Scale Plastic & Rail

1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu "Peggy" Detail Set from Eduard

1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu "Peggy" Detail Set (for the Hasegawa kit)
Eduard
Catalogue # SS393
Available direct from Eduard for €11,25

To fans of the Pacific War naval conflict, the Japanese name "Flying Dragon" or Hiryu will forever be associated with the famous aircraft carrier that took part in the attacks on Pearl Harbour and various targets in the Indian Ocean, only then to be the last of the four carriers sunk by US Navy Dauntless dive bombers at the Battle of Midway in June, 1942. To aircraft modellers interested in Japanese bombers, the name has a completely different significance.

The Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu was a twin engined heavy bomber used by the IJAAF in the later stages of WW2. Codenamed "Peggy" by the Allies, it was designed as a replacement for the Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu ("Helen") and was initially planned as a fast weapon to be used in possible conflicts with the Soviet Union over Manchuria (below). Its major feature of note was that it was the antithesis of most other Japanese bombers; although manoeuvrable, it was well-armed and carried both decent amounts of armour and self-sealing fuel tanks, factors unheard of in all previous Japanese bombers. Just over 750 were produced and they nearly all fought against the Allies in the Pacific, rather than against the Soviets. A range of variants were introduced, including a specialised suicide weapon and an experimental version used to test Japan's guided missiles.

Credit and copywrite: http://www.ijaafpics.com/JB&W3/Ki-67-69s.jpg

Models of the Hiryu are thin on the ground. I remember a resin and vacform model from around 20 years ago by, I think, Peregrine Models, but there is little else apart from the standard 1/72 kit that is made by Hasegawa (below).

I know that Eduard produced a 3 part etched detail set covering the exterior of the airframe for the Hasegawa kit (set 72321) but now we have a set for the cockpit and interior. It is a single, full-colour fret (below) that provides cockpit details, an instrument panel and detailing for the nose, waist gunner and tail positions. A close-up photo of the fret (below) shows the high level of detail in the instrument panel, lap straps and cockpit equipment.

The green colour used by Eduard is close to Mitsubishi green, but is even closer to Nakajima green. Whether the modeller can leave this as it is will be their choice; I think in this scale it is close enough. I did not have a Hasegawa kit to compare the set against, nor could I source one from any of my friends but Eduard have become very good at getting parts to fit particular kits and this set is probably no exception.

One final point. Eduard pre-coloured etched sets tend to be a little expensive in my view. However, at around £6.50 in the UK, this set offers the modeller a decent detail set at a properly realistic price and as such can be recommended to builders of the Hasegawa kit without any hesitation whatsoever.

So What Do We Think?
In conjunction with the Eduard exterior set, this will enhance the Hasegawa kit very well. Good value for money, as well.

A good detail enhancement set.

Our thanks to Eduard for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

Robin Jenkins.