Nakajima B5N2 “Kate”
I finally got the last of my three 1941 IJN aircraft across the finish line today. I built a 1989 boxing of Hasegawa's Kate as Cdr Fuchida's aircraft at Pearl Harbor, AI-301, piloted by Lt. Mitsuo Matsuzaki. Fuchida led Akagi's high altitude bombers as part of the attack on Battleship Row, and carried a single Type 99 No. 80 Mk 5 bomb, not a torpedo. Adopted in 1941, the Type 99 No. 80 basically a converted 40 cm armor-piercing shell.
Many of the Japanese torpedo and dive bombers had green camouflage applied en route to Hawaii. It apparently didn't bond well with the underlying paint, since photos of AI-301 in April 1942 shows massive paint failure. I applied chipping medium under the green paint, but didn't chip aggressively, figuring the new paint would still have been relatively intact on its first mission after the repaint.
This completes my trio of 1941 IJN aircraft. I built a Zero when I was about 9 (I think), but other than that I've never built any IJN aircraft. The next batch will be more 1942, with a gray Val, green Zero, and mottled green for the Kate - which will hopefully be one of the Airfix folded wing versions, if I can find one.
Excellent job, Michael!
That's a beautiful Kate, Michael @mcsmith1964
Looks great!
A fine looking trio - a nice replica of Fuchida's Kate with fresh new paint!.
Beautiful work, Michael! They all look great together.
Nice job, Michael. Love the collection.