Clear Prop 1/144 Sonia

Continuing the Sonia theme Aviation of Japan's Texas correspondent Mark Smith penned this in box review of the Clear Prop 1/144 scale Mitsubishi Sonia in CP144001 Starter Kit release from 2019 which included two kits in the box. The kit was subsequently released in 2021 as CP144003 Ki-51 Sonia in Foreign Service again with two kits in the box and in 2022 in single form as Ki-51 Sonia Reconnaissance CP144002. All three kits appear to be still available direct from Clear Prop and retail at €16 each. Over to Mark then:-

On the Sprues Review 

'This model was released a short time before the pandemic hit its stride, and it might have slipped under the radar for some as understandably it didn’t garner as much attention as the company’s 1/72 Sonia which was released alongside.  If you favor 1/144 scale, however, it’s not to be missed.  

A relative newcomer from Ukraine, Clear Prop! has wasted little time, and already released various kits in 1/144 1/72 and 1/48 scales which set a very high bar.  This release has two complete kits in the box, with nice decals for eight choices of markings, superb cockpit and engine detail, petitely scribed panel lines, and an excellent canopy.  Also on the clear sprue are the leading-edge landing lights and – strangely – the majority of the wing’s bottom surface.  This allows one to mask off the camera bay window for an integral appearance. However this seems more trouble than it’s worth as the join is not along panel lines, cutting across them instead.  All control surfaces are molded integrally rather than separately, which seems best suited to this scale.  The cowl is molded as part of the fuselage halves as well; the one-piece engine is trapped between the halves.  It’s the best radial engine I’ve seen in this tiny scale.  The three distinct types of propeller hub used by the Ki-51 are all represented here as well.   

For modelers who enjoy the relaxation of brush painting, this would be an enjoyable project, with some of the color schemes employing a very tight mottle, where hard edges would not look out of place.  The cockpit allows much scope for as careful treatment as desired, yet shouldn’t be too fiddly, with all the sidewall detail molded integrally with the fuselage halves, a well detailed one-piece cockpit floor, and ten remaining pieces to finish it off.  Since the big greenhouse is the central focus and the cabin was quite spacious for a Japanese design, it will look great straight from the box; and while it’s all under a one-piece canopy, that piece is quite clear and delicately framed.  Those with the venerable Maru Mechanic # 35 (from 1982) on Sonia will notice how accurately it’s all rendered, and that book’s color cockpit paintings will serve nicely.  It’s all topped off with decals for the instrument panel and radio gear.  The only thing missing here are the masks that ease the pain of the canopy frames   

The only previous kit in 1/144 of this lovely airplane came from F-Toys in several pre-painted boxings.  It was one of their best efforts and quite accurate, but being already painted and made to snap together, it had the drawback of visible seams and the heavily ‘tabbed’ canopy that mars most F-Toys kits.  Clear Prop! offers a conventional build without those hurdles  Aside from the bizarre molding of the lower wing in clear plastic, it looks like a trouble-free build.  And if you’ve never tried the scale, this one might have allure.  Beautiful airplane, beautiful kit.  Recommended.'    

Mark Smith

Subject Options        

The CP144001 kit includes four main decal options as follows:-

• Hiko Dai 27 Sentai, Burma 1942
• Hiko Dai 6 Sentai, South China 1942
• Hiko Dai 28 Sentai, Manchuria 1940-1941
• Hokota Flying School, Ibaraki, Japan 1942 (captioned as 'Ibaraki Flying School)

The first subject sports the unusual 'fried egg' mottle over grey green, the second a conventional blotched mottle in dark green over grey green and the latter two in overall grey green. In addition the decal sheet includes four 'bonus' insignia for other Sonia units - 206DH/52 DHC, 48 DHC, 45 DHC and Central District Army (Chubu Gun)/43 DHC. All the subjects are colourful and well chosen to represent Sonia's service so the choosing might be the more difficult part! 

The Foreign Service kit CP144003 includes six decal options as follows:-

• (Nationalist) Republic of China Air Force, Shandong 1946 in dark green mottle over grey green
• (Nationalist) Republic of China Air Force, China 1946 in solid dark green over grey green
• (Communist) Red Army of China Air Force (incorrectly captioned as PLAAF which came later), 1946 in solid dark green or green blotch mottle over grey green
• Manchukuo Air Force, Manchuria 1945
• French Armée de l'air SAL-99 (Section Aérienne de Liaison), Indo-China early 1946 in green blotch mottle over grey green
• French Armée de l'air  SAL-99 Indo-China 1946-1949 in overall aluminium or bare metal

Again well chosen subjects covering a diversity of foreign use. The Foreign Service kit contains provision for the aircraft to be modelled with the wheel spats removed, a nice touch.

The Reconnaissance kit CP144002 offers only four decal options as follows:-

• Hiko Dai 44 Sentai, China 1942 in overall grey green
• 64th Shinbutai, Kyushu 1945 in dark green blotch mottle over grey green
• 6th Sekichotai, Philippines, 1945 in solid olive green over grey green
• 83 DHC, Borneo, 1945 in solid olive green over grey green

The second and third subject are both aircraft from special attack units. 64th Shinbu-tai was commonly named as Kokka (国華) tai whilst 6th Hakkou-tai was commonly named as 6th Sekichou (石腸) tai. With special thanks to Keishiro Nagao of Lifelike Decals for confirming and clarifying this.  64th Shinbu-tai was organised at the Hokota Training Air Division in March 1945, trained at Haranomachi air base and afterwards moved to Taisho and Metabaru air bases. On 11 June nine Sonias sortied under Capt Shibuya to attack USN vessels west of Okinawa. 6th Hakkou-tai was organised on 6 November 1944 at the Shimoshizu Training Air Division for operations in the Philippines under the command of Capt Takaishi, a flying instructor, with 18 members of the 3rd Training Flying Unit. They moved to the Philippines on 16 November 1944 where they were officially designated Sekichou-tai. On 5 December seven Sonias led by Capt Takaishi sortied to attack USN vessels in the Surigao Straits. By 8 January 1945 17 Sonias and their crews had been killed in the attacks.

Check the links above to view kit contents and to order direct. Yet more 'on Sonia' to follow.

Image credit:  © 2019  Clear Prop Models