Yokosuka Ohka MXY7-K1 Trainer
Brengun 1/72 Yokosuka Ohka MXY7-K1 Trainer by Robert Podkoński
MANUFACTURER: Brengun
KIT NO: BRP72029
SCALE: 1/72
PARTS: 21 gray polystyrene, 1 clear canopy,
10 photo-etch, 2 resin
TYPE: Multimedia short-run
DECAL OPTIONS: 2.T
he Yokosuka Ohka (Allied
codename Baka – ”a fool”
in Japanese) was the only
purpose-designed and built
suicide attack plane used in anger,
and I believe that anyone who is
interested in the period recognizes
its shape from the outset. The
basic version (Model 11) was
solid rocket-powered, while the
development type (Model 22)
featured the so-called motor-
jet (or Campini) powerplant.
Perhaps lesser known are the
trainer gliders based on the basic
airframe: a single-seat MXY7-K1
and a K-2 two-seater. Both had
an aerodynamically faired tail
section and a shock-absorbent skid
installed. In the K-1, there were
water tanks installed in the place
of the rocket engines and warhead,
but otherwise the construction was
identical to the combat version. In
the K-2 the second cockpit, with a
separate bubble canopy, replaced
the warhead in the front, giving
it quite unusual appearance. Only
three examples of the K-2 type
were built, compared to no less
than 45 of the K-1 single-seaters.THE KIT
Czech manufacturer Brengun
has already released a 1/72 scale
polystyrene model kit of the basic
Type 11 Ohka, as well as a 1/48 scale
model of the Type 22. This kit, thetrainer glider version in 1/72 scale,
comes in a colourful side-opening
box, adorned on its top with a
picture of the plane on the finals
to touch down. On the back of the
box there are two possible colour
and decal placement schemes
presented: trainer orange over IJN
Grey, and IJN Green over Grey. No
specific brand of paints is proposed.
Inside the box one finds a bag
containing one grey polystyrene
sprue, a clear canopy, a small
photo-etch fret, and two simple
wheels in resin. There is also a black
and white instruction leaflet and a
surprisingly extensive decal sheet- this is because you get the decals
intended not only for this version,
but also for the Type 11 Ohka, as well
as two not- yet-released boxings.
(Thanks to the decal sheet, we
are more or less unintentionally
informed that there are 1/72 scale
Type 22 and the 43 K-1 Ohkas in
Brengun’s future plans. The 43
K-1 version of the Ohka was to be
carried on board submarines and
featured a much longer fuselage
and much greater span folding
wings compared to the basic type
of the plane, but it was never built.)
The plastic parts are cleanly
moulded, with no flash, and
feature thin and shallow panel
lines. The canopy is thin, perfectly
transparent, with well-defined yet
true-to-scale framing. Still, if one
is not satisfied with the kit canopy,
in the Brengun’s catalogue there
are vacuum-formed substitutes,
as well as a set of pre-cut masks.
Instructions tell you to use only
four photo-etch parts out of ten on
the fret. Two of these constitute
the basic ground-handling dolly,
and the remaining two are the
delicate wing tip supports. After
consulting the drawings in the
Japanese Special Attack Aircraft &
Flying Bombs book by R. Ishiguro
and T. Januszewski (Mushroom
Model Publications/Stratus White
Series no 9101), I decided to use all
six ballance-weights/actuators.
Again, there is a separate photo-
etch fret produced by Brengun
that includes the pilot’s seat
with belts, some cockpit details,
instrument panel, and a gunsight
(in the case of Ohkas should it be
called a bombsight?) This is not
included in the reviewed kit, alas.CONSTRUCTION
Nothing surprising here.
Construction starts with the
cockpit: floor, pilot’s seat, control
stick and pedals, and instrument
panel. The fit is perfect, the only
problem being that the plastic is
brittle and unless you are careful,
the thin parts are prone to break
when removed from the sprue.
Myself, I had to substitute the
control stick with an appropriately
shaped and painted piece of wire.
I limited weathering inside the
cockpit to some dusted graphite,
just to pick up the delicate
ribbing on the fuselage walls.
There are no locating pins on
the fuselage sides, but the fit is
perfect, and taking into account
the dimensions of the model
these would just be superfluous.
Unfortunately the locating
tabs on the wings and horizontal
empennage piece are useless.
The ones on the wings must be
removed as they would give the
wrong dihedral, while the tabs
on the tails are too thick for their
respective slots. Removing them is
simply less troublesome than trying
to correct them. These problems
notwithstanding, fit of all parts is
very good, but one has to remember
to check the symmetry all the time.
Only a small amount of putty
is needed where the horizontal
empennage meets the fuselage.
While the upper halves of the
wings are moulded with ailerons,
giving them sharp trailing edge,
the lower halves need to be
thinned a bit with sandpaper. The
clear canopy fits just perfectly.PAINTING AND DECALS
With all main airframe parts
glued together, joint lines sanded
smooth, and some fragments of
panel lines restored, I masked
the canopy and painted the whole60 • SEPTEMBER 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL
KIT REVIEWS
056-63-Reviews-0918.indd 60 16/08/2018 17:34