Scale Aviation Modeller International — February 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1

M


y article on the “Jinrai
Butai” (Divine Thunder
Corps), involving
Fine Molds’ 1/48 scale Kugisho
MXY7 Ohka Model 11, appeared
in the June 2013 issue of Model
Aircraft Monthly, and this
diminutive, very specialised
“manned rocket-powered flying-
bomb”, from the late Pacific
War, has been prominent in my
Imperial Japanese Nav y (IJN)
display collection ever since.
Therefore, when I heard that
Brengun Models from the Czech
Republic had released an example
of the proposed follow-up craft,
the jet-powered Ohka Model
22, also in 1/48 scale and at a
reasonable price, my interest in
obtaining this new model was
immediately piqued. I deemed the
inclusion of this evolved version
to be essential in covering this
particular subject in model form.

OHKA MODEL 22
Despite the considerable
commitment of material, specialist
training, and thorough tactical
research into its employment, It
has to be remembered that the
initial solid-fuel, triple rocket-
powered Ohka Model 11 proved to
be a failure in practice. This was
primarily due to the fatal limitation
of having to close to within just 35
km of a target, to be air-launched
from an expressly modified,

Brengun’s package possessed nice box-top
artwork of this proposed manned IJN flying
bomb from the late Pacific War, a good
depiction of this intriguing esoteric subject

EVOLVED


Cherry Blossom


Brengun’s 1/48 Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka
Model 22 by Mike Williams

76 • FEBRUARY 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL


BY SACCO DE VRIES


OHKA MODEL 22


BY MIKE WILLIAMS
1/48

076-81-FEAT-Okha-0218.indd 76 12/01/2018 12:10

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