[Celtic]

Originally Posted by hworth18

Doh!! I looked at my Encyclopedia of 21st Century Warfare and on page 246 there is a pic of 2 Kates and both have the "device".. I would like to point out that this isn't typical though, and if it were on only "Late" B5N2's I doubt seriously that it would've been on Pearl Harbor Kates, but I could be wrong..

Sounds like a question for Mr. Lanslide or his dad..

Hey, I have been looking all over for that shot, and have the same book, and sure enough, there it is. Never noticed those loops before! Good spotting!

[Celtic]

Originally Posted by Cruver Collecter

Take a look at the video clip on this site. Has bomb carrying Kates and if you look carefully, you can make out the site on the cowling.

Great find. It is funny how the "sight" thingy sort of comes and goes in the different shots. Hope HM can reduce the size of the divice in the model. Looking forward to this release. Christmas in June (or July, of course).

[KG_Jag]

Here's a link to a set of pix:

Hobby Master Nakajima's - The Diecast Aviation Web Site and Forum

[William]

Originally Posted by lanslide

Welcome to the forum William! What do you base your opinion on? The information I posted about this aircraft's colors are based on over 40 years of James F. Lansdale's (my father) Japanese WWII aviation research. It is based on the study of countless photographs and relics as well as direct collaboration with fellow leading historians Robert Mikesh, Robert Thorpe, and Jim Long on the subject. Fabric control surfaces were painted medium gray on the over-all greenish gray painted WWII Japanese Navy aircraft such as the Zero. This aircraft does not qualify as one of those. Other than the color corrections I suggested earlier in post #25, this model looks great to me.

Thank you for your advice. We will study in depth and will ask for our Japanese expert for further confirmation.

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by William

Thank you for your advice. We will study in depth and will ask for our Japanese expert for further confirmation.

Thank you William and please keep us up to date on your final decision. If you need ANY assistance on this model and future Japanese WWII models, please do not hesitate to ask. Jim's specialty is Japanese aviation WWII camouflage and markings. You should see his library! My father is always happy to help and, although he doesn't collect many models, he is a member here too at my request (Jim Lansdale). It is VERY nice to see the latest research reflected in the models being produced by Hobby Master! How about a greenish gray (pale olive gray) Pearl Harbor Val and Zero next?!

His website is:
J-aircraft.com Main Page

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by Celtic

Great find. It is funny how the "sight" thingy sort of comes and goes in the different shots. Hope HM can reduce the size of the divice in the model. Looking forward to this release. Christmas in June (or July, of course).

Since the model has the cowling part of the sight, wonder if model will include cockpit portion of sight too.

[hawkonevoodoo]

Originally Posted by KG_Jag

Here's a link to a set of pix:

Hobby Master Nakajima's - The Diecast Aviation Web Site and Forum

And here are the same pictures with some information included.
Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA2001 Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo bomber, aircraft carrier Zuikaku second wave attack at Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941

[William]

Originally Posted by lanslide

Thank you William and please keep us up to date on your final decision. If you need ANY assistance on this model and future Japanese WWII models, please do not hesitate to ask. Jim's specialty is Japanese aviation WWII camouflage and markings. You should see his library! My father is always happy to help and, although he doesn't collect many models, he is a member here too at my request (Jim Lansdale). It is VERY nice to see the latest research reflected in the models being produced by Hobby Master! How about a greenish gray Pearl Harbor Val and Zero next?!

His website is:
J-aircraft.com Main Page

Thank you for your help. Our Japan expert informed me that he is not totally certain on it. But he advises that it is best to paint it overall silver and leave the fabric color out.

As you may already know, the underside color is indeed a controversial topic and recent research leans towards a light grey. An example from your father's website : http://www.j-aircraft.com/gallery/navy/b5n_gallery_files/b5n-ai-301-jim_eyerdom_06.jpg

It seems that an overall light grey may make more sense but our major client (Japan) seem to prefer a silver one for our production version.

