skylarkmk1

Need a little help with my Hien Ki-61-2 (Tony). It is the MK Kato Model Aircraft Co., Ltd. kit that I was given it many years ago and have decided to complete. I have the fuselage, rudder/fin and elevators/stabilizer built. The problem is the wing. I do not have the parts (only one each of W-14 and W-15 - plywood half ribs in the landing gear area). The plans (real blue print and in Japanese) do show the root rib so I have the pattern for the root rib. I can get the height and length of the tip rib from the plans but do not have the pattern. Scratch building the ribs is not a problem once I have the pattern. Should I just scale the root rib down (i.e.: Kinko’s) to the tip rib length and not worry about the height or does someone have the tip rib pattern? I am posting this on the R/C Warbirds, Scale and Scratch Building sections in hopes that someone has a suggestion or solution.

Hughes500E

My Feedback: (16)

I can't help you out but I can say that I had a Tony from an old Royal kit, beautiful plane to fly, just like it was on rails.
Good luck with your project!

Mike Emilio

I might be able to develope all the ribs for you, as well as other parts on the drawing. If you have the drawing scanned at about 250 to 300 dpi. .TIFF format, email it to me. I'll give it a shot. I have various wing development programs that should do it.

skylarkmk1

Thanks for the replies. Mike, I think I solved my problem, RCM has plans for a 68" Tony (the MK Kato plan is 70" ) that may be close enough to work, have them on order. May have to use a rib inboard 1 or 2 bays, but so what. Also good to have another set of plans to compare to. Also Mike D. (Warbirds) sent me an old article from MAN by Jim Headley on drawing tapered wing with paper and pencil that I can use as well. I am drawing the ribs this evening and will compare to the RCM plans when the get here. Need to finish my Lazy Bee first, clean off the bench and get started. Thanks again.

skylarkmk1

Problem solved. Just received the RCM plans (# pi-203 KAWASAKI HEIN by Jack Albrecht RCM 2-67) via the big Brown truck. After a quick check, it appears that these plans are a redraw of the MK Kato plans. My neighbor has a glass table and with a strong light underneath, they appear to be the same. The fuselage side view is identical, formers and every thing line up exactly. The wing plan, stab and vertical fin/rudder are also identical, even the landing gear pattern is the same (no retracts, I plan to install them). The good part is that these plans include full size drawings of all of the parts, fuselage formers, individual wing ribs, etc. I did notice one thing different, the wheel well covers are made of plywood instead of tin as supplied in the kit. So if you have the old MK Kato Ki-61 "Tony" kit and your plans are missing, hard to read or parts are missing, this is a good solution. The size is also a good match up for the Top Flite P-51, P-40 and others if you want to do battle with an Imperial Japanese Fighter. Many thanks to those who responded with suggestions and alternate solutions.

Tsutomu Mabuchi

My Feedback: (1)

I didn't know Royal had been selling Kato Ki-61 Hien.
I saw MK's Hien 60 almost 40 years ago when I was a highschool boy
on a R/C magazine in Japan.
Proportional radios were very rare, multi channnel reed radios were
mostly used at that time. Orbit proportional radio was priced for ten
times of the averege monthly wages of Japanese workers.
When I got a proportional radio, MK(Kato) has already stopped selling
Ki-61 Hien. Scale models were not sold much in Japan since most
flyers had to get accustomed to proportional radio technique first.
I don't know how accurate it is, but Hien I saw 40 years ago looked
like a dream that I could not reach.
P/S, Hien means " flying swallow" in Japanese.

Tsutomu Mabuchi

Tsutomu Mabuchi

My Feedback: (1)

This is a pic of the Royal kit I came across in an auction in Japan.
I'm bidding on it and wish I can win.

Tsutomu Mabuchi

Hot Rod Todd

My Feedback: (1)

I like the Ki-61 and bought the RCM plans myself, but decided to go bigger and built a Don Smith 86" version. It is pretty much done, with just a few details to go. I have drop points for bombs and tanks, and the canopy is servo powered to allow for showing of the full cockpit.
Here's a couple of photos.

Tsutomu Mabuchi

My Feedback: (1)

Very nice work, beautiful Tony you built.
I also have Don Smith 85" plan and the wood kit from a cutter company.
A canopy and a cowl from FTE, spinner from Gene Barton and CJM retracts
are waiting to be used.
I think of using OS 160 FXFI fuel injection 2 stroke with Bisson inverted muffler
since a guy who flew 85" Hien recommended me to use 1.60 2 stroke for it.
I hear a fuel injection engine doesn't care of inverted mount.
What engine are you using and how is it working?

