green" (sic) equivalent to FS 34077, achieved by mixing 80% H59/15 (IJN Dark Green Nakajima) and 20% H12/33 (Black) but make no distinction between the colours of early and later models. This FS value is closer to N1 than N2 (3.53 to 6.52 where >2.0 = a close match), but as may be seen the Munsell value for N1 is greener and richer than the FS value suggested. The closest Munsell value to 34077 is 7.5 GY 2/2 @ 3.5o but it is only a smidgeon ahead of 10 GY 2/2 (N1) @ 3.53. The closest FS value to N1, and it is very close at 1.10, is 14056. This value is also close to Munsell 7.5 GY 2/2 @ 2.08. If you have followed thus far and not yet fallen asleep the reasonable conclusion is that Fujimi are suggesting the black-green N1 as the colour of Irving.

K Koizumi's painting of the early production J1N1-S '02-03' of the 202nd Ku in FAOW 57 depicts a green resembling N2 rather than N1, but it is a more yellowish - or cadmium - green of a similar hue to that seen on the Zero in the Atsugi colour film. The profiles show two different greens, with a lighter more viridian colour for the early production examples with unpainted/grey undersurfaces and a colour slightly more towards an olive green for the overall green painted aircraft. Both could be said to be approximations of N2 rather than N1 but the actual dark green is not referenced to Kariki 117.

In Model Art 272 translator Dr Widman Livenow describes the Irving colour scheme as"deep green-black with lower surfaces in ame-iro(sic)" suggesting N1 rather than N2.

Interior Colours

The original interior colours of the NASM example have been documented as being partly finished in the exterior colour N2 and partly in 'aotake', the blue-green translucent protective coating that results in a "metallic" appearance to the paint surface. Again, in the absence of data for earlier machines it is tempting to take this as typical and use it as a guide for all Irvings. However, the finish has all the hallmarks of late-war expediency, in the partial painting and use of external paint colour, so it may not be the most appropriate choice for earlier aircraft.

As a Nakajima aircraft it is possible that the interiors of earlier aircraft reflected paint colours similar to those found on Nakajima-built Zero aircraft.

A continuation of this article will explore detail colours and the relevant hobby paints.

'Straggler'

References

1. Hyperscale "Plane Talking" post on October 17 2009 at 9.12 p.m: "Alright, don't y'all freak out . . . "

2. 'Moonlight Interceptor - Japan's "Irving" Night Fighter', Robert C Mikesh and Osamu Tagaya, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1985

3. 'Japanese Aircraft colors at NASM', Robert C Mikesh, Asahi Journal, Vol.3 No.1

4. 'Japanese Aircraft Interiors 1940-1945', Rober C Mikesh, Monogram Aviation Publications, 2000

5. 'Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Camouflage and Markings, Model Art 272 and translated English summary edition by Dr Widman Livenow, Aviation Usk, 1996

6. 'Navy Night Fighter "Gekko"', FAOW 57, 1996

7. 'Nakajima Night Fighter Gekko Type 11 Late Production (Irving)', modeler's eye series # 1, Dainippon Kaiga, 2001

8. 'Meatballs and Dead Birds', James P Gallagher, Stackpole Books, 2004

9. 'True Colours: Kariki 117', Watanabe Ryôichi, Arawasi Magazine Issue 9, 2008

10. 'A History of the IJN's Night-Fighter Units', Yoji Watanabe, Dainippon Kaiga, 1993

11. 'San Maru Futa 302', Koku-Fan Illustrated #96, Bunrin-do, 1997

12. 'Nihon Rikukaigun Yakan Sentôki' (Japan's Army and Navy Night Fighter Aircraft), Model Art 595, 2001

13. 'Japanese Military Aircraft Illustrated' Vol.1 Fighters, Koku-Fan Illustrated Special, Bunrindo, 1982

14. 'Heroes of the Omperial Japanese Navy Air Force in 1937-1945', Model Art 439, 1994

Image credits: Artwork ©2009 Shigeo Koike; Rendered colour chips ©2009 Straggler

Type 97 Combo Fest

Hasegawa's recent 'Nakajima Ki27 Type 97 Fighter (NATE) '1st Flight Regiment COMBO' is a somewhat expensive re-issue of the two former Mania kits of 1970 vintage in a new box with a new and generous decal sheet (all those lovely bordered stripes!).

