Frame E - engine & cowling parts for B5N2
Frame G - engine & cowling parts for B5N1
The engine parts have finely moulded detail on both sides with exhaust rings and outlets complete and designed to exit the cowling parts in realistic manner. The outlets are solid but could be drilled out. The engine cylinders are especially well done with correctly configured cooling fins. There are optional parts for closed and open flaps on both cowlings.
Frame C with wing fold inserts and optional torpedo tail fins
Frame D contains part of the ordnance and interior gubbins
An impressive selection of ordnance is provided, including optional tail fins for the torpedo and those wing fold inserts look good. However, although the two staggered racks for the Type 98 twin bomb load are included, due to an oversight by the toolmaker there is only one bomb! The three crewmen look suspiciously like refugees from an RAF Defiant (!) but it is good to see them included nevertheless!
All in all this promises to be the aircraft kit of 2015 for 1/72nd scale Japanese aircraft enthusiasts and I do hope that the kit sells well enough to encourage Airfix to re-tool their D3A1 to complete an all new Pearl Harbor Trio. An Aviation of Japan pdf on Kate colours is planned to be available on request by the time the kit appears.
Update: Please note that the B5N1 is scheduled to be released as a separate kit in 2016.
With thanks to Simon Owen of Hornby for sending the preview frames.
Image credits: © 2015 Hornby Hobbies
7 comments:
looks like Airfix has done a good job with this one !
During the whole weekend I was refreshing the blogs main page to see that post! Finally after a busy monday I see what I was hoping for. Great news for all of us! Need at least 3 of those. Well done Airfix! This will be my first Airfix model btw:)
Thank you Nicholas for sharing this!
Thank you so much for posting this Nick. Does anyone want some pristine Hasegawa Kates?? :)
Warren
Tantalizing photos! Any word on a release date for the full kit??
Scoobs,
if you click on the link to the Airfix page - B5N 'Kate' highlighted in blue in the first para of the blog above - you will see an expected date. It's 14 Aug this year - so a while to go yet!
Regards
Nick
Need two of these. Thanks for the preview!
A lovely surprise from Airfix. -Peter Lloyd
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