The Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu was a two seat, twin engine fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II.

The army gave it the designation "Type 2 Two-Seat Fighter"

The Allied reporting name was "Nick". In response to the rapid emergence in Europe of twin engine heavy fighters such as the Messerschmitt Bf 110, the army ordered development of a twin engine, two seat fighter in 1937, and assigned the proposal by Kawasaki Shipbuilding the designation of Ki-38. This only went as far as a mock up, but by December of that year, the army ordered a working prototype as the Ki-45, which first flew in January 1939. Results from the test flights, however, did not meet the army's expectations. The Ki-45 did not enter service, but the army, insistent on having a working twin engine fighter, ordered Kawasaki to continue development. Kawasaki responded by replacing the engines with the proven Nakajima Ha-25.

The Ki-45 was initially used as a long range bomber escort. It was subsequently deployed in several theatres in the roles of interception, attack (anti ground as well as anti shipping) and fleet defence. Its greatest strength turned out to be as an anti bomber interceptor, as was the case with the Bf 110 in Europe. In New Guinea, the IJAAF used the aircraft in an anti ship role, where the Ki-45 was heavily armed with one 37 mm (1.46 in) and two 20 mm cannons and could carry two 250 kg (550 lb) bombs on hard points under the wings. Soon after entering service, the Ki-45 was assigned to home defence, and several were dispatched against the Doolittle raid, though they did not see action. The craft's heavy armament proved to be effective against the B-29 Superfortress raids which started in June 1944. Eventually the end aircraft were used effectively in aerial ramming attacks. They were also used in kamikaze attacks, such as the attack on USS Dickerson on 2 April 1945 off Okinawa. In 1945, forward and upward-firing guns showed some results with the commencement of night time bombing raids, but the lack of radar was a considerable handicap. By the spring of 1945, the advent of American carrier based fighters and Iwo Jima-based P-51s and P-47s escorting B-29s over the skies of Japan brought the Ki-45's career to an end. 1,675 Ki-45s of all versions were produced during the war.

Overall height about 93mm, overall width about 443mm, total length about 344mm

Two colour moulded (grey, clear) Injection plastic kit

Number of parts -560

Decals and painting masks included

Paint and glue not included