Rob's Rufe

Last but by no means least of the trio of float fighters by Rob Ronconi is this striking model of a sun-bleached and well-worn Nakajima A6M2-N 'Rufe' built from the 1/72 scale Hasegawa kit out of the box with just the addition of antenna wire. The model represents a thunderbolt adorned float fighter from 934 Ku, attributed as the aircraft of unit ace PO2c Hidemori Matsunaga. 

934 Ku was originally formed as 36 Ku at Balikpapan in June 1942 and equipped with 'Jake' and 'Pete' floatplanes before being re-designated in November of that year. A float fighter unit joined 934 Ku from Yokosuka in March 1943 and in April floatplanes and float fighters from the unit were detached to Maikoor on Aru Island for air defence duties, soon engaging in combat. The float fighters also escorted 'Jake' floatplanes on reconnaissance sorties over north Australia tangling with RAAF Spitfires on at least one occasion. From early 1944 the unit moved to Halong seaplane base, a former PBY base on Ambon Island in the Moluccas where they also began operating the Kyofu 'Rex' float fighter in addition to their 'Rufe' float fighters. There from 4 to 7 March the unit was well recorded by official IJN photographer Tetsuo Abe including another thunderbolt adorned 'Rufe' with tail code 34-116. An earlier photo reveals that this was not the same aircraft as represented by the Hasegawa kit, the thunderbolt being of different size, shape and position. It is possible that the thunderbolts were applied to identify those aircraft credited with the destruction of enemy aircraft. The appearance of aircraft within a unit operating for more than 18 months was never static and a photograph taken at a single point in time is never proof of a singular appearance at all other times.

'Rufe' is a perennially popular modelling subject but in 1/72 scale the Hasegawa kit, first released in 1994, was the first serious contender, eclipsing the old LS kit in 1/75 scale from 1964 (still available from Arii) and the iconic Revell 1977 release of the Frog developed but never released kit F234 of 1976.  Some 25 test mouldings of the Frog kit are believed to have been made, together with a few proof decal sheets as well as thousands of Type H1 boxes with box art as later used by Revell. With very special thanks to Rob for sharing these excellently photographed images of another superb float fighter model.    

Image credit: All model photos © 2021 Rob Ronconi; AP153 box art © 1998 Hasegawa Corp.  

Rob's Kyofu Float Fighters ~ Part Two

Rob Ronconi also kindly shared these beautifully photographed images of his second float fighter model, this time built from the 1/72 scale Hasegawa kit of the prototype Kyofu with contra-rotating prop and finished in overall orange, again mixed from Tamiya paints. Some artistic licence was exercised with the tail markings which were applied to one of two Shiden-kai Model 32 (experimental Shiden-kai 3) prototypes.

The Kyofu prototype has been variously depicted in overall orange-yellow or overall silver (aluminium paint) and a more in-depth article on Kyofu colours, held over since 2010 (!) is planned. 

With very special thanks to Rob for kindly sharing these images of a stunning, sun-kissed Kyofu prototype. 

Image credit: All photos © 2021 Rob Ronconi

Rob's Kyofu Float Fighters

Rob Ronconi has very kindly shared these images of one of a pair of splendid and excellently photographed Kyofu models which he built stock from the Hasegawa 1/72 scale kit with just the addition of antenna wire from Uschi. The exceptional photography gives the model a realistic 'presence' well beyond its scale which could easily be taken as larger.  

Rob's model represents Rex 022-121 of the 22nd Special Base Force unit discussed here but with a worn and faded rather than fresh appearance skilfully realised. The model was finished with Tamiya paints mixed to Rob's own recipes.

With very special thanks to Rob for sharing these images of a regal Rex. More of Rob's floatplanes to follow including a surprising wolf in sheep's clothing!

Image credit: All photos © 2021 Rob Ronconi

Jake's Dimensions

Continuing the IJN floatplanes theme an interesting and thought provoking email was received from Griff Murphy in response to the blog on the Hasegawa E13A 'Jake' together with photos of his own splendid model made from the 1995 NP10 (51830) with catapult release of the kit and shared here with his kind permission. The model was painted with his own home brew of Testors 1/4 oz enamels and the decals are from Print Scale sheet 72026 to represent an aircraft from the heavy cruiser Chikuma piloted by Akira Ito whilst scouting Pearl Harbor prior to its attack.

Griff measured his model with a 1/72 scale ruler and calculated a length of 11.89 metres from the front of the pontoons to the rear end of the fuselage. He cited full-size aircraft measurements from William Green's 'Warplanes of WWII' Vol.6 of a length of 12.13 metres and from a series called 'Century of Flight' and various internet sources of a length of 12.17 metres.  That would put the discrepancy in overall length of the assembled Hasegawa kit between 0.24 and 0.28 metres or only 3.33 mm to 3.88 mm in 1/72 scale.    

