Mitsubishi MC-1 Passenger Transport - video

An incredibly rare beauty today for true Japanese aviation fans.

In November 1927, the Aviation Bureau of the Japanese Department of Communications launched a competition to design and build an indigenous passenger transport aircraft. Mitsubishi's design to meet this requirement based the wings on its Navy Type 13 Carrier Attack Aircraft a.k.a. Mitsubishi B1M torpedo bomber, combined with a new fuselage. 
The Mitsubishi MC-1 Passenger Transport was completed in April 1928, and was evaluated against the other two competitors, the Aichi AB-1 and Nakajima N-36, both of which were also biplanes. No production followed of any of the aircraft, as biplanes were considered obsolete compared with foreign types, and Japan Air Transport (Nippon Koku Yuso Kabushiki Kaisha, NKYKK ) ordered Fokker Universal monoplanes instead.
The MC-1 with registration J-BAKG, was used experimentally on the scheduled service of the East-West Regular Aviation Association between Tokyo and Osaka, a project established by Asahi Shimbun from June 1928 until April 1929. After that, the MC-1 was flown by NKYKK in its regular service connecting Fukuoka and Ulsan in Korea from June 1929 until May 1930. 
Since the video clip is dated 1928, it was certainly shot at Tachikawa airfield where Asahi had a hangar, seen in the background of the video.

The MC-1 was a large three-bay biplane powered by a 385 hp (287 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar radial engine for which Mitsubishi acquired a license. It had an open cockpit behind the wings for the pilot and an additional crew member as well as room for four passengers in an enclosed cabin in the forward fuselage.

The MC-1 had a fixed conventional landing gear but could also be fitted with twin floats.

From around August 1931, the MC-1 was reassigned to sight-seeing flights as a seaplane, as the first aeroplane of Nihonkai Koku Kaisha based on Kinosaki, Yogo Prefecture, on the north coast of Honshu. It continued to fly with this airline until 1938.

A large model of the floatplane version of the aircraft is at Tajima Airport, Hyogo Prefecture.

Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" by Bill Bosworth

A gargantuan model scratch-built in 1:48, repeat, 1:48 with a LARGE wing span! This would not have happened without the generous help from George!

Kawasaki Army Otsu-1 (乙-1) Reconnaissance Aircraft (Salmson 2) - video

During the First Shanghai Incident of 1932 the 3rd Independent Chutai, part of the 1st Hiko Rentai based in Kakamigahara, was assigned to Kunda Airfield in Shanghai in early February 1932, when this video was taken.  
Some beautiful views of the Type Otsu-1 Reconnaissance right out of their shipping crates and then getting assembled at the airfield. Note also the Army Ko-4 Fighters (Nieuport 29C1).  
Some model manufacturers have suggested that these Japanese Army aircraft types were in overall NMF. In reality, according to official IJAAF regulations they were finished in the Army version of hairyokushoku.
Special thanks to Yokokawa Yuichi for helping identify the unit.

Kawanishi N1K "Kyofu" (Rex) & Mitsubishi F1M "Pete" - video

A bunch of seaplanes found in badly damaged condition at Imajuku, Fukuoka Prefecture, at the end of the war.
They are Kawanishi N1K "Kyofu" (Rex) and Mitsubishi F1M (Pete) seaplanes. Only the tail markings on a couple "Petes" are visible and they show the letters "KEA-38", which means they belonged to the 901 Kokutai. 
The unit was organized on December 15, 1943, at Tateyama for patrol and ship escort missions. In the beginning, it was equipped with 24 "Nell" and 12 "Mavis" flying boats. Later it received a variety of types and in May 1945 the unit had no less than 212 planes. 
In the middle of June 1944, the 901Ku moved to Donggang, Pingtung County, Taiwan, and then to Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture where they sent various dispatch units to different locations. The main mission of the unit was sea patrol and the protection of the south-west ship routes.
On January 1, 1945, it merged with the 254Ku, 953Ku and 954Ku and on March 1, 1945, the unit had 24 carrier fighters, 24 interceptors, 24 carrier attackers, 24 "Nell" and "Betty" bombers, 64 "Jake" floatplanes, 40 Kyushu Q1W "Tokai" and 12 flying boats. On June 1, the unit had a mixed force of 12 carrier fighters, 12 "Nell" and "Betty", 80 "Jake" and 42 "Tokai".

Thanks to Józef Nawrocki for spotting the video and to our good friend Jan Kanov for helping out.

Aikoku Nakajima Type 91 Army Fighter - video

The Aikoku (Donation) ceremony took place on June 26, 1932, at Kyoto's Fukakusa Drill Grounds. The citizens of Kyoto gathered enough funds to donate a variety of military hardware including one Nakajima Type 91 Army Fighter which received the aikoku number #38.

Hokoku Aichi D1A "Susie" & more - video

The hokoku ceremony featured in the short clip took place also in Haneda Airport but on October 30, 1937. A total of nine aircraft were "named":
three Yokosuka B4Y "Jean" that received hokoku numbers #123 and #124 that were donated by the ship owners of the Taiheiyo (Pacific Ocean) Fishery Co., Ltd. as well as #130 that was donated by the Tokyo City Educational Corps, 
three Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" that received hokoku numbers #128 donated by linen manufacturer Teikoku Seima Co., Ltd. a company that was founded in the Meiji era and still exists today, #141 and #143 were donated by Tokyo City Murakami Kiyoji Shoten, a pig iron wholesaler, 
and finally three Aichi D1A "Susie" that received hokoku numbers #131 donated by Greater Ginza Neighborhood Association, #133 donated by volunteers from all over Japan and finally #134 that was also donated by the Tokyo City Educational Corps.

Note at the closing of the clip the Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" making a flyover the Mitsubishi "Kamikaze-go".

Hokoku Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" & Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" - video

The Hokoku (donation) ceremony was held on March 17, 1938, at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. One Mitsubishi A5M2bs and one Mitsubishi G3M "Nell" with hokoku numbers #185 and #205 respectively were donated by the "Great Japan Youth Group". 
Also, two Nakajima E8N "Dave" seaplanes with hokoku numbers #165 and #168 were donated by the "Pearl gathering Japanese ship owners and crew members of the Arafura Sea" and the "Citizens of Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture " respectively.

Mitsubishi G6M1 by Sakaida Yoji

Tamiya in 1/48, modified by Sakaida-san. 

The kind of model you don't see every day.

Spring in Japan!

 Went out for a walk today and here's what greeted me.

 

Mitsubishi A6M2b by Matteo Reich

An exquisite baby Zero by Matteo Reich today. I absolutely love it!!! Note the subtle difference in the color of the control surfaces, exactly as it's supposed to be.
Matteo explained: Airfix A6M2b in 1/72nd scale. I used Tamiya Rubber Black for the anti-glare, as it's lighter than pure black and doesn't have bluish hues.