Posted on 10/15/2006 10:21:33 PM PDT by yhwhsman
I ran across this video, and it appears to be of Japanese World War 2 aircraft, some Zeroes plus some of the other fighters Japan developed but never deployed. Are these recent replicas? There are several video clips, pretty intense footage.
Here's the link to the video.
The one that looks a little like a Messerschnitt is a Kawasaki Ki 61 Hien, called a 'Tony' by Allied Air
They look to me like a Kawasaki "Toni" and a Mitsubishi "Zero." http://www.einsteins-emporium.com/technology/aviation/1940-1945/aej00.htm
There was also a Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden [codenamed 'Jack'] and what appeared to be a Nakajima Ki 44-II Otsu Shoki [Tojo]: "The Encyclopedia of Air Warfare", Thomas V. Crowell Co., 1975, pp 132-133.
Boss, de plane, de plane!
Here's another clip, wonder if this is some kind of super Zero (notice the air intakes along the lower edge of the cowling and four-bladed prop).
Hard to say. When they filmed "Tora, Tora, Tora" back when, they had to modify old U.S trainers to look like the Zeros because there weren't enough to use in the film. There are a few in museums, but I'm not sure if there are any capable of flight [possibly the Confederate Air Force].
The planes in the film might be replicas. There weren't that many of the types I mentioned even made. The RAIDEN was specifically built [if I recall correctly] to take on B 29s at altitude.
There is possibly one true Zero still flying. Seems the Japanese used an aluminum that crystalized after so many years making them un-airworthy. That's why I was surprised to see the planes in the video, would have thought I'd have seen some mention of someone building the replicas.
The video on the link is a CG movie, not a real one.
http://images.google.com/images?q=KI-61+%22Tony.&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images&nojs=1
http://images.google.com/images?q=Mitsubishi+%22Zero.%22&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images&nojs=1
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