Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate Frank Japanese Fighter - Leyte Gulf 1944 - 1/72 Scale Diecast Model by Atlas

1:72 Scale  Metal Diecast - Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate - Frank - Japanese Fighter – Length: 5.5"  Wingspan: 6.25”

This Ki-84 model is a single seat plane. The cockpit is glue shut. It has no pilot/crew figures included. The landing gear is modeled in the retracted position. A display stand is included.

 This is really a "no-play" model or a "display-only" model. It is mostly metal and very heavy. It also has a number of antennas which look great but are very fragile. If you have small kids that like to play with your models, save yourself some frustration (and money) and wait till later to get a model like this one. The box is labeled as not suitable for children under 14.

 The maker of this model did a good job, specifically the color scheme and the markings are very crisp and clear. The panel lines and hatches are very nicely done (engraved).

This model comes in a plastic shell that measures 7.5 inches by 7.5 inches by 3.25 inches.

The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate "Gale" was a single-seat fighter flown by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service in the last two years of World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was Army Type 4 Fighter (四式戦闘機 yon-shiki-sentō-ki). The Ki-84 is generally considered the best Japanese fighter to see large-scale operation during the conflict. The aircraft boasted high speeds and excellent maneuverability with an armament (up to two 30 mm and two 20 mm cannon) that gave it formidable firepower. The Ki-84's performance matched that of any single-engine Allied fighter it faced, while its operational ceiling enabled it to intercept high-flying B-29 Superfortress bombers. Pilots and crews in the field learned to take care with the plane's high-maintenance Nakajima Homare engine and landing gear prone to buckling. The difficulties of Japan's situation late in the war took a toll on the aircraft's overall field performance as manufacturing defects multiplied, quality fuel proved difficult to procure, and experienced pilots grew scarce. Even then, the pilot of a well-maintained Ki-84 took to the skies in knowing possession of Japan's fastest fighter. A total of 3,514 aircraft were built.