1:72 Scale Metal Diecast – Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa “Oscar” Length: 5″ Wingspan: 5.75

“Defending the Commonwealth”

This Oscar 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 with this model, specifically the color scheme and the markings are very crisp and clear. The panel lines and hatches are very nicely done (engraved).

The box measures at 7.5 inches by 7.5 inches by 3.25 inches.

TheNakajima Ki-43Hayabusa(, “Peregrine Falcon”) was a single-engine land-based tacticalfighterused by theImperial Japanese Army Air ForceinWorld War II. The Army designation was “Army Type 1 Fighter” (); the Alliedreporting namewas “Oscar“, but it was often called the “Army Zero” by American pilots for its side-view resemblance to theMitsubishi A6M Zero[3]that was flown by the Japanese Navy, using essentially the sameradial engine as the Army’sOscar, and with theOscarhaving much less framing for its canopy than the Zero used.

Like the Japanese A6M Zero, the radial-engined Ki-43 was light and easy to fly and became legendary for its combat performance in East Asia in the early years of the war. It could outmaneuver any opponent, but did not have armor orself-sealing tanks, and its armament was poor until its final version, which was produced as late as 1945.[4][5]Allied pilots often reported that the nimble Ki-43s were difficult targets but burned easily or broke apart with few hits.[6]In spite of its drawbacks, the Ki-43 shot down more Allied aircraft than any other Japanese fighter and almost all the JAAF’s aces achieved most of their kills in it.[citation needed]

Total production amounted to 5,919 aircraft.[7]Many of these were used during the last months of the war for kamikaze missions against the American fleet.