Japanese Aircraft markings and Camouflage

[baclightning]

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.

I'm assuming that the five-view that you're referencing is from the Aircraft in Profile on the Ki-21 (#172), for Arthur Pearcy's drawing does indeed show number 546. My interpretation of the drawing, and it's only an educated guess, because there are no notes on the colors, is that the base color is, as you say, IJAAF light gray, over which a pattern of dark green was sprayed. I think it's more likely that the cover over the dorsal turret is natural metal; as it's depicted in a different tone than the rest of the aircraft, that would be a strong point in favor of light gray being the base color. My copy of the profile is an original, BTW, not a digital reproduction.

 

[destrozas]

I have a friend who works for a Japanese company and occasionally remembers friends, sent me some modeling magazines in Japanese and I put a list of colors the IJA bombers extracted from the magazine " camouflage and marking of the IJA bombers" of the Journal of the Japanese publishing model art magazines, text in Japanese but with reference to each color FSa595

if someone could translate it into English .....

 

[Bramak17]

WOW! That would be great. Does he know anything about IJNAF use of purple (mauve) on any aircraft? Am planning to do Fine Molds Ki 100 in FS 35109. Allways on look out for unusual schemes. On the subject of Ki 21 the Aircrart in Profile #127 illustration does not show the engine cowlings in dark green? or the radio ariel in a dark color. The cover over the dorsel position could be dark green as easily as bare metel. The Aircraft in Profile misses as much as it gets.

 

[Wayne Little]

Forget the PURPLE Sh!t it never existed!

Ki-100's were painted in a JAAF No.7 for Uppers and natural metal lower surfaces, the No.7 colour was an Olive brown, described as " yellow infused olive green or olive brown exactly similar to the British khaki drab battledress of WWII"

 

[Olson]

I have come across this profile in publications and websites but have not seen an actual photo of this machine. It appears to be un-armed, possibly recon or trainer? There is incomplete identifying information on this scheme (unit, location, time frame, or pilot?) on the profiles I have seen. Is this a real or actual A6M5 or a figment of an artist's imagination? Similar orange colored trainer (A6M2-K) and/or A6M3 series models appear in published photos. Any reference to photographs would be appreciated,Thanks...............John

 

[Micdrow]

View attachment 209783
I have come across this profile in publications and websites but have not seen an actual photo of this machine. It appears to be un-armed, possibly recon or trainer? There is incomplete identifying information on this scheme (unit, location, time frame, or pilot?) on the profiles I have seen. Is this a real or actual A6M5 or a figment of an artist's imagination? Similar orange colored trainer (A6M2-K) and/or A6M3 series models appear in published photos. Any reference to photographs would be appreciated,Thanks...............John

Hi John,

I can't find a specific photo of this plane other the profiles in other books the same as yours with a little more info. Says A6M5 model 52 zero of Genzan Naval Air Corps at Wonson, Korea mid 1944 used for training duties. Hopefully some one else will have more.

All the best
Paul

 

[Olson]

Thanks Paul. I am an RC model builder with an A6M5 1/5 scale version under construction, and would very much like to document this scheme for scale contests, but at a minimum, photographic evidence is essential for a presentation folder. This would be a most unique model, and easy to see in it's orientation during the various maneuvers one performs during flight judging. Hopefully something will turn up...........John

 

[Olson]

shameless bump. anybody?..................John

 

[Wurger]

The red-orange colour was used for prototypes and training planes. But in the July 1943 the camo scheme was introduced for training planes except planes based on the Taiwan and planes used by operational units. So it is the training plane A6M5 for sure.

 

[Shinpachi]

Here is a photographic evidence.

The Genzan Naval Air Corps at Wonson, Korea trained Kamikaze pilots to support the future homeland defense but they had no chance as Japan had surrendered.

 

[Olson]

Thanks Wurger and Shindpachi, just the sort of information I need. Do you have a reference for the photo from Wonson? Is the lighter color of the undersurface of the machines in the photo definately orange according the the source of the photo, or is than an assumption? (the shade of the undersurface color appears too light to me to be orange)....................John

 

[Shinpachi]

Photo reference site: 元山海軍航空隊 - Wikipedia

The undersurface color in the photo was light gray.
There were not so many orange color airplanes as the color was for a very novice.
Genzan Naval Air Corps trained pilots but not a school.

 

[Olson]

Much obliged for the reference and supporting information. It appears that the orange underside color in the profile I posted is at best speculation, most probably artistic license. Would it be your opinion that the profile should be corrected to have the standard beige/grey underside color?

 

[Shinpachi]

Not beige but light grey.
That is a common knowledge in Japan.

 

[Wurger]

As memo serves thse images show the unit Zeros as well.. but I'm not sure... the first Zero from the top in third picture seems to be wearing similar markings on the fin and rudder.

Also I found the profile....

and the short note about the Genzan N.A.C.....

 

[Shinpachi]

Nice find, Wurger.
The second photo shows Genzan. They seem painted for kamikaze mission - showing the final stage of war.

Japanese common knowledge about the military aircraft color is summarised as follows in our local Wiki.

"From pre-ww2 to mid-war, the light gray called "明灰白色(mei hai haku shoku = light gray)" was mainstream but, along with expansion of battle lines toward the southern asia, camouflaged light gray appeared. To the end of war, airframes with upper surface painted in dark green also appeared. Just before ending the war, even no paint in the belly was many found. There were two kinds of Hinomaru(Japanese insignia) with and without the white border. There was also Hinomaru with the deleted border."

 

[Shinpachi]

Would it be your opinion that the profile should be corrected to have the standard beige/grey underside color?

Sorry, John. I forgot to tell my opinion.
I want to see your A6M5 work in orange as you want.
I have ever seen such a profile in a book twenty or thirty years before and still believe such profile certainly existed.

 

[Wurger]

Nice info here Shinpachi-san. どうもありがとうございます

 

[Shinpachi]

Thanks Wurger.
The second photo I meant was this.
Sorry for confusion.

 

[Wurger]

I see. Here is enlarged part of the picture with the A6M Zero wearing similar markings to these in the colour profile. But I would like to ask you a question. Is the sign before each of numbers on tails, the digit "7"?