[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Airasair

I can see IXO comming out with it in the future, but I would like Corgi or Hobby Master to step up and finally make them.

Ki 45 Toryu would make a great looking model. I would also like to see the Nakajima J1N Gekko (Irving), it has some good night fighter potential model options too.

[Airasair]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Ki 45 Toryu would make a great looking model. I would also like to see the Nakajima J1N Gekko (Irving), it has some good night fighter potential model options too.

yeah that would be cool to see made. Some other Japanese plane that I think would be cool, in 1/72 of course, are the Kyushu J7W1, Nakajima B6N, Kawasaki Ki-84, and Yokosuka D4Y2.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Airasair

yeah that would be cool to see made. Some other Japanese plane that I think would be cool, in 1/72 of course, are the Kyushu J7W1, Nakajima B6N, Kawasaki Ki-84, and Yokosuka D4Y2.

The Judy would be a great diecast addition. How about the Ki-51 Sonia and the Yokosuka P1Y Frances?

[theodore]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

I would like to see someone put out the Ki 44 Tojo and would also like to see one of the Japanese floatplanes like the Jake.

Nice IXO group of Japanese aircraft together, Airasair!!

I think that the reason no diecast manufacturer has produced a Ki-44 'Tojo' is because this aircraft was loathed by its pilots. Although over 1,000 were built and it had an excellent rate of climb and excellent acceleration, it was not very manueverable, had weak armament, and a high landing speed. These reasons might sway some companies such as IXO, Marushin, or HobbyMaster from producing it. Conversely, only a couple hundred N1K2-J Shinden Kai 'George' aircraft were produced, but, because these were outstanding fighters and well-liked by their pilots, as we all know, IXO produced one and Marushin put out 2 different George aircraft. The Japanese people look at their history differently (more on the lines of respect and dignity) than those in Western cultures.

This is my theory!!

[swoop]

Originally Posted by Airasair

The Japanese catagory and again a small collection. I am sad that I am missing the Ixo Raiden O well...

Airasair have a spare Raiden. If interested PM me. Swoop

[theodore]

Airasair, I have the IXO 'Jack' and it is mighty purdy!! The Jack is of the same quality as the rest of the IXO Japanese aircraft: sweeeeeeet!! I also have the even rarer Macchi MC202 'Folgore' and their MiG 3!!

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by theodore

Nice IXO group of Japanese aircraft together, Airasair!!

I think that the reason no diecast manufacturer has produced a Ki-44 'Tojo' is because this aircraft was loathed by its pilots. Although over 1,000 were built and it had an excellent rate of climb and excellent acceleration, it was not very manueverable, had weak armament, and a high landing speed. These reasons might sway some companies such as IXO, Marushin, or HobbyMaster from producing it. Conversely, only a couple hundred N1K2-J Shinden Kai 'George' aircraft were produced, but, because these were outstanding fighters and well-liked by their pilots, as we all know, IXO produced one and Marushin put out 2 different George aircraft. The Japanese people look at their history differently (more on the lines of respect and dignity) than those in Western cultures.

This is my theory!!

Not sure I would go with weak armament on the Ki. 44. Standard variant had four 12.7mm machine guns, some Ki.44IIc home defence variants packed four 20mm and one version had a pair of 12.7mm machine guns & a pair of 40mm cannon. Even read of one variant Ki. 44IIIb with two 20mm cannon & two 37mm cannon. Overall I think it campared armament wise quite similar to its stablemates.

[Airasair]

Originally Posted by theodore

Airasair, I have the IXO 'Jack' and it is mighty purdy!! The Jack is of the same quality as the rest of the IXO Japanese aircraft: sweeeeeeet!! I also have the even rarer Macchi MC202 'Folgore' and their MiG 3!!

WOW! Lucky you!

[Captain Eddie]

I have an IXO Jack-are they hard to come by.......If so, I'd be willing to sell mine for one meeeeellliiiooon dollars!

[theodore]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Not sure I would go with weak armament on the Ki. 44. Standard variant had four 12.7mm machine guns, some Ki.44IIc home defence variants packed four 20mm and one version had a pair of 12.7mm machine guns & a pair of 40mm cannon. Even read of one variant Ki. 44IIIb with two 20mm cannon & two 37mm cannon. Overall I think it campared armament wise quite similar to its stablemates.

CC, I simply went with the 'primary' production model, which is the Ki-44IIb. This aircraft, according to a Japanese pilot whom I interviewed (thru an interpreter, 1977, if my memory serves my right ) stated that their 12.7mm machine guns had a low rate of fire and were not very reliable. He also said that the 'Tojo' was not a stable gun platform. He remembers his aircraft having 4 12.7mm machine guns, 1 in each wing and 2 synchronized to fire thru the propellor. The other ones that he remembered were either produced in small numbers, or field modifications, based on experiences with B-24's, and later, B-29's.

A little background on myself: I have interviewed, best guess here, about 4,500 veterans of WW2, from 32 countries, using over 500 interpreters, since January of 1976. I was also the tour guide at the now defunct Flying Tigers Warbird Museum, in Kissimmee, Florida (suburb about 20 miles south of Orlando), from November of 1996 to January of 1998. Tom Reilly, the owner at the time it was open, has restored more WW2 bombers to flyable condition than any other restoration shop in the world. He restored 10 B-25's, 2 B-17's, and 1 B-24 to airworthy status. Many of you have seen Tom's work, the B-17 ('Nine O Nine') and B-24 ('The Dragon and her Tail') from the Collings foundation headquartered in MA flying the warbird circuit in years past. Some of his other aircraft are: 12 T-6's, an Avenger, a Corsair, and a P-40. At the time he closed up shop in April of 2005, he just finished his second B-17, the 'Liberty Bell'. He had a number of static displays (mostly jets from the Cold War era) and was the only person in the world to offer a week-long course on restoration techniques (sheet metal, fabrication techniques, magnetos, electrical wiring, hydraulics, etc.) to anyone in the world (many people from Europe would sign up for his $1,000 course months in advance!!), which culminated in a flight in his B-25 down to the largest private collection in the world today, Kermit Weeks' Fantasy of Flight, in Polk County. He also obtained a very rare bird: a FW-190F-8, which he planned on restoring to airworthy status. It is now located in another shop about 2 miles away from his hangar.

Sorry for the rambling!!