Reviewed by Rodger Kelly
 

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FirstLook

Genda's Eagles from Yellowhammer Models is a two-part issue covering the Kawanishi NiK2 J Shiden-Kai (George to the Allies) of the Imperial Japanese Navy's 343rd Kokutai (air group). 

YHD48029 

The sheet covers four aircraft all of which are in dark green over natural metal finish with dark green spinners and yellow wing leading edge ID.  The individual aircraft are: 

-11, of the Hikotai 301 (301 Squadron) flown by CPO Shoichi Sugita in April 1945.  Supplied markings include:

• Yellow A squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-11 (eleventh aircraft of the Hikotai 301, 343rd Air Group)
• Yellow Section Leader Band
• "Scoreboard" consisting of 16 kill markings.

-17 of the Hikotai 407, flown by LT Ikuji Matsumaura in March 1945.  Supplied markings comprise: 

• Yellow B squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-17 plane-in-squadron number
• "Scoreboard" consisting of 3 kill markings.
• Four white 17s.  These numbers were painted on the fuselage hinomaru (national insignia) during training and were removed prior to combat.  Two sets are provided for opaqueness.
• What appears to be a data plate stencil in yellow for the vertical stabilizer.

-15 of the Hikotai 301, flown by LT Naoshi Kanno from the Omura airfield in May, 1945.  Markings comprise: 

• Yellow A squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-15 plane-in-squadron number
• Twin yellow section commander stripes
• "Scoreboard" consisting of 5 kill markings.
• Four white 15s for the fuselage hinomaru.

-03 of the Hikotai 407, flown by WO Hiroshi Ohara in 1945.  Markings comprise: 

• Yellow B squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-03 plane-in-squadron number
• White section commander stripe.
• Four white 03s for the fuselage hinomaru.
• A data plate stencil in yellow for the vertical stabilizer.

A single set of national markings are provided.  The white and green surrounds are supplied separately and two sets of undercarriage oleo maintenance markings are also supplied. 

All of the markings are duplicated in 1/72 scale so in effect this is both a 1/72 scale sheet as well as a 1/48 scale one.

YHD48030

More of the same with this sheet, which also supplies markings for four aircraft in dark green over natural metal finish with dark green spinners and yellow wing leading edge ID. 

The individual aircraft are: 

-20 of the Hikotai 407, flown from Matsuyama airfield in March 1945.  No pilot's name given.  Supplied markings comprise: 

• Yellow B squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-20 plane-in-squadron number
• Four white 20sfor the fuselage hinomaru.
• A yellow data plate stencil for the vertical stabilizer.

-02 of the Hikotai 301, flown by LT Masai Matsumaura from Matsuyama airfield in March 1945.  Supplied markings comprise:

• Yellow A squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-02 plane-in-squadron number
• Four white 02s for the fuselage hinomaru.

-45 of the Hikotai 701, flown by LT Takahashi Oshibuchi in 1945.  Supplied markings comprise: 

• Yellow C squadron identifying letter
• Yellow 343-45 plane-in-squadron number
• Twin white section leader stripes for the rear fuselage

Finally, the odd man out.  TAI 001 which was one of the three Georges that were captured and evaluated by the Technical Air Intelligence Unit in the US.  Markings comprise: 

• Yellow TAI 001 codes for the fin and rudder
• A set of US stars and bars national insignia.  The placement guide shows that no US national insignia was placed under the port wing but existing photographs of these aircraft show that they were.  Enough insignia is supplied for you to do this though.

As with the previous sheet, all of the markings are duplicated in 1/72 scale and there is a single set of hinomarus with separate white and green borders. 

The placement guides are the standard A4 sized sheet folded in the centre.  It shows colour profiles of each option on the front cover and the same ones in a larger format in the centre pages.  The rear page shows a generic plan view. 

The decals look to have been printed by Microscale.  They are thin, in register and there is a minimum of decal film around each subject. 

The placement guides and decal sheets are packed in a clear plastic zip-loc bag. 

A mixed bag.  Whilst it is always great to get excellent aftermarket sheets for Japanese subjects it is disappointing to see that Yellowhammer have mixed both 1/72 and 1/48 scale on the same sheet.  Perhaps it would have been better to issue separate sheets in 1/72 and 1/48 scale.  The extra space on the 1/48 scale sheet could have been put to better use in providing the stencil data for the George that they had previously included on one of their older George sheets – Y48-07 Hellcat Killers, that supplied comprehensive stencil data. 

Disregarding this, both sheets are still recommended. 

Footnote: 

The placement guide advises that the dark green used on the upper surfaces of these aircraft was an approximate match for FS 34092. 

To find out more about the colours used on the George as well as other Japanese WWII aircraft visit Dave Pluth's J-Aircraft.com at http://www.j-aircraft.com/   Their FAQ section at http://www.j-aircraft.com/faq/N1K.htm has a section on the George as well as many other IJNAF aircraft.

Recommended.

Review Copyright © 2004 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 19 May, 2004
Last updated 19 May, 2004

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