Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki

Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki was delivered in few versions to Japanese Army and in first time they were delivered as natural metal machines, with black anti glare panel at the top of fuselage, in front of windscreen. During the operation service was comon practice to paint the top surfaces of this machines mostly in green paint and due to the conditions, this paint was moderatery sliced or wiped off the surface and leave plane in blotched effect. Bottom of the additionaly camouflaged airplanes remained in the natural metal color. Ki-44 is also camouflaged and the top of the plane was rarely in brown color but most common in the green color, while the bottom was in light color, possibly grey green. Interesting to note is that the prototype is overal finished in grey green color.

01. Prototye of the Ki-44 Shoki in overal grey green color. This machine have no special markings except of the band arround the fuselage.

02. Ki-44 Shoki from the flying school at Akeno. This machine is early version with telescope gun sight and it is delivered in natural metal finish.

03. Not much info is known about this machine. It have stabdard camouflage color but very faded. Vertical tail top halp is a little darker in shade and it is possible that this is because of the fresh color. Also note that rudder is all in the grey green color so together with the overpainted vertical this could indicate that this plane was repaired after damage. Yellow band arroun the fuselage and small remains behind it is something which was maybe some early band on plane. Logo on the vertical is not easy to determine and as well this is shown in white colors, it could be also yellow or light blue color.