[lanslide]

Thank you William. The underside colors of the Kates at Pearl Harbor are indeed controversial as you say. However, the most recent research suggests that they were either greenish gray (pale olive gray) like the all-over color of the Vals and Zeros or painted aluminum color. The traditional light gray color specification for WWII Japanese Navy aircraft has become highly suspect in light of the most recent research done on this subject by Jim Lansdale and others. Commander Fuchida has been quoted several times saying that his particular aircraft was painted aluminum on the underside however there is evidence that the Kates used during the Pearl Harbor attack were both 1.) dark green - top / silver - bottom and 2.) dark green - top / greenish gray - bottom. I am glad that Hobby Master will paint the underside of this particular aircraft silver to replicate aluminum paint.

See the quote below:

"Re: Fuchida's Kate
Posted By: Dr Mike Hawkins
Date: Friday, 18 August 2000, at 9:25 a.m.

I wrote the profile on the Type 97 Kate and the color drawing showing a SILVER aircraft was based on a 3 view of the aircraft that I had sent to Capt. Fuchida himself. He marked the sketch and noted "Some aircraft were painted brown green or yellow but mine was silver."
In his biography of Fuchida, Gordon Prange noted that he kept no diary and details needed to be checked.
I have no doubt that the aircraft was silver before the sortie started but that it was repainted with the others when the fleet assembled. This rapid green paint job was flaking off when the Indian Ocean photos were taken some 5 months later. The tail was red with three yellow bars and " AI-301" on it. Underside must have been left silver. The Japanese books say light grey but have you ever tried to spray the underside of an aircraft in a crowded hangar and a hurry ?
Please e - mail me direct if you wish to discuss further.
Mike Hawkins (Dr.)"

Also see the link:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/b...rn/phmod21.pdf

Are the other color corrections going to be made?

1. The back side of the propeller blades should be dark brown. The red propeller warning stripes are correct but should only be on the front side.
2. The bomb should be blue-gray (Naval bombs were blue-gray and Army bombs were black).

[William]

Originally Posted by lanslide

Thank you William. The underside colors of the Kates at Pearl Harbor are indeed controversial as you say. However, the most recent research suggests that they were either greenish gray (pale olive gray) like the all-over color of the Vals and Zeros or painted aluminum color. The traditional light gray color specification for WWII Japanese Navy aircraft has become highly suspect in light of the most recent research done on this subject by Jim Lansdale and others. Commander Fuchida has been quoted several times saying that his particular aircraft was painted aluminum on the underside however there is evidence that the Kates used during the Pearl Harbor attack were both 1.) dark green - top / silver - bottom and 2.) dark green - top / greenish gray - bottom. I am glad that Hobby Master will paint the underside of this particular aircraft silver to replicate aluminum paint.

See the quote below:

"Re: Fuchida's Kate
Posted By: Dr Mike Hawkins
Date: Friday, 18 August 2000, at 9:25 a.m.

I wrote the profile on the Type 97 Kate and the color drawing showing a SILVER aircraft was based on a 3 view of the aircraft that I had sent to Capt. Fuchida himself. He marked the sketch and noted "Some aircraft were painted brown green or yellow but mine was silver."
In his biography of Fuchida, Gordon Prange noted that he kept no diary and details needed to be checked.
I have no doubt that the aircraft was silver before the sortie started but that it was repainted with the others when the fleet assembled. This rapid green paint job was flaking off when the Indian Ocean photos were taken some 5 months later. The tail was red with three yellow bars and " AI-301" on it. Underside must have been left silver. The Japanese books say light grey but have you ever tried to spray the underside of an aircraft in a crowded hangar and a hurry ?
Please e - mail me direct if you wish to discuss further.
Mike Hawkins (Dr.)"

Also see the link:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/b...rn/phmod21.pdf

Are the other color corrections going to be made?

1. The back side of the propeller blades should be dark brown. The red propeller warning stripes are correct but should only be on the front side.
2. The bomb should be blue-gray (Naval bombs were blue-gray and Army bombs were black).

Hi,

I received a copy of image from our Japan expert today. He recommends a INJ Greenish Gray (please see attached). But since it is quite widely accepted that the underside is silver, we decide to stick to all overall silver.

For the propeller and bombs they are "pre-pro" mistakes and will be corrected.

William