Tamiya 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-61-Id Hien (Tony) & 4x4 Light Vehicle Kurogane Scaled Plastic Model Kit

The Kawasaki Ki-61-Id Hien was officially adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1943, standing out among its contemporaries in the Pacific War for its liquid-cooled Ha-40 engine, slimline fuselage, and long, elegant wing. The Ki-61-Id variant featured a 20cm-elongated nose housing 20mm cannons plus 12.7mm wing machine guns, and with 1,360 units built it was the most prolifically produced Hien variant. Its superior high-altitude performance made it well suited to intercepting U.S. B-29 bombers over Japan's home islands, notably with the 244th Air Group led by Captain Teruhiko Kobayashi.

The Kurogane was developed from a request by the Japanese army and became the world's first lightweight 4x4 vehicle. From December 1937 a new production type carried three passengers with a 1,400cc 33hp air-cooled V-twin engine, front independent and rear leaf-spring suspension, and large tyres. Approximately 4,800 vehicles were built between 1930 and 1939, serving in reconnaissance and communication roles across China, South East Asia, and the Pacific.