This is the Ki-43-I Hayabusa of Cpl Satoshi Anabuki, 3 Chutai / 50 Sentai, Burma January 1943. Fujimi kit, Aeromaster decals. Anabuki was the leading JAAF ace of the Pacific War, being credited with 39 victories. The aircraft is named Fubuki, meaning snowstorm. Kill markings painted on this aircraft represent victories scored by Anabuki and another pilot, Shigeru Nakazaki.
Anabuki was 19 years old at the start of the Pacific War. He claimed his first victory, a P-40 over Lingayen in the Philippines on 21DEC41 flying the Ki-27 “Nate”. He claimed two more P-40s before the 50th Sentai was rotated home to Japan and re-equipped with the Ki-43. The 50th Sentai then deployed to Burma, where Anabuki continued to score steadily. On 24DEC42 he was credited with three RAF Hurricanes which were attacking his airfield. The next month he shot down a B-24, considered to be quite a feat in the lightly-armed Hayabusa.
On 08OCT43 he engaged an American formation single-handedly, and was recognized for destroying two B-24 Liberators and two P-38 Lightnings before deliberately ramming a third B-24. He survived the impact and was able to return to his unit three days later. He was promoted to Sergeant Major and returned to Japan as an instructor at the Akeno Army Flying school. Although officially prohibited from combat flying, he added six additional victories while flying the Ki-84 Hayate. Satoshi Anabuki survived the war and eventually flew helicopters with the Japanese Self Defense Force.
Inch High Guy 