Review of Aviation Usk Ki-115
Review and Photo by: Scott Van Aken
Scale: 1/72
Price: $10.00
Media: Limited run injected plastic
Decals: None
Date of Review: 20 December 1997
The Ki-115 was a purpose-built, cheapie kamikaze aircraft. Designed to do no more than take its pilot and bomb to the target, it was built of non-strategic materials (wood) and had minimal instrumentation. The landing gear was unsprung and designed to fall away after take-off. The pilot and his bomb were then to proceed to the target. Normally those kamikaze pilots who flew standard aircraft were able to return if the target was not found or the weather was poor. How the Ki-115 pilots were supposed to land if conditions for bombing were unfavorable is not totally understood.
The Aviation Usk kit is typical limited run. It has huge gates where the parts are attached and all the pieces need cleaning up before use. It is Aviation Usk's first kit in the series so is understandably crude. However, it can be made into a decent little kit. Typically, putty is used in all aspects of airframe construction. The instructions themselves consist of only an exploded view of the kit. Placement of the oil cooler require the use of what little references there are for this kit. I used Thorpe's old, but still useful book on the JAAF to determine placement and a color scheme.
An unusual kit of an equally unusual aircraft. Recommended only if you have experience with limited run kits.
To see reviews of other kits, I invite you to visit my web site. and click on the 'Modelling Pages' section on the Contents page.