Japanese Army Air Force Ki-84 'Frank' Relic Display

The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate - Allied reporting name 'Frank' - was Japan's best fighter of World War II. It entered service with the Army Air Force late in 1944, first seeing action against Allied forces invading Leyte, Philippines. Over 3000 Hayate's were built before the end of the war, but only one survives, today, and is privately owned in Japan. No Ki-84 wrecks are known to exist, on land or underwater, due to the fact that they entered service late in the war and were rarely deployed far outside of Japan or Korea.  

These pieces of Ki-84 control surface linen were obtained in the Philippines, late in 1944, by P.F.C. William Miller (19168047), who had served with the 49th Fighter Squadron (5th Air Force) since 1943.  

The exterior of the fabric retains 100% of its original, and interesting, olive-green upper surface camouflage. The reverse of the material possesses a patchy overspray of what appears to be Aotake interior protective coating.

The artwork included with this display was painted by Ron Cole in 2010 and depicts a Ki-84 acting as escort for several Ki-79 Special Attack aircraft, very late in the war. The composition was inspired by Ron Cole's friend and former 'Kamikaze' pilot, Mitsuharu Nagase, who had described night special attack missions against Okinawa from where he had been based in lower Kyushu.  

Each display is 13x19-inches, and signed & numbered by the artist