Subject: Re: HLJ - Special Hobby,,1/32 A5M2b Claude 'Over China"
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Dave Johnson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:08:06 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again 
for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Johnson" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2010 1:25 PM
Subject: HLJ - Special Hobby,,1/32 A5M2b Claude 'Over China"

> Special Hobby
>
> 1/32 A5M2b Claude 'Over China"
>
> Product #8185 (http://www.hlj.com/product/SPH32034) from HobbyLink Japan
> (http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist.cgi?rel=nav&GenreCode=Air
> <http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist.cgi?rel=nav&GenreCode=Air>)
>
> Product Article by Dave Johnson on  August 2010
>
>    In 1934, the Imperial Japanese Navy prepared a specification for an
>    advanced fighter, requiring a maximum speed of 350 km/h (220 mph) at
>    3,000 m (9,840 ft) and able to climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 6.5
>    minutes. This specification produced designs from both Mitsubishi
>    and Nakajima. Mitsubishi was assigned the task of designing the new
>    fighter to a team lead by Jiro Horikoshi, who would be later
>    responsible for the famous A6M Zero. The resulting design from
>    Mitsubishi was designated as the Ka-14, was an all-metal low-wing
>    fighter, with a thin elliptical inverted Gull wing that featured a
>    fixed undercarriage. The aircraft far exceeded the requirements of
>    the specification, with a maximum speed of 450 km/h (279 mph) being
>    reached. The second prototype was fitted with a revised, ungulled
>    wing, and after various changes to maximize maneuverability and
>    reduce drag, it was ordered into production as the A5M series. The
>    aircraft entered service in early 1937, and soon seeing action in
>    pitched aerial battles at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War,
>    including air-to-air battles with the Chinese Air Force's Boeing
>    P-26C Model 281 "Peashooters" in what was the world's first-ever
>    aerial dogfighting and kills between monoplane fighters built of
>    mostly metal. The A5M series proved themselves the better of every
>    aircraft they encountered, though the Mitsubishi team continued to
>    improve the A5M, working through versions until the final A5M4,
>    which added a ventral drop-tank for extended range. The Flying
>    Tigers encountered the Type 96, although not officially, and one was
>    shot down at Mingaldon airfield, Burma on 29 January 1942. Some A5Ms
>    were still in service at the beginning of World War II in the
>    Pacific. United States intelligence sources believed the A5M was
>    still the primary Navy fighter, but they had already been replaced
>    by the A6M Zero on first-line aircraft carriers and with the Tainan
>    Air Group. Other Japanese carriers and air groups continued to use
>    the A5M until production of the 'Zero' caught up with demand. The
>    last combat actions with the A5M as a fighter took place at the
>    Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942, when two A5Ms and four A6Ms
>    of the Japanese carrier  Shoho fought against the US planes that
>    sunk their carrier. Most remaining airframes were used for kamikaze
>    attacks in the closing months of the war.
>
>    When I heard Special Hobby announced that they were going to be
>    releasing, I was looking forward to seeing the kit in the flesh.
>    Once the box arrived from HobbyLink Japan, it was the first thing I
>    dived into the box for. Once opening the conventional style of box
>    top for this limited run kit, you have 5 sprues of medium gray
>    plastic which contains 67 parts and 1 clear sprue that hold 3 parts
>    in the box. Also included is a Photo Etch fret that contains 35
>    parts. The thing that surprised me was the size of the kit, I though
>    that the A5M2b Claude was a bit smaller but in fact is has a
>    impressive wing span. The instruction sheet is printed on 3 sheets
>    of A4 paper and clear and easy to follow steps during the build
>    process.
>
>    Some times I have found in the past with limited run kits that the
>    detail can be lacking in some areas. But Special Hobby has produced
>    a nice looking product. The exterior panel lines are molded
>    beautifully with crisp lines that you would expect from a Hasegawa
>    or Tamiya kit. The fabric control surfaces feature have also a nice
>    touch to them and are not overdone. I have notice on this sample
>    that I have received that there is a funny bump/excuss plastic on
>    the starboard of the wing. It appears that it could be a repair in
>    the tooling, this it not a huge problem just a light sand will fix
>    the problem. Also with my past experience with limited run kits
>    there is always a small amount of flash on the parts, well I am glad
>    to say that there is hardly, if not any present at all. Also
>    included is a nice example of the 477kW (640hp) Kotobuiki 3
>    Engine that powers the A5M2b Claude that requires 5 parts to build
>    it up. You will have to supply some .3mm diameter rod or stretched
>    sprue to create the pushrods for the engine. Unfortunately there is
>    no ignition wires supplied in the Photo Etch sheet. Again some fine
>    wire can do the trick for the ignition wiring or you could wait and
>    get the Photo Etch set that Eduard is planning to release shortly,
>    which they gave a sneek peek on their Facebook page the other week,
>    which surely would include the ignition wiring harness. The cockpit
>    detail is has been nicely done, but is a little bit to soft for this
>    scale. Most of the kits components are for the cockpit area.
>
>    The kit decals provide colourful two schemes for the A5M2b that have
>    red tails, the two options are -
>
>    A5M2b, Kyosaku Aoki, 12th Kotutai, Hankow, China, October 1938.
>
>    A5M2b, Pilot unknown, 14th Kotutai, captured by the Chinese, 1940.
>
>    The decal sheet has been superbly printed by Aviprint and designed
>    by Rising Decals in the Czech Republic. The sheet is printed in good
>    colour saturation and excellent register and minimum carrier film.
>    But I have spotted one small error on one of the decals, The call
>    out number is printed within one of the Japanese characters decals
>    that features on the wings (see photo).Again its not a huge error to
>    correct.
>
>    Special Hobby has produced another fine quality semi-short run kit
>    that should build into a very fine model of the A5M2b Claude. This
>    kit would be a great addition to anyone who is interested in early
>    or Japanese aviation. It wouldn't be recommended to a beginner, as
>    the kit has hardly any locating pins/tabs.
>
>    I would like to thank HobbyLink Japan (www.hlj.com
>    <http://www.hlj.com>) for providing this review sample.
>
>
>