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1/48 scale Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony" Plastic Model Airplane
Scale and Make
1/48 Hasegawa Model

Scale Model Aircraft
Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"

Pilot and Markings
Corporal Seiichi Suzuki
244th Sentai, based on Hamamatsu, Tokyo (1945)



Widely used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force, the Kawasaki Ki-61 entered combat for the first time in the spring of 1943, during the New Guinea campaign. With the exception of some minor design problems, the aircraft was mostly trouble-free in service. Because of its unusual exterior, allied forces initially believed this aircraft to be of German or Italian origin. The Allied code name "Tony" was probably a result of the airplanes Italian appearance.

Despite high aircraft losses by the Japanese fighters during the New Guinea campaign of World War II, the Tony brought fear among allied pilots who saw their aircraft outclassed in many ways. The Ki-61 was more than a match for the American P-40 in speed, in fact, the P-38 Lightning was the only measurably superior aircraft of the time. The Ki-61 was utilized in the South and Southwest Pacific, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Okinawa, China, Manchuria, and in the Japanese metropolitan defense against American B-29 Super Fortresses. Many Ki-61s were also used in Tokkotai (kamikaze) missions launched toward the end of WWII.

I used Hasegawa's well detailed Ki-61-I Hien Tony plastic model airplane for this project. The entire model was giving an overall Natural Metal finish with Green mottling on the upper surface of the wings. The cockpit and wheel well interior was airbrushed Khaki Yellow while Red Brown was used for the propeller and spinner. These colors were typical for Japanese aircraft.

Seiichi Suzuki's operational career is not well known. He was a member of the 3rd Chutai (squadron) in the 244th Sentai (group). It is believed that he achieved some victories in unknown circumstances during the Home Defense. Documents credit him with 2.67 B-29s destroyed and 1.5 B-29s damaged. A rough translation of Watanabe’s JAAF Home Defense indicates he rammed a B-29 and subsequently crash landed in an unpopulated area. He was KIA in 1945 by F6F Hellcats. This is a great representation of one of Suzuki's Tony. Enjoy the photos.

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Plastic Model Airplane | Professionally built 1/48 scale Hasegawa model of a Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony".
Scale Model Kit Photo 00 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Model Kit Image 01 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Scale Model Photo 02 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Image 03 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Model Airplane Photo 04 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Airplane Image 05 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Kit Photo 06 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Scale Model Image 07 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Aircraft Photo 08 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Aircraft Kit Image 09 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Kit Image 10 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Model Kit Photo 11 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Scale Model Image 12 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Photo 13 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Model Airplane Image 14 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Airplane Photo 15 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Kit Image 16 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Scale Model Photo 17 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Aircraft Image 18 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Aircraft Kit Photo 19 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Kit Photo 20 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Model Kit Image 21 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Scale Model Photo 22 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Image 23 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Plastic Model Airplane Photo 24 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Airplane Image 25 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Kit Photo 26 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Airplane Scale Model Image 27 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Scale Model Aircraft Photo 28 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"
Model Aircraft Kit Image 29 | 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-I Hien "Tony"



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