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. |
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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.
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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
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Decal
Sheet |
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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.
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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
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