UPC 1/50 Mitsuishi 1MT Type 10 Torpedo Bomber - Carrier Based Aircraft - (ex Marusan), 5066-100

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UPC 1/50 Mitsuishi 1MT Type 10 Torpedo Bomber - Carrier Based Aircraft - (ex Marusan), 5066-100 plastic model kit

1/50 5066-100 UPC Mitsuishi 1MT Type 10 Torpedo Bomber - Carrier Based Aircraft - (ex Marusan)

Plastic Model Kit,   Box Condition: Good

Large-scale model of the world's only operational carrier-based triplane torpedo bomber. Never started. The parts are still in the internal factory sealed bags and includes decals and instructions. The Mitsubishi 1MT was a Japanese single-seat triplane torpedo bomber built for the new Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service. At that time (about 1920), the Japanese lacked the experience to make such an aircraft from the ground up, so they enlisted the help of former Sopwith designer Herbert Smith. This seemed like a good idea because he had designed two other successful IJN Mitsubishi-built aircraft, the Type 10 Carrier-Based Fighter and Type 10 Carrier-Based Reconnaissance aircraft. The 1MT was created specifically as a torpedo bomber for the Hosho, the first IJN carrier. Mitsubishi finished the first prototype at the Nagoya factory on August 9, 1922; the first flight was made soon after that with Test Pilot Jordan at the controls. It was deemed satisfactory enough to continue the program and in October of the same year more tests were performed at Kasumigaura with the 1st prototype (with a Napier Lion engine of 450 hp)and 2nd prototype (Loren 370 hp engine). These flights were also judged successful, so the 1MT was ordered into production based on the 2nd prototype. Twenty were built and it was the first torpedo bomber to be built in Japan. The production variants were named Navy Type 10 Torpedo Bomber or "Carrier Attacker." The production decision was made without adequate testing as the aircraft soon proved difficult to fly; even worse, it would not operate from Hosho while carrying the intended torpedo. With no other mission available, it was soon withdrawn from service; reportedly all of the aircraft were scrapped. UPC stood for Universal Powermaster Corporation which was based out of New York City, NY. UPC did not cut their own molds, but bought kits already molded from other manufacturers and re-boxed the kits in the USA. Scott Eidon, the famous artist best known for his artwork with Revell, also did UPC box art in the 1960s. All UPC production ended in the 1970s.

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