Nakajima Ki-4
Here’s my Planet Models resin build of the Nakajima Ki-4 Type 94 Otsu In 1:48. A fairly easy build for a biplane, good fit and decent detail, one of the better kits by Planet Models.
The Ki-4 was originally produced by Nakajima in response to a 1931 specification for a high performance reconnaissance aircraft that could be used in the ground attack role. Three prototypes were built and made their first flights in March and May of 1934. Army pilots made the test flights and after some modifications the aircraft was accepted as the Army Type 94 Reconnaissance Aircraft.
The first production aircraft was designated Type 94-Ko. It was powered by a Nakajima Ha-8 radial engine of 640 HP. It had wheel fairings (which were mostly removed), bomb racks under the wings, and four 7.7mm machine guns, two firing forward through the propeller arc, and two mounted on a dorsal flexible mount. One aircraft was equipped with a single float with two smaller wingtip floats. The -Ko entered service in 1935.
The Type 94-Otsu was the second production version. It had a single exhaust collector ring, where the -Ko had individual exhaust stacks. The -Otsu entered service in 1937. One -Otsu was equipped with a twin-float configuration. Neither float equipped Ki-4s made it into production. A total of 516 Ki-4s were produced by Nakajima, Tachikawa, and Manshu between 1934 and 1939.
The Ki-4 was the last general purpose biplane reconnaissance aircraft to be used by the Japanese Army and was used as both long range and battlefield reconnaissance, as light bombers, and to drop and pick up message containers during the Sino-Japanese war. Combat losses were fairly high, and the Ki-4 was soon replaced by more capable monoplanes
Beautiful, Chas @chasbunch. Best looking Planet Model I’ve seen.
Really nice. Still too gun-shy to try a full resin kit
Excellent work on an awesome subject! This one hits 10 on the Cool-O-Meter.
Excellent result and a very cool subject, Chas!
Very nice result, Chas @chasbunch
Full resin builds are by definition not easy.
Another one of your more exotic and rare subjects...I like it much, great end result with this resin kit!
Really nice, Chas @chasbunch. It is fun to see one of the earlier Japanese planes being built. Well done.
Nice work Chas, thanks for story behind this.
Rod
Most impressive! What an inspiring Joy to Look at!
Great build there Chas. I have been looking at this kit for a while. Very nice!
California Steve
Fantastic build and ditto photography!
The model can easily be mistaken by the real thing. Congrats.
Excellent build on a not-often-seen subject!
A great model of a very rarely seen kit and subject. I like it a lot! Thumbs up
Nicely done!
Beautiful, very nice construction and coloring.