In addition to providing the two 1st Sentai aircraft shown on the box art, a further four options and one variation are offered, which include both of the aircraft originally depicted in Hasegawa's first 1978 issue of the kit. The decal options are:-

1. Ki-27 Ko of 1st Sentai, flown by Sentai Commander Lt Col Toshio Kato, Kagamihara, June 1939*

2. Ki-27 Ko of 1st Sentai, 2nd Chutai, flown by Capt Keisuke Yamada, Kagamihara, June 1939

3. Ki-27 Otsu of 1st Sentai, 1st Chutai, flown by Capt Shigetoshi Inoue, Nomonhan, August 1939*

4. Ki-27 Otsu of 4th Sentai; with alternative blue or yellow tail markings

5. Ki-27 Otsu of 5th Sentai, 1st Chutai, Kashiwagi, 1939-1941

6. Ki-27 Otsu of 24th Sentai, 3rd Chutai, flown by Capt Toshio Sakagawa, Manchuria, January 1940

(* Markings options as included in Hasegawa's first issue kit A34 in 1978.)

This decal sheet incorporates the coloured rudders and elevators of the 1st Sentai and I believe this is the first time the unit's distinctive painted elevators have been correctly depicted in a kit. The undersurface elevator decals are also included, although there is uncertainty whether these were actually painted. The necessity of including decals for these markings may be questioned - they are easy enough to paint - but I suppose it is nice to have the colours exactly matching the rest of the sheet. The sheet also includes very nice stencil decals but # 61 has me mystified as I cannot seem to find it anywhere on the instructions!

Of personal interest to me is the inclusion of the option for a 5th Sentai example, albeit from the 1st Chutai and not the 3rd Chutai aircraft in which Lt (later Capt) Baba of Ki-100 fame intercepted and attacked a B-25 during the Doolittle raid (his aircraft depicted in Ichiro Hasegawa's lovely painting - bottom picture). Useful because markings for this unit are not available elsewhere and they are difficult to paint. One of my long term projects is a 1/72nd scale line up of every unit flying the 97 Sen so this sheet is doubly welcome.

Also of interest are the painting instructions citing GSI Creos Mr Color and Aqueous Hobby Color paint ranges. A choice of 127 'Cockpit Colour (Nakajima)' or 14/H54 'Navy Blue' is suggested for the interior (the latter more probable although I have not compared this hobby paint colour to the actual standard colour). The exterior paint finish is even more intriguing because, whereas the box art appears to show the standard hobby paint "Army grey-green", the painting instructions suggest a 50/50 mix of 115 'RLM 65 Light Blue' and 128 'Grey Green' resulting in, presumably, an interesting blue-grey-green colour which may turn out to be close to the colours identified by Thorpe and the range given for 'Hairyokushoku' (ash green colour) in the Army standard. The question of whether this paint colour gave a predominantly pale green, blueish-grey or neutral grey impression - or all three - remains open as it is recalled and depicted almost equally in contemporaneous documents.

More on 97 Sen colours here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8

Hasegawa's ex-Mania Nate has not been re-issued as many times as some other Japanese aircraft kits in the range and unfortunately no attempt has been made to improve the molding. The kit is basically sound, offering both Ko and Otsu canopy variations, together with three different wheel configurations, but suffers from a number of detail issues. The Ko rear canopy section is almost flat-topped and rectangular in section where it should be curved. The windscreen has a large slot for the optical gunsight which is a very crude molding with a solid 'tab' fixing it to the fuselage (pinch an unused one from their Ki-44 kit!). The interior is rudimentary with the seat incorporating a separate 'back' that bears no relation to the real thing and pops up out of the cockpit like a slab of armour plate. The stabilisors and elevators also need refining, being molded rather crudely in comparison to the rest of the kit. The engine is basic but is difficult to improve because of the integral horseshoe oil cooler. Having mentioned all that (and there are a few other details too) it still builds up into an attractive kit that captures the iconic appearance of the original reasonably well. And it is an enjoyable and undemanding build which rewards simple improvements.

Fortunately the RS Models Ki-79 kits can also be plundered for spares to improve the Hasegawa model, such as the seat, although some may prefer to tackle the RS Models Ki-27 kits (based I believe on the Hasegawa kit) or the more recent ICM offerings to start with.

The 97 Sen has been quite well served with aftermarket decal sheets. A small Techmod sheet was included with the Kagero Monograph # 11 providing a small joint sheet of 1/72nd and 1/48th markings for 97 Sen of the 11th Sentai, 2nd Chutai, 10th Independent Chutai commander's aircraft, 13th Sentai, 1st Chutai, 64th Sentai (x 2), Akeno Flying School and RTAF. However, in the case of the Japanese options the markings are limited to tail insignia and do not include the various stripes or the Hinomaru insignia.

Arawasi produce a very nice decal sheet for 'Fancy Nates' 72001 (also available in 1/48th scale) with markings for four very colourful machines from the 50th Sentai and three training units. The 50th Sentai marking is splendid and particularly welcome as it would be almost impossible to paint. This is also a combat aircraft in the Phillipines during 1942 - a super choice.

