Lifelike Decals

1/72 Ki-61 of 244th Sentai Part 3 decal sheet

Product # 72-005 (also available in 1/48)

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Mar 1  2005

 

 

 

Click here for Japanese translation of instruction sheets

Lifelike Decals is a Decal company out of Japan.  The owners have been involved in  the researching of decal sheets for other companies for many years.  They have decided to create their own decal line.  Their fifth sheet is this one featuring seven different Ki-61's and one Ki-100.

The Ki-61 has always held a special spot in my mind.  It was a unique plane using a licence built version of the DB-601 engine used in the Me-109.

This decal sheet provides a wide variety of paint schemes and markings and you can see in the instruction sheets below.

There are also a few more pages of text (not shown here) describing the various colours and markings and references on these planes.  Four of the planes have kill markings on the side of the fuselage by the cockpit.  One plane has large rear fuselage artwork of a plane bombing a ship.

Click on images below to see larger images

The first plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Tei #87 flown by Commander Teruhiko Kobayashi,  Akeno Airbase in early May 1945.  This aircraft has 14 kill markings.  This plane has an overall green paint scheme with a red prop spinner and red tail with white tail markings.

The second plane is a Ki-100 Otsu flown by Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi,  Chofu Airbase, May 17 1945.  This aircraft has 14 kill markings. This plane has a red prop spinner, red tail markings and a yellow fuselage band.

The Third plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Tei #5262 flown by 2nd Lt. Yujiro Itakura on March 19 1945.  This plane has an overall green paint scheme with a red prop spinner and red tail with white tail markings and a white fuselage band and white stripe down the length of the fuselage.

The fourth plane is a Ki-61 Hien I-Tei probably of the 159th or 160th Shinbu-tai (Special Attack Squadron), Ashiya AB around October 1945.  This plane includes artwork on the rear of the fuselage of a Hein diving on a US battleship.  This plane has an overall green paint scheme with a red prop spinner.   

The fifth plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Tei #4424 flown by Capt. Teruhiko Kobayashi,  Commander of the 244th Sentai, Chofu Airbase, December 1944 to January 1945.  This aircraft has 4 kill markings. This plane has a red prop spinner, red tail with white tail markings and a white fuselage band and white stripe down the length of the fuselage.  The paint scheme is a sort of mottled scheme down the fuselage.

The sixth plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Otsu (or Hei)  #16 probably flown by Capt. Fumisuke Shono out of Chofu Airbase in late February 1945.  This plane has a red prop spinner, red tail markings and a white fuselage band.  The paint scheme is a green mottled scheme down the fuselage.

The seventh plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Hei #88 flown by Capt. Fumisuke Shono out of Chofu Airbase in late 

Decal Sheet

February 1945.  This plane has a red prop spinner, red tail markings and a red fuselage band.  The paint scheme is overall grey with a red lighting bolt down the side of the fuselage.

The eighth plane is a Ki-61 Type I-Hei #71 flown by an unknown pilot, Soyokaze-tai, Chofu AB in late February 1945.  This plane has an overall green paint scheme with a red prop spinner and red tail markings and a white fuselage band.

The quality of these decals is quite pleasing.  The carrier film in nicely limited around the decals.  The decals themselves are clearly printed and in perfect register with fine clear tiny stencils.  The colour of the decals appear solid enough to prevent paint showing through the decals.  

You can purchase these decals either directly from Lifelike Decals at fax number is +81-3-5680-6733, and e-mail is lifelike@eos.ocn.ne.jp. or from HobbyLink Japan.  

Other shops that stock Life like Decals are *Hannants/UK, *Mister Kit/Italy, *Revi (publisher)/Czech Republic, *SkyGrid/Canada, *Roll Models/USA, *Great Models Webstore/USA, *FlightDecs/Canada, *Victory Models/USA
*M & Models/USA, *Zed Hobbies/Australia, *AB &S Enterprise/Australia, *Desert Miniature/USA 

I highly recommend these decals to anyone interested in building a Ki-61fighter.  

I would like to thank Lifelike Decals for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford