Lifelike Decals

1/32 244 Sentai Part 1 decal sheet

Decal sheet product # 32-003 

This latest release from Lifelike Decals decal sheet features five different Ki-61 Hein's.  This is Part 1 of  a series dealing with the Ki-61 from Dec 1944 to May 1945.  Of all the Japanese aircraft, the Hein has always held a special place for me.....I guess it is the sleek look of the aircraft and it's engine which was a license built version of the engine found in the Bf-109.

The first plane is a Ki-61 Hein type I-Hei #3295 flown by Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi, Commander of the 244th Sentai, Chofu AB, presumably on January 26 1945.  This aircraft has the attractive and classic Japanese mottled jungle camo with a red spinner and a red tail with a white lightning bolt.  There is a thin blue horizontal stripe (included as a decal) that runs the full length of the fuselage.  The leading edges of the wings are partially yellow and there is a white stripe that runs the full length of the fuselage side.  There is a red band around the rear of the fuselage (included as a decal).  This aircraft was lost in a successful ramming attack by Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi (he parachuted safely after the attack).  This aircraft has 5 or 6 heavy bomber kill markings.  

The second plane is a Ki-61 Hein type I-Tei #4424 flown by Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi, Commander of the 244th Sentai, Chofu AB, on March 19 1945.  This aircraft has the attractive and classic Japanese mottled jungle camo with a red spinner with green spots and a red tail with a white lightning bolt.  The leading edges of the wings are partially red and there is a red stripe (included as a decal) that runs the full length of the fuselage side.  There is a red band around the rear of the fuselage (included as a decal).  This aircraft has 10 bomber kill markings.     

The third plane is a Ki-61 Hein type I-Tei #4424 flown by 2nd Lt. Shunzo Takashima of the 59th Shinbu-tai, Chofu AB, on May 1945.  This aircraft has the attractive and classic Japanese mottled jungle camo with a red spinner with green spots and a red tail with a white lightning bolt.  The leading edges of the wings are partially yellow and there is a blue stripe (included as a decal) that runs the full length of the fuselage side.  There is a blue band (included as a decal) around the rear of the fuselage (included as a decal).  This aircraft has 14 bomber kill markings.     

The fourth plane is a Ki-61 Hein type I-Tei #57 flown by 2nd Lt. Tohru Shinomiya, Chofu AB, on Dec 3 1944.  2nd Lt. Tohru Shinomiya was a member of the Shinten Seiku-tai (aerial suicide attack squadron, red tail).  He downed a B-29 by ramming attack with this A/C on December 3rd 1944.  He returned to base with half the left wing missing.  This aircraft was on public display at the Ginza Matsuya Department store in January 1945.  This aircraft mostly white with a red spinner and a red tail with a white Japanese characters.  The leading edges of the wings are partially yellow and there is a red lightning bolt stripe (included as a decal) that runs the full length of the fuselage side.     

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