jeaton01
Well-known member
This is Jiro Horikoshi's first design, the first prototype for the A5M Claude, as it turned out. A second prototype was built without the gull wing , and that wing made its way to the Claude. What a shame, the gull wing is so graceful. I've really enjoyed these newer Fine Molds kits, and I have another A5M on the way from Japan. It's the A5M2b version which had the closed canopy, a feature the pilots rejected out of hand and the A5M2b was usually flown without the sliding and aft sections. I have the Classic Airframes A5M4 and A5M4-K also, but I have a feeling those two are going to be a bit of a letdown after the Fine Molds kits.
The box art:
Eduard seatbelts, Gunze Mr Color 126 Mitsubishi interior green.
The kit gives you a flat faced instrument panel part for the decal, but I put it on the second part that had relief. The decal settled well just with MicroSol. I used Mr Color interior blue green for the magazine, much better than the acrylic I used on the A5M4. Take a good look at the pressure bottles, you'll never see them once the fuselage is assembled.
Superb fit.
This picture was taken with the camera's HDR mode, high dynamic range, where it takes two different exposures and brightens dark areas and darkens light areas. Not a large cockpit opening.
The main wheels were grooved to allow installation after final painting, same as the wheels were molded in the A5M4 kit. All the engine parts were painted on the sprue. The ignition wires were painted rust before the engine was assembled. Touch up will be needed on the cowl after assembly. Masks were made for the windscreen with the Cameo vinyl cutter.
Almost a shame to put the cowl on.
The markings were all painted, including the propeller stripes. Still have to do a matt clear coat, paint on the position lights, add the pitot tube that looks like a stork is on the wing, and install the main wheels.
No unit markings, this one was a prototype only. Tamiya XF-14 is the overall color, X-7 Red for the Tail, X-1 Black for the wing tips, and Mr Color Cowling Color for the cowl.
Ka-14, A5M4. A6M2b.
The box art:
Eduard seatbelts, Gunze Mr Color 126 Mitsubishi interior green.
The kit gives you a flat faced instrument panel part for the decal, but I put it on the second part that had relief. The decal settled well just with MicroSol. I used Mr Color interior blue green for the magazine, much better than the acrylic I used on the A5M4. Take a good look at the pressure bottles, you'll never see them once the fuselage is assembled.
Superb fit.
This picture was taken with the camera's HDR mode, high dynamic range, where it takes two different exposures and brightens dark areas and darkens light areas. Not a large cockpit opening.
The main wheels were grooved to allow installation after final painting, same as the wheels were molded in the A5M4 kit. All the engine parts were painted on the sprue. The ignition wires were painted rust before the engine was assembled. Touch up will be needed on the cowl after assembly. Masks were made for the windscreen with the Cameo vinyl cutter.
Almost a shame to put the cowl on.
The markings were all painted, including the propeller stripes. Still have to do a matt clear coat, paint on the position lights, add the pitot tube that looks like a stork is on the wing, and install the main wheels.
No unit markings, this one was a prototype only. Tamiya XF-14 is the overall color, X-7 Red for the Tail, X-1 Black for the wing tips, and Mr Color Cowling Color for the cowl.
Ka-14, A5M4. A6M2b.