Francillon* gives a length of 11.3 metres whilst the plans in the Maru Mechanic monograph (No.12 of Sept 1978 edition) give 11.265 metres, the same length given by the plans in Model 565 'Imperial Japanese Navy Seaplanes' of 2000. Against those dimensions Griff's model as measured would be around 8 mm too long in scale. Where does all this leave us? Perplexed! In the meantime Griff's model demonstrates that the kit can be enjoyed for its own sake and result in a good looking model, but a little bird tells me that a new tool kit of Jake is planned. . .    

Hasegawa NP10 (51830) 1995

With special thanks to Griff for the photos of his model.

* 'Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War' by René J Francillon (Putnam 1979)

Image Credit: All photos © 2021 J Griffin Murphy; Box art © 1995 Hasegawa Corp. 

302 Ku Collection from Rising

302 Ku was a distinguished IJN air defence unit formed in March 1944 at Kisarazu, trained at Yokosuka and setting up home at Atsugi, but despatching detachments to other airfields as and when its defensive posture required. Its primary mission was the interception of B-29 attacks at high altitude, modified by the development of those attacks, and it operated a variety of aircraft which are well and generously represented by no less than 19 subjects catered for on this recent Rising Decals bumper release. Sheet RD72094 offers the following subjects:-

• A6M2 YoD-1101 - an aircraft of the 1st Hikotai (which operated Raidens and Zeros) in standard scheme but with a non-standard demarcation between upper and lower surfaces. The reference to the kill marking on the starboard fuselage side confuses as none is shown or apparent on the decal sheet?
• A6M2 YoD-158 - in an overall grey finish the variant is speculative as only the rear of this aircraft appears in a photograph   
• A6M5 Ko YoD-1132 - Nakajima-built Zero in standard finish with the forward part of the spinner painted yellow
• A6M5 Ko YoD-126 - a well known Nakajima-built Zero in standard finish flown by the ace Sada-aki Akamatsu with six cherry blossom victory markings on the port fuselage side
• A6M7 YoD-106 - another Nakajima-built Zero in standard finish flown by Lt Yutaka Morioka and distinguished with the forward part of the spinner painted red
• D4Y1 YoD-12 - a Suisei 'Judy' used as a trainer during 1945 in standard finish
• D4Y2-S YoD-228 - a 'Judy' nightfighter flown by CPO Yoshimitsu Naka and Ltjg Hisao Kanazawa in standard finish with an impressive victory score of nine emblazoned on the fin
• D4Y2-S YoD-235 - a 'Judy' nightfighter photographed in battered and tattered condition. This aircraft has the shorter fin and rudder
• D4Y3 YoD-253 - a nightfighter rarity modified from a Model 33 'Judy'
• J2M3 YoD-1164 - a Raiden in standard finish as flown by PO1c Hitoshi Sarawa for a B-29 claim on 24 April 1945  
• J2M3 YoD-1163 - a yellow-trimmed Raiden flown by Lt Susumu Ito. One of the most colourful schemes for 'Jack' with speculation that the yellow trim might have included the fuselage hinomaru borders and the panel behind the exhausts. Well it's your model! Yellow surround hinomaru are, alas, not included on the sheet.
• J2M5 YoD-160 - a well-worn Raiden providing opportunities for weathering techniques
• J2M3 YoD-1195 - a Raiden flown by Sada-aki Akamatsu with yellow fuselage band and two victory markings on the fin tip for claims against P-51s on 19 April 1945  
• A6M2-K YoD-501 - a Zero trainer with orange-yellow under surfaces. One was operated by the unit from September 1944 to augment the K9W1s in use (see below) 
• D3A2 YoD-208 - unusually a 'Val' depicted with yellow fin tip and removed spats used for practice bombing for a special operation 
• K3M3 YoD-276 - another rarity, used for navigation training and small transport missions but a photograph of the starboard side of this aircraft shows YoD-726.
• L3Y1 YoD-901 - a transport 'Nell' used for the long range movement of Kokutai personnel - you will need the Arii (ex-LS) for this one! 
• C6N1 YoD-296 - an elegant Saiun 'Myrt' with a slanting tail code. Its stablemate YoD-295 had oblique armament
• K9W1 YoD-703 - a bright yellow biplane, one of six used by the unit for pilot conversion training, courier and liaison flights 

Here is a very well chosen collection of subjects and schemes which ably demonstrate the diversity of aircraft flown by this unit with a mixture of the well-known and the rare. Only hinomaru for the Zero, Raiden, Suisei and Saiun subjects are included and the rest must come from the kits or generic sheets. A  night fighter Zero subject would have been welcome, but mainstream out of the box kits for the night fighting Zero in 1/72 scale (and A6M2-K trainer) are still awaited, although they have been released in 1/48 scale from Hasegawa. Studying the photo of YoD-208 reproduced in Koku-Fan Illustrated No. 96 does not convince that the fin tip was yellow as the trim tab, part of the lower fin and fillet show the same tone. The impression is possibly the result of variegated paint and/or re-painting. The small rectangular panel above the tailplane appears to be the same colour as the under surface. The photo caption also suggests that the tail code might be yellow although it appears white? 

With very special thanks to Mirek of Rising Decals for the review sheet.  

Image credit: All © 2021 Rising Decals