Background

General concept of new twin-engine reconaissance aircraft for Japanese Imperial Army was based on earlier Mitsubishi Ki-40 project, which was simply junked. Ki-46 prototype got airborne for the first time in 1939, serial production was started a year later. In the later years Ki-46 had been upgraded and converted for different roles. Built as a reconnaissance plane had be used as high altitude fighter against American bombers (Ki-46 III Kai with two 20mm guns in nose and 37mm gun on at an angle on the spine), attack aircraft with 37mm gun or as fighter-bomber.

Instruction and painting options

Painting and decaling instruction is printed on four folded pages of single A3 sheet. Except first option (dark brown) all other requires more-less the same painting process and colours. All you have to paint are camouflage colours, spinners and yellow leading edges of wings. All other markings (individual letters, hinomarus, emblems or stripes) are provided as decals. Colours of camouflage are provided as Federal Standard numbers in the attached tables. In the instruction we will also find drawings for painting and decaling spinners and short list of useful references.

We get the following painting options available in this set:

• 17th Independent Chutai, 2nd Shotai, Chofu, January 1945
  
• 16th Independent Hikotai, 1945 – two machines
  
• 17th Independent Chutai, 1945
  
• 19th Independent Chutai, 1944-45
  
• 38th Sentai, 2nd Chutai, 1944
  
• 82nd Independent Chutai, February 1945
  
• 19th Independent Chutai, 1944 – two machines
  
• 82nd Independent Chutai

This line-up gives in total ten different machines to choose from.

Decal sheet

Decal itself represents typical quality for latest Techmod releases. It is a single sheet in the size of 13 x 18cm. Techmod have equiped us with the set of necessary national markings in two versions (with and without white edge), individual numbers, units emblems and few stencils and placards for propellers. There are two decals which I do not know where to use. These are two large hinomarus with white outer edges (No.2) in the size suitable for wings however none of the schemes shows where to use these decals. I hope this is not some producer omission and all painting schemes are correct. I take it as an additional alternative given for the modeller to compose another painting option according to own references or preferences.
Decals are very nicely printed. Carrier film is thin and sticks closely to emblem. Colours are vivid and printed without any screen. I also do not see any misalignment of colours. Emblems are printed as glossy.

Summary

My general opinion is positive. Without spending lot of money you can get attractive alternative for options included in the kit. Latest Techmod decals represent solid quality and this set certainly keeps the good company standard.