Rising Decals sheet 72010 'Emperor's Eagles Over China and Nomonhan' includes markings for three 97 Sen from the 11th, 24th and 64th Sentai. Their 'Japanese Aircraft of the Training Units' sheet 72025 offers markings for a Ki-27 trainer aircraft of 117 Kyoiku Hikotai in Java during 1944, and two colourful earlier 97 trainers of 101 Kyoiku Hiko Rentai in Japan.

Most recently Empire City Decals have issued a sheet 'Fighters Over China' ECD7209 (also available in 1/48th scale) with markings for a very interesting caricature adorned 97 Sen Otsu of the 11th Sentai.

Finally, markings for Royal Thai Air Force versions of the 97 Sen are available on the generic Axis Decal sheet AX72-003 (also available from Arawasi) and on Siam Scale's sheet # 72037 for the Ki-21, Ki-27 and Ki-30. Siam Scale decals are available here.

More to come on 97 Sen kits, decals and details, including a look at the 1/48th scene.

Image credits: Box art and decal sheet © 2009 Hasegawa Corporation; Art © Ichiro Hasegawa

Another Gem ~ Mitsubishi A5M2a

This Fujimi 1/72nd scale Mitsubishi A5M2a in Sino-Japanese War camouflage is another superbly made and painted model by Zbyszek Malicki.

The aircraft modelled by Zbyszek was flown by PO 1st Class Mitsugo Mori of the 13th Kokutai during the attack on Hankow on 18th February 1938 and is the aircraft depicted on the box art of Fujimi kit # C-19/72040 first issued in 1996. The paints used were Tamiya red-brown and Extracolor IJA Green.

Seeing this aircraft brings back fond memories of watching the Taiwanese film "Heroes of the Eastern Skies" in a cinema in Hong Kong in 1977. The A5Ms in that film were wooden models on wires, pitted against Chinese biplane Curtiss Hawk IIIs flown by the heroes of the title. That was in the days before cgi and the aerial sequences would be considered primitive now. In fact the models were quite carefully crafted and filmed above a miniature landscape of considerable charm.

Image credit: © 2009 Zbyszek Malicki

JASIG Corner Bulletin # 1

Welcome to the new Japanese Aviation Special Interest Group (JASIG) Corner hosted at the Aviation of Japan Web Log. For some years now we produced a printed newsletter, JASIG Jottings, then Japanese Aviation News, and now, the JASIG Corner, having finally embraced Internet technology and accepting the generous offer of "Straggler" to participate in his blog.

Formerly, membership required a subscription fee, used to off-set the cost of printing the newsletter, but now, it's free, not bad considering the current world economic situation. I would, however, like to emphasize the need for interested parties to please complete a membership form and send it in so that we may continue as a bonafide special interest group under the bi-laws of the International Plastic Modellers' Society (UK). Feel free to participate by sending me photos of your models and any article you'd like to share with the group. Queries are welcome and give us food for thought. Email me here.

I'll post things I feel would be of interest and will let you know in advance about model shows you may wish to attend. If you can, bring your Japanese aircraft models along to display, and if you don't wish to display, please stop by and say hello.

Peter Starkings kindly reminded me that my comments about the Ki-61-II, part of the Tamiya 1/50 scale nostalia article in the October 2009 Japanese Aviation News, were in error. Right Staff did produce a 1/48 scale kit of the Tony, but it was not the mark II, as I thought, but simply a longer nose (8.94m) version of the mark I. Sorry about that. He also mentioned that JN Models produced a 1/48 resin kit of the mark II, but neither he nor I have seen one. He went on to share that there are two Ki-61 kits in 1/50 available, Tamiya issued a Ki-61-I and a Ki-61-II, and Marusan/UPC issued a mark II as well. - Thanks Peter!

A recent revelation has come to light. On page 72 of volume 6 of the Japanese language Encyclopedia of Japanese Aircraft 1900 - 1945, there is a photo of a Fokker D.VIII. This photo appears in other publications and was thought to bear Dutch markings. In a black and white photo, Hinomaru and the Dutch orange roundel appear quite similar. I posted a query on J-Aircraft.com and it was answered by Ryusuke Ishiguro: "This photo was taken with Hinomaru in Holland before exported to Japan, maybe around 1920." I read that Japan received many aircraft as war prizes after the Great War and this D.VIII is quite a good specimen sporting fuselage lozenge. It makes one wonder if the Dutch markings provided in the Roden kit were based upon this photo. If so, they should have been Hinomaru.

The IPMS Scale Model World show is at Telford in Shropshire, England, on Saturday and Sunday, 7th and 8th November. Anyone who makes scale models would enjoy this celebration of our hobby. If you've not been, you are in for a treat. The JASIG will be displaying both days and of course, we have two trophies to award, one for a competition entry and one to award to the best model of a Japanese subject in the halls. Remember, our SIG theme this year is Experimental/Prototype, Flight Test and What If subjects.

