Ki-27 Nate (oz16235)

About this Plan

Ki-27 Nate. Radio control scale model WWII fighter. Wingspan 30 in, for electric power.

Note this plan is a free download available from the Model Aviation site at https://www.modelaviation.com/fighter-faceoff-park3 where it appears along with the full build text and some great build pics. Also free downloads of printed tissue files to complete the model.

Quote: "Several years ago, Paul Kohlmann and I discussed working together on a joint project - designing and building two aircraft that had fought each other in combat but were perhaps not often modeled. The aircraft chosen were the Polikarpov I-16 Rata (oz11094), mine, and the Curtis P-36 Hawk (oz11096), Paul's. These models were featured in the October 2018 issue of Model Aviation and the articles were jointly titled, 'Fighter Face-Off.' We had such a great time during the process that we wanted to do it again.

Several years passed and other projects were built before we decided that it was time to do another collaboration. I had recently returned to building several smaller projects and convinced Paul to do the same. He mentioned that he’d like to do a Brewster Buffalo in the British or American colors and asked if I could find an opponent. Wanting to keep with the idea of doing a lesser-modeled aircraft, I passed on the Zero but was able to find the Ki-27 Nate.

We chose to do them as park flyers, keeping the wingspan to 30 inches with a power setup of 18- to 24-gram motors. With the aircraft and size determined, I set about learning more about the Nate.

The Ki-27 was designed by the Nakajima Aircraft Company, first flying in 1936 and entering into service a year later. The aircraft featured a radial engine with two 7.7mm machine guns that fired through the propeller using interrupter gear. Although not as fast as some of its contemporaries, the Nate (as the Americans dubbed it) was extremely agile. The Nate first saw combat against the USSR in 1938, where it initially gained air superiority over the I-15 biplane and early versions of the I-16. The Nate’s maneuverability and better-trained Japanese pilots held their own until more advanced and up-gunned I-16s came onto the scene.

The Ki-27 was the frontline fighter up to and during the beginning of World War II, where it faced off against the Buffalo with mixed results. As better Allied aircraft came into service, the Nate was replaced by the Ki-43 Oscar; however, some were used at the end of the war as both fighters and Kamikaze aircraft, and losses were significant.

The model’s construction is similar to a large Free Flight model. In fact, with some slight modifications, it could be built as a rubber-powered model (the RC airframe weighs roughly 68 grams). The prototype flies with an 18-gram brushless motor on a 2S 450 mAh LiPo battery pack spinning a 7-inch propeller. Four 4.3-gram servos, a 7- to 10-amp ESC, and a lightweight receiver are used for the controls.

Construction is primarily 1/16- and 1/8-inch balsa, with 1/16-inch plywood for the firewall and gear pants/spats. The parts are included on the third plans sheet if modelers want to cut their own or modify them for FF. Laser-cut parts are also available from Manzano Laser Works.

The only formed plastic component is the cowling. This 3.5-inch cowling, part CW 3.5A, is from Park Flyer Plastics. The canopy is built from cardstock and plastic sheet from templates on the plans.

When the parts have been cut or purchased, start with the tail sections first. These are built from 1/8-inch balsa sheet/stringers and are built directly over the plans. The vertical stabilizer and rudder are built separately, as are the horizontal stabilizer and elevators. The elevators are connected using a U-bend piece of 1/32 piano wire.

The fuselage is built in left and right halves over a keel. The keel parts and F-1 are from 1/8-inch balsa and the remaining formers are 1/16-inch balsa. Use a small triangle for alignment and glue all of the lefthand formers in place. The 1/16-inch square stringers can be cut from medium/hard balsa. Two sheets from Guillow’s were used on the prototype. According to the plans, add the short stringer that is the top guide for the horizontal stabilizer first, then add all of the remaining ones except for the top. The stringers might need to be 'cracked' at F-2 to allow for the angle to meet up with F-1. Next, add the wing saddle part made from 1/16-inch balsa. The rear needs to curve to attach to F-5. Wet it if needed for it to properly form.

Remove the fuselage half from the board, make the battery mounting-plate assembly (BMP), and slide it into place. Add the right fuselage half and stringers, except for the bottom cowling area, to allow the mounting of the receiver and ESC. Add this section later. Cut the 1/16 × 1/4-inch balsa hatch rails, gluing the bottom one in place according to the plans. Pin F-2A in place and use tape to keep this former and the top hatch rail from being glued to the rest of the fuselage. Add the top hatch rail and top stringers and glue. Remove the tape and sand/blend both hatch rails to the rest of the fuselage. Add the 1/8-inch diameter magnets to F-2 and F-2A, ensuring that the polarity is correct..."

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