Key Features of SWS 1/32 Ki-100!

The four major points of Ki-100

The world’s first 1/32 scale kit of the Ki‑100, faithfully reproduced based on detailed research of the actual aircraft. This kit captures the unique success of converting a liquid‑cooled fighter into an air‑cooled configuration.

Full‑color instruction manual in both Japanese and English, featuring detailed illustrations. The manual allows builders to learn about the real aircraft while assembling the model.

Multiple color and marking decal options included.

Selectable open or closed canopy, plus a dedicated masking sheet for precise painting.

Explanation of each part

Focus on the air‑cooled, 14‑cylinder, twin‑row radial Ha‑112‑II engine, which can truly be called the heart of the Ki‑100.

Developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Ha‑112‑II was equipped with a single‑stage, two‑speed centrifugal supercharger and was used on late‑war Japanese Army aircraft such as the Ki‑100 fighter and Ki‑46 reconnaissance aircraft.
It was equivalent to the Navy’s Kinsei Model 62 and delivered a maximum output of 1,500 horsepower.
The engine drove a Pe‑29 propeller with a diameter of 3.0 meters, featuring wide paddle‑shaped blades.
Because the radial engine was forcibly installed onto the slim fuselage originally designed for a liquid‑cooled engine, the resulting aerodynamic cowling and its dramatic tapering into the fuselage are major highlights of the Ki‑100’s distinctive appearance.
As the unreliable Ha‑40 liquid‑cooled engine plagued the Ki‑61, the conversion that replaced it with the very dependable Ha‑112‑II air-cooled engine dramatically improved performance and reduced failure rates.
As a result, the Ki‑100 became one of the finest fighters fielded by the Japanese Army in the latter half of the war.

Discover the Ki‑100 Cockpit, Where the Hien’s Legacy and Army Design Philosophy Converge.

The cockpit of the Ki‑100 largely followed that of the Ki‑61 Hien, with instrument placement and control layouts typical of single‑seat fighters of the era.
However, the installation of an armored steel plate behind the pilot’s headrest was relatively uncommon when compared to aircraft such as the Navy’s Zero, reflecting the Japanese Army’s greater emphasis on pilot protection.
In the SWS kit, the upper rear fuselage is molded as a separate part, allowing accurate reproduction of either the “razorback” canopy configuration seen on conversions from the Ki‑61 or the later‑production aircraft fitted with a “teardrop” canopy offering superior rearward visibility.
This kit faithfully represents the Otsu variant, featuring the teardrop canopy that significantly improved rearward visibility.

Ho‑103s on the wings, Ho‑5s up front—four fixed guns that underpin the Ki‑100’s air‑superiority capability.

The fixed armament consisted of two 12.7 mm Ho‑103 (Type 1) machine guns mounted in the wings, each supplied with 250 rounds, which were standard Imperial Japanese Army aircraft weapons of World War II.
In addition, two 20 mm Ho‑5 (Type 2) cannons were installed on top of the nose. These were developed from the 12.7 mm Ho‑103, with an enlarged breech to accommodate the more powerful 20×94 mm ammunition, each supplied with 120 rounds.
Most aircraft were equipped with the Type 100 gunsight, though it is believed that some later examples used the more advanced Type 3 gunsight.
As with the Ki‑61, a standard 200‑liter drop tank could be carried under each wing.
Like the Ki‑61, the Ki‑100 was primarily used for air‑superiority missions, and bomb‑equipped examples were extremely rare; however, it combined excellent maneuverability with high reliability and proved effective against the P‑51 and B‑29.

Color and Marking