See you there!

Gary Wenko

Leader

Japanese Aviation SIG

IPMS (UK)

A Little Veteran Shoki

Hasegawa's veteran 1/72nd scale Ki-44 Shoki is the only kit of this type in this scale still in production and re-issued from time to time in various guises. It first appeared in 1972 as kit # A1 with its similarly long-serving stablemate the Ki-61 Hien. These two kits were so distinct in fidelity of detail and engineering approach to the contemporary Hasegawa Zero series (and other kits) that I have long suspected them to have been made from former Mania molds, perhaps kits which were in preparation but never issued under that logo before Hasegawa took over? Interestingly, whilst the Hien has a rudimentary interior, Shoki has the crude one-piece "bathtub" as used in the Zero kits - another detail that makes me think these may have been Mania kits in preparation and at different stages of completion when Hasegawa took them over.

John W Burns 'In Plastic WW2 Aircraft Kits' reports that the first issue was available from 1972 to 1980 and then re-issued from 1982-87 with the same number. The first issue box has the orange flash but for those interested in packaging trivia there are several versions. In one variant the 'A1' on the end and sides of the box has the '1' outlined in white rather than plain. In the UK the kit was imported by Hales and there are at least three versions of box with the orange flash. First there was a box identical to the 'Japanese' box but with a 'Hales' sticker attached to the box over the Japanese text on the front. Then a box with the 'Hales' logo printed on the front of the box beneath the blurb, which is in English rather than Japanese. This box is printed on matt cardboard rather than the glossy card of the original. Finally there is a flimsy, end-opening box with the box art shown on both side but otherwise identical to the second version.

The second 1982 re-issued box was identical to the first but had the flash in blue and extending like a stripe "under" the box art to appear at the right hand edge of the boxtop. There are at least two variants of this box, one with and one without the "Japan Safety Toy' panel on the side. The kits themselves were also identical except that the first issue was injected in silver plastic and the second in pale grey. The decal sheets in all these versions varied in quality and printing but offered the same options:-

1. A Ki-44-1 Later Production Model of the Akeno Air Training Division

2. A Ki-44-IIb of the 70th Sentai, black "11", flown by Yoshio Yoshida

3. A Ki-44-IIb of the 23rd Sentai

4. A Ki-44-IIa of the 246th Sentai, white "338"

Markings for the 246th Sentai aircraft shown on the box art, with red fin leading edge and white-edged red fuselage stripe, were not included in the kit. The art itself is curious, with a trio of Shoki being bounced by a P-47 whilst IJN "Betty" bombers fly in formation in the background.

The designations for the sub-types are those given by Hasegawa. The kit provided alternative oil coolers for the various versions, a copper pipe annular type and under cowling type, as well as alternative reflector (molded to the fuselage halves) and optical (telescope) type gunsights with canopies to suit. No provision was made in the kit for different armament or ammunition magazine panels. The kit contains a seated pilot with separate right arm and a standing pilot figure in the act of saluting. There is also a self-standing nameplate for the model.

The 'True Details' range of accessories provides a resin cockpit interior, resin wheels and a vacform canopy set designed for this kit, and I believe there is also an Eduard photo-etch set available for the interior.

I have seen this kit described as a "POS" on a well-known modelling forum but personally I think it is a good kit that has stood the test of time rather well. Perhaps a measure of that is that no other companies have seen fit to release a new kit of Shoki in this scale and even Hasegawa have not updated it. If the canopy and side doors are not going to be modelled open, very little of the interior can be seen, especially if the pilot is used. The overall shape captures the look and sit of the aircraft well and the surface detail is very fine, with engraved panel lines and rivets. Although shallow, the wheel wells have engraved detail and there is a full engine rather than a relief molding. The sliding part of the canopy is said to be too short and the wrong shape but to me it does not seem to detract from the overall appearance.

In a future article we'll look at the details of Shoki sub-types and also review the various subsequent re-issues of the kit. If you have built this kit in any of its forms I should be very pleased to show your pictures here.

Image credit: © 1972 & 1982 Hasegawa Seisakusho Co. Ltd., Japan

18th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai Ki-15

This absolutely beautiful model of a Ki-15 in the markings of the 18th Dokuritsu Hiko Chutai (Independent Flying Squadron) and the tri-colour camouflage of the China theatre was built by Polish modeller Zbyszek Malicki and it is a delight to feature it here at Aviation of Japan.

The model is to 1/72nd scale and was built from the LS kit, subsequently issued by Arii, and still available here. My thanks to Mr Maliki for kindly sharing it with us. It is an appropriate precursor to the penultimate exploration of Army interior colours and the investigation of Army browns which will both feature shortly.

Image credit: © 2009 Zbyszek Malicki