Tsutomu Mabuchi

skylarkmk1

Hot Rod, Tsutomu,

I am staying with the RCM plans since the fuse and tail feathers were all ready built when I got the MK Kato kit (and I don't have room right now for anything much bigger). After reading the build article included with the plans, Jack Albrecht states that these plans are a redraw of the MK Kato kit, so everything is good to go. Even thought my copies are nice and new, these plans were originally redrawn in Feb 1967. Construction is about the same as many of todays planes, so I am hoping to finish it fairly light in weight. I have a NIB Super Tiger .60 Blue Head (once I get a muffler) that I may use or an Enya .60 III that runs real well that is a couple of oz heavier.

Todd your Hien looks good, very nicely done.

Tsutomu I know where you are coming from. Thanks for the translation also. I had some friends flying Reeds when I started. My first radio was in a Goldberg Jr Falcon, with an Orbit Tx (looked like a 9-transitor radio with a button on the side) and unknown Rx and escapement in the late 60's, it worked ok for many flights. My first proportioanal Radio was the Heathkit 5 channel that I built during the summer of 1970 (actually won a trophy, 3rd place, with that radio and a plane of my own design). I then bought a new Kraft Series 71 4 channel and later a used Kraft Series 71 6 channel, dual frequency radio. Currently, I am flying JR radios.

Thanks to all for the suggestions and comments. Hopefully it will be on the board soon and I can finish it up. It has waited a long time to be done.

Tsutomu Mabuchi

My Feedback: (1)

skylarkmk1,

My first practical R/C radio was a Futaba single channel with electric servos
when I was a highschool freshmen in 1966.
Then I've got a 12ch reed assembling kit. It was much inexpensive compared
to other famous complete radios including OS. The assembling was very much
fun since the main components were already built.
I learned how every channels works simultaneously from assembling the kit.
I remember " pulse keying" we called it which keeps control surfaces at an
intermediate position.
I couldn't win the auction. It soared to equivalent of $350. I realized many
of us still remember the kit or want .60 size Ki-61.
I'm looking forward to seeing your Ki-61

Tsutomu Mabuchi

Redwulf__34

Skylark,
Did you ever build or finish this Hein?

Sean

skylarkmk1

Redwulf,

Nope, too many other projects are still in the way. You know how it is, you finish one and two more pop up and none are R/C related,

Redwulf__34

hehehe,
I do know exactly what you mean! I've found some canopy's on e-bay at a reasonable price. I'm thinking maybe I should build this thing now. I'm not sure about a few things on the construction. I'll keep you posted here. Maybe if I get it started it will get a spark going for you. would be nice to have some help along the way.

Today my project will be cleaning the basement area and building a work room for myself!!!!!!!!!!! In the process of painting my motorcycle too at the moment. it will be done soon.

Sean

skylarkmk1

Redwulf,

Funny how similar things are. I have been in the shop (8-1/2’ x 11-1/3’) tearing out a closet and a light weight 7' work bench (hollow core door) and installing a very heavy duty 8' (solid, heavy maple top, used military, takes four guys and a mule to carry it safely[:@]) workbench in my shop. The new bench has storage shelves in it and they will be put to good use. I'll still use the door (it is good and flat) to build on but can now use the bench for the myriad of other things that need doing. I also need to move my gun safe to the shop area, secure it and start moving things back into the shop. Should be ready to start using again in a day or so.

The Tony is pretty standard construction. If you need help just ask. I will build my wing without the retracts as I previously hoped (less complicated and cheaper). Built stock, I believe it is approved for one of the Older Pattern Flying contests (have to check the Pattern forum). The fuse was already mostly built when I got it, so I'll either use the Supertiger or Enya to power it. The engine compartment is complete with the spinner to firewall distance established, glassed and ready. I'll need to do the cockpit (simple) and lower scoop areas to finish the the fuse and then start to cut out the parts for the wings. As I prefer silk (Koverall) and dope, that is what I will probably use or maybe WB Poly. I don't particuarlly like any of the "$$-coats" and don't need or want the wieght of a glass job. Heck, it is just a small sport-scale plane, not a full blown scale warbird.

ARUP

Hi- take your Tony and modify it to a Ki-100. It was a better plane than a P-51! I'm working on a Yokosuka D4Y4 presently. Japanese airplanes are very 'pretty' if that's the word. Good Luck. The Tony is a neat bird!

skylarkmk1

ARUP,

Thought about the conversion to the Ki-100 but the fuse is already built and I don't want to cut it up to change it. The engine compartment is done except for the throttle and fuel line holes so I am sort of stuck (not really) with the Ki-61 and I like the Ki-61.

My understanding is that it was the KI-61 that was equal to the P-51 and the Ki-100 was a Ki-61 with a radial engine fitted due to the shortage of the inline engines used in the Ki-61.