Blood Red Skies: Imperial Japan Nakajima Ki-43 II 'Oscar' squadron

At the time of Japan’s entry into World War Two, the land-based Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) was the amongst the most advanced aircraft available to the nation, and was also the most important in numerical terms, with 5900 aircraft produced. The Oscar enjoyed air superiority early in the war, but as newer Allied aircraft were introduced, its armament began to show inadequacies. The Ki-43 II improved the Hayabusa’s engine by adding a two-stage supercharger, upgraded its protection by including self-sealing fuel tanks and pilot armour and replaced its rifle calibre armament with 12.7mm heavy machine guns. Like its Imperial Japanese Navy counterpart, the A6M Zero, the Ki-43 Oscar remained in service long after advancing technologies had rendered it obsolete. Contents: 6 x Warlord Resin Ki43 aircraft 6 x Advantage Flying Bases 1 x Punchboard with Game Tokens 1 x Aircraft card - Ki-43 II Hayabusa 'Oscar' 6 x Trait Cards (3x No Stalling 3x Deep Pockets) 1 x Doctrine Card (Bait and Switch) 1 x Waterslide Aircraft Markings Sheet Models supplied unassembled and unpainted Referred to by its pilots as Reisen (Zero fighter); ‘0’ coming from the last digit of the Imperial Year 2600 in which the aircraft entered service), the official Allied reporting name was “Zeke” though colloquially “Zero” came into common Allied usage as well. The A6M remains the most famous of all Japanese World War Two warplanes, significant for being the first carrier-borne fighter in the world to be seen as equal to its land-based counterpart. The lack of an adequate successor as technologies moved on meant that the aircraft was developed and produced in vast numbers long after its effective limits had been achieved and surpassed by superior Allied aircraft. Box Contents: 6 x Warlord Resin A6M2 Zero aircraft 6 x Advantage Flying Bases 1 x Punchboard with Game Tokens 1 x Aircraft Cards (A6M2 Zero) 6 x Trait Cards (3 x No Stalling, 3 x Deep Pockets) 1 x Doctrine Card (Seasoned Pilots) 1 x Waterslide Aircraft Markings Sheet Models supplied unassembled and unpainted