1/144 Shoki & Raiden #3

Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

This is a “2 in 1” kit, containing 1 kit each of a J2M3 Raiden and Ki-44II Shoki. Fujimi’s 1/144 kits are little gems, balancing simple construction with an attention to detail. The Raiden features a simple cockpit tub, with a decal for the instrument panel, a crisp, clear canopy, beautifully done recessed panel lines, sharply molded cooling fan detail inside the cowl with a wonderfully molded propeller and optional raised or lowered landing gear. The Shoki likewise has a beautifully-done propeller (even the starter boss is molded in), engine front detail, fine recessed panel lines, a basic cockpit tub with a decal instrument panel, a nice clear canopy and optional lowered or retracted landing gear. Drop tanks are included with both kits. These kits are every bit as good as Sweet’s kits, only with a tiny cockpit!

The markings in this set are, for the Shoki, an attractive silver aircraft assigned to the Akeno Flight School. The school’s symbol is painted on the rudder, and there are broad white bands on the fuselage and wings under the Hinomaru. The decals are crisp and sharp and also include the anti-glare panels and yellow-orange wing leading edges and propeller markings. Some trimming of the leading edge decals will be needed if you build your model with the gear down, as the stripes partly cover the gear doors. The decals for the Raiden include markings for the Motoyama Group based in Kagoshima, the 352nd Squadron based in Omura, and the Yatabe training squadron. As in the Shoki kit, the anti-glare panels, yellow-orange wing leading edges and propeller markings are also supplied as decals, simplifying things considerably.