50th Sentai Ki-43

[Greebo]

This Ki-43 was flown by Sgt. Major Chikara Kotanigawa who flew with the 2nd Chutai of the 50th Sentai in Burma during 1942. The real aircraft was a Ki-43 I, but this is considered an acceptable substitution in AH for our Ki-43 II. All Ki-43 Is and IIs were left unpainted bar the factory bar markings and the anti glare panel, Ki-43 IIIs were factory painted. In the field the Is and IIs were usually given a full or partial covering of one of several shades of green or a green/brown scheme on their upper surfaces. Because no primer was used this rapidly wore away in the tropical climate of Burma.

On 15 December 1942 50th Sentai launched a raid on the RAF base at Chittagong in India. Near the base Kotanigawa was one of several pilots that latched onto the tail of a pair of RAF Hurricane Mk IICs. The RAF pilots dove for the deck and started weaving between the trees. They knew the Ki-43 I lacked a reflector sight and that their pilots were forced to peer into a telescopic sight to aim, a risky proposition when dodging greenery. This tactic proved effective when Kotanigawa's aircraft clipped a tree and forced to belly land. He was captured alive after a struggle but later committed suicide while in captivity.

[SmokinLoon]

Niiiiiice.     That yellow lightning bolt will light up nice in a P40C's gun sight.    

Job well done as usual.   

[Mitsu]

It's mine!

I really love green camo hayabusa.
Thank you Greebo. it's just excellent.

BTW Do you have a plan of making shiny Ki-43 skin?

[lyric1]

 

[Mitsu]

Shiny skins.

[Greebo]

I can skin a shiny Ki-43 pretty easily as I have already done all the bare metal stuff for the default skin. I think it would need to be an operational fighter rather than a training aircraft. Also I'd like to have a WW2 photo of the aircraft. I hate working from profiles and paintings, you just end up copying some other artist's mistakes. I haven't checked my Ki-43 books, but IIRC most, if not all, the bare metal Ki-43 photos I saw in them were training aircraft. It might be a while before I can skin it as I'm working on default stuff for the next version and that takes priority.

[HighTone]

Looks awesome. Thanks Greebo-san 

[Vudu15]

Paint looks great can't wait to fly it.

[lyric1]

I can skin a shiny Ki-43 pretty easily as I have already done all the bare metal stuff for the default skin. I think it would need to be an operational fighter rather than a training aircraft. Also I'd like to have a WW2 photo of the aircraft. I hate working from profiles and paintings, you just end up copying some other artist's mistakes. I haven't checked my Ki-43 books, but IIRC most, if not all, the bare metal Ki-43 photos I saw in them were training aircraft. It might be a while before I can skin it as I'm working on default stuff for the next version and that takes priority.

I think this guy fits the bill.
Question on the colour of the tail emblem though. Some profiles show it yellow others red?

[Dragon Tamer]

One of these days, lyric is going to have to show us how he does that. Skin looks great by the way 

[lyric1]

One of these days, lyric is going to have to show us how he does that. Skin looks great by the way 

http://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8

[Greebo]

Thanks, but those are Ki-44 profiles Lyric1.

[lyric1]

Thanks, but those are Ki-44 profiles Lyric1.

Doh

[Mitsu]

What about 55th Sentai...Ki-43-II, Sep 1944.

[lyric1]

Not sure if this aircraft is bare metal or not I did find a profile showing another aircraft of this group that did see combat that is bare metal.

Can't find any information at all about this pilot either.
Sgt major Hirohata Tomia

http://s478.photobucket.com/user/mokyme/media/JAAF%20Aircraft/ki-43_59-sentai_hirohata-tomio_1943.jpg.html