Guess the Ki-84 is becoming a popular item as this is the second Hayate sheet I've gotten in the last few months from different decal makers. This particular one from Aeromaster is designed for the Hasegawa kit and there is a warning in the instructions that it is not measured for the Otaki/Arii or Tamiya kit. Since the Tamiay offering is actually 1/50 scale, the markings will probably be too large. As for Otaki kit, it has some shape problems, but the you should be able to fudge some of them into position ok.

You may notice, as did I, that the red used on the sheet is not as brilliant as the red used on the instructions. In fact, they are more of a brownish color than any red. Now many years ago, IPMS Spruce Goose produced a decal sheet that offered both the bright red and the very dark red roundels. They stated that the dark ones were weathered. Back in my youth, when stationed on Guam, I did a great deal of scuba diving and there were many Japanese Navy aircraft wrecks in the water relatively close to shore. On those wrecks, the red of the Hinomaru was quite visible and was a bright red, even back then. Perhaps the Japanese Army used this very dark color, but I'm still skeptical. There is no note to explain this anomaly in the instructions.

Well, on to the markings on the sheet.

First is the one with the large swoop on the tail. This is a 29th Sentai plane from Formosa in mid 1945. Like most of these planes, it is dark green on the upper side with grey green lowers.

Next is a 47 Sentai plane with the white 'bandages' around the Hinomaru that designate Home Defense. These bands will have to be painted on. The spinner is yellow to match the 3rd Chutai color.

A 57th Special Attack Ki-84 with a nice long fuselage stripe is next. The instructions state that the upperside is black with the underside in either light grey or bare metal. I'd go for the bare metal option. The prop on this and all Ki-84s is a rather unusual dark grey-green color. Some sources you'll read state that this aircraft is a dark brown on the upper surface. It could be as that was not uncommon for the 'Frank'.

Finally, from the 51st Sentai is this rather normal looking plane from 1944 It has the tip of the spinner in white.

There are sufficient Hinomaru to do two full aircraft. A smaller sheet has two sets of wing walk markings. All the planes will have a black engine anti-glare panel.

Review sheet courtesy North American Hobbies, where you can get everything from 20-30% below retail.

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