Japanese Aircraft markings and Camouflage

[barneybolac]

Can any one identify what unit this KI-67 could have been with. I have never seen markings like this before on these aircraft as well as the very unusual writing on the nose?

Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu, Derelict Warbird 1-2 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[Ikerus]

Im looking into building a KI-27 starting this winter, but its a little hard to find something that doesnt look like it had some artistic take to it. Can someone point me in the right direction for something accurate?

 

[Wurger]

You can try to find and buy the book...

Nakajima Ki-27 Nate Book Review by Rodger Kelly (Kagero)

or the one.....

Also you might find that interesting....

Aviation of Japan

 

[Ikerus]

thanks, ill take a look

 

[Wurger]

You'r welcome.

 

[Lucke.stz]

So what about the Ki-21 camouflage colors ?

It´s green + gray or Green + Aluminum ?

Thank you

 

[Wurger]

Here is a little bit larger shot..

 

[Wurger]

According to the site... Pacific Wrecks - Ki-21-II Sally Tail Number 546 where you can find a couple shots of the bomber more.

The K-21-II Sally was assigend to the 3rd Dokuritsu Chutai, commanded by Captain Chuichi Suwabe. This bomber had a natural metal finish with overspray of green splotches on the upper surfaces. Tail Number 546 with three red strips on the rudder, and a vertical white band rear of the fusealge hinomaru.

 

[Lucke.stz]

tks !!! this will be my next 1/144 project

 

[Wurger]

Good Luck...

 

[Bramak17]

Cool choice. I'm doing the same subject with the 1/72nd Revell Japan kit. I have been reasearching this aircraft for some time and do not agree with Pacific Wrecks analysis of the colors for this subject. These are the reasons:
1 In "Suicide Squads: W.W.II" by Richard O'Nell on page 214/215 he has a picture of the right side of the aircraft the plane appears to be light grey with dark green squiggle patches sprayed over, also the right engine cowling has been canabalized from another aircraft that was overall dark green. The replacement cowling is also heavily chipped.
2. I found an 3 view painting of this aircraft that I belive is from "Aircraft in Profile" series. It also shows dark green over light grey. The cover over the dorsal gun position is dark grey but I belive dark green would be just as likely.
3. In "Japanese Army Air Force Camouflage and Markings World War II" by Donald W. Thorpe he shows this plane in example#58 he comments that the scheme is "B 9" ( this is the system he uses to differentiate the different camouflage schemes ). "B 9" is dark green (JAAF not JNAF) wave mirror pattern over light grey green.
These are the colors I belive this plane is finished in. Until reading this post I have never come across any claim this plane's finish is dark green over natural metal.

 

[tjlaven]

Quick question about the Ki-61's mottled camoflage schemes - what is the underying color? Is it natural metal, or an ivory-colored primer?

 

[Wayne Little]

for the most part, Natural Metal, but sometimes the Army No.1 Hairyokushoku Grey Green Colour.

 

[Bramak17]

The Ki 61 Tony served in New Guinea, Philippines, Home Defense, Okinawa, and China Burma, India. (Basically everywhere.) There are some 3,000+ built. They served everywhere and in almost every scheme. If you can find a photo of the aircraft you want to do use it to do the speculation. The factory initially painted them Green upper Lt Grey lower, then they delivered them in natural metal finish with or without Green squiggles applied, this was the majority, but units often applied local camouflage and this could be anything, so pictures of the subject can be very useful. **

 

[Bramak17]

Last look at the Ki-21-II Sally transport. *The right engine appears to have all of its engine panels replaced by parts taken off a totally Dk Green aircraft and the left engines covers are also replaced except for at least one in the aircrafts own color (see last photo above). Also note dark color of top 3/4s of the aerial. Possibly dark brown or another color?

 

[Bramak17]

The Maroon (Violet) Rufe fighters in the Aleutians are fantasy. Did this color even exist in the Japanese pallet? I've heard that some Irving's (Nakajima J1N1) night fighters may have been painted this color overall but even this appears to be fiction. Does anyone have any evidence that this color was ever used?

 

[Wayne Little]

Total fantasy, may have come from the interpretation of a heavily weathered aircraft where most of the paint has eroded leaving the faded Red-Brown primer which may take on a Maroonish cast...see link.

japanese aircraft - Replica Jan 1990

 

[vikingBerserker]

Wow, I had no idea so many Ki 61's were built.

 

[Bramak17]

I've looked in several locations the number ranges from 2,600 to 3,200.

 

[A4K]

Total fantasy, may have come from the interpretation of a heavily weathered aircraft where most of the paint has eroded leaving the faded Red-Brown primer which may take on a Maroonish cast...see link.

I think wayne has it there. RNZAF corsairs were sometimes nicknamed 'the Pink Corsairs', the aircraft operating from crushed coral runways, the 'pink' the coral dust which collected on the aircraft.