Hasegawa 1/72 Nakajima Ki44-ii Tojo W 40mm Cannon Model Kit

The Nakajima Ki-44-II Shoki (Tojo) armed with 40mm Ho-301 cannons was the heavy-armed interceptor variant designed specifically to destroy B-29 Superfortresses. The Ki-44 was the Imperial Japanese Army's first true interceptor, sacrificing maneuverability for speed and climb rate—a radical departure from the Japanese fighter doctrine of the era. The 40mm caseless ammunition cannons, while devastatingly effective against bombers, had extremely limited range and ammunition, requiring pilots to close to near-suicidal distances. Hasegawa captures this unusual armament variant with the oversized cannon pods visible under the wings.