ORIGINAL: pimmnz

Kato was flying an Orion clone back at the 1962 world champs, he called it Thunderchief back then. (RCM&E October 1962). TBird 2 looks very much like a development of that early model. There was, I think, an early Kato kit called 'Super Hunter', a trike Orion modification, something to look for. In one of the American mags there is a nice intro to the Blue Angel where Kato explains the development of the model, inspired by watching the 'Blue Angels' aerobatic team, hence the swept wing/tailpipe thing that the Angel originally had. Someone will have a copy to hand.
Evan, WB #12.