Mitsubishi A5M2 Claude “Advanced Kit”

Clear Prop, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by John Miller

The Mitsubishi A5M; Japanese Navy designation Mitsubishi Navy Type 96 Carrier-based Fighter (experimental Navy designation Mitsubishi Navy Experimental 9-Shi Carrier Fighter, company designation Mitsubishi Ka-14) was a Japanese carrier-based fighter aircraft and the world's first monoplane shipboard fighter to enter service.

It is the direct predecessor of the famous Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" and it’s Allied reporting name was Claude.

Edited from Wikipedia

Upon removing the art-adorned lid, a robust cardboard box, complete with an additional tabbed lid, is found underneath—very nice. Having to stack the kits in my stash for space, I greatly appreciate these heavy-duty cardboard boxes and wish more manufacturers would use them (hint, hint).

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Thumbnail panels:

The initial impression is strongly positive. The inscribing and surface details are going to look fantastic under paint and washes and detail abounds in both the cockpit and engine.

Parts layout and engineering are conventional so per the norm, assembly begins with the cockpit.

There’s an abundance of detail provided for the pilot's office that will be easily appreciated given the Claude is an open-cockpit airplane. In addition to the nicely molded fuselage side panels and floorboard, extensive use is made of PE in the form of various levers, seat supports, and harness. For the main instrument panel the builder is given the option of using a nicely molded, styrene panel or a combination of PE with clear acetate instrument faces.

Once the cockpit is captured between the fuselage halves the builder is directed to assemble the nicely molded, multi-part Nakajima radial and then on to the wing.

The full-span lower wing with upper left and right halves are beautifully molded with the same level of inscribed surface detailing as seen on the fuselage. The single-piece ailerons are poseable. The single piece horizontal stabilizer-elevator assembly is added next along with the single-piece non-poseable rudder. 

Next in sequence are the main gear comprised of halved wheel/tires (oh well). The wheel pants are nicely molded with appropriate detail. An un-spatted option is not offered.

The windscreen is crystal clear and crisply molded.

Vinyl masks for the windscreen panels are included.

Markings

The decals, by Decograph, are crisply printed with good registration and color density.

Airframe stencil data and markings for 4 airframes are provided as follows:

• IJN Type 96, Carrier-based Fighter II, 12 Kokutai, China, 1938.

• IJN Type 96, Carrier-based Fighter II, 14 Kokutai, Korean Peninsula, 1938.

• IJN Type 96, Carrier-based Fighter II, 14 Kokutai, China, 1938.

• IJN Type 96, Carrier-based Fighter II, 12 Kokutai, Pilot; P01c Kyosaku Aoki, China, 1938.

What a nice kit! The layout is conventional, the parts count is pretty low, and the inscribed surface details are beautifully done. Add to that a very nice PE fret, masks, quality decals, and the option to do one of four very colorful schemes and you have a lot of fun modeling in one box. Well done, Clear Prop!

Highly Recommended!

Now I gotta go paint something!
  
John                                                                                      

For more on this review visit Modelpaintsolutions.com
https://modelpaintsol.com/reviews/clear-prop-72-mitsubishi-a5m2b-claude-72009

Review kit provided by my retirement fund, again.

Text and Images Copyright © 2020 by John Miller
Page Created 22 October, 2020
Last updated 22 October, 2020

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