In Box Review of Classic Airframes 1/48th Scale
Japanese Mitsubishi A5M4K “Claude” Trainer
Kit no. 438
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2000
Available at 1001 Hobbies for $56.99 or at 3 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $17.99 for my kit years ago.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright 2000
Available at 1001 Hobbies for $56.99 or at 3 locations overseas on the web.
I paid $17.99 for my kit years ago.
HISTORY:
The Mitsubishi Type 96 Carrier Fighter A5M was the first monoplane accepted by the J.N.A.F. It was designed by Jiro Horikoshi, who later developed the immortal A6M Type O, otherwise known throughout the world as the “Zero”.
The earlier version of the A5M went into action of the skies of war-torn China, in September of 1937, in the Shangai region, where they quickly gained air superiority over the motley collection of aircraft flown by the Chinese Air Force. Many of the future Japanese Navy aces of WWII sharpened their skills at this time. The best known pilot was Saburo Sakai.
The A5M4 entered production in 1938 and was the J.N.A.F. standard fighter when WWII began, just starting to be phased out y the Zero Sen. By the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it had been relegated to second line units. The two-seat trainer version, or A4M4-K was developed, to aid the training of new fighter pilots and this version, together with the surviving earlier models, continued to serve in flying schools for several years.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Powerplant: 710 hp. Nakajima Kotobuki 41 9-cylinder radial engine
Armament: None
Wing Span: 36’ 1”
Length: 24’ 9.5”
Maximum speed: 273 mph at 9,840 feet
The Mitsubishi Type 96 Carrier Fighter A5M was the first monoplane accepted by the J.N.A.F. It was designed by Jiro Horikoshi, who later developed the immortal A6M Type O, otherwise known throughout the world as the “Zero”.
The earlier version of the A5M went into action of the skies of war-torn China, in September of 1937, in the Shangai region, where they quickly gained air superiority over the motley collection of aircraft flown by the Chinese Air Force. Many of the future Japanese Navy aces of WWII sharpened their skills at this time. The best known pilot was Saburo Sakai.
The A5M4 entered production in 1938 and was the J.N.A.F. standard fighter when WWII began, just starting to be phased out y the Zero Sen. By the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, it had been relegated to second line units. The two-seat trainer version, or A4M4-K was developed, to aid the training of new fighter pilots and this version, together with the surviving earlier models, continued to serve in flying schools for several years.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Powerplant: 710 hp. Nakajima Kotobuki 41 9-cylinder radial engine
Armament: None
Wing Span: 36’ 1”
Length: 24’ 9.5”
Maximum speed: 273 mph at 9,840 feet
THE KIT:
Classic Airframes, a division of Bringuter Aviation Products is based in Chicago, IL, USA. The kit is made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the Claude flying above the clouds.
It is overall bright orange, with a black cowling and anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It has the Japanese roundels in the normal 6 positions and 2 black Japanese letters, followed by 409 on the sides of its rudder.
One side panel of the box begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the Claude and a WARNING: Contains small parts not suitable for small children. Made in Czechoslovakia, packaged in the USA.
Classic Airframes, a division of Bringuter Aviation Products is based in Chicago, IL, USA. The kit is made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
The kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color illustration of the Claude flying above the clouds.
It is overall bright orange, with a black cowling and anti-glare panel in front of the windshield. It has the Japanese roundels in the normal 6 positions and 2 black Japanese letters, followed by 409 on the sides of its rudder.
One side panel of the box begins with a small color repeat of the box art, followed by the history of the Claude and a WARNING: Contains small parts not suitable for small children. Made in Czechoslovakia, packaged in the USA.
The other side panel also begins with a small color repeat of the box and followed by details of the kit: Contains finely detailed plastic parts. Complete cockpits interiors in polyurethane. Markings for two aircraft. Complete assembly and decoration instructions in color.
At the bottom is a repeat of the warnings.
Classic Airframes a Division of Bringuter Aviation Products P.O. Box address in Chicago, Il is provided. Kit made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
At the bottom is a repeat of the warnings.
Classic Airframes a Division of Bringuter Aviation Products P.O. Box address in Chicago, Il is provided. Kit made in Czechoslovakia and packaged in the USA.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 2 light-grey plastic parts trees, tan resin parts, vacuformed canopies and 2 decal sheets in 2 clear sealed cello bags. There are 2 instruction sheets.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out inti 6 pages in 5 ½” x 8 ½” page format
Page 1 begins with a line drawing side view of the Claude, over its history and assembly instructions. Bottom of page is a repeat Classic Airframe’s P.O. Box address in Chicago, IL
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanation and a paint color listing, over the parts trees and resin parts illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 6 assembly steps.
Page 6 shows a 4-view line drawing of the Claude that shows no markings.
The second set of instructions is the same, folded in the center to create 2 pages that are marking and painting guides printed in color on slick-coated paper.
The first 4-view is over the box art scheme. Already described above. It further shows that the 2 black Japanese letters are under the right wing and the black no. 409 is under the left wing. No unit is mentioned.
The kit holds 2 light-grey plastic parts trees, tan resin parts, vacuformed canopies and 2 decal sheets in 2 clear sealed cello bags. There are 2 instruction sheets.
The main instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out inti 6 pages in 5 ½” x 8 ½” page format
Page 1 begins with a line drawing side view of the Claude, over its history and assembly instructions. Bottom of page is a repeat Classic Airframe’s P.O. Box address in Chicago, IL
Page 2 begins with international assembly symbol explanation and a paint color listing, over the parts trees and resin parts illustrations.
Page 3 through to page 5 gives a grand total of 6 assembly steps.
Page 6 shows a 4-view line drawing of the Claude that shows no markings.
The second set of instructions is the same, folded in the center to create 2 pages that are marking and painting guides printed in color on slick-coated paper.
The first 4-view is over the box art scheme. Already described above. It further shows that the 2 black Japanese letters are under the right wing and the black no. 409 is under the left wing. No unit is mentioned.
The second 4-view is dark green, above an all- orange undercarriage, with a black cowling. It carries the Japanese roundels in the usual 6 positions. There is a white Japanese letter followed by -106 on the sides of its rudder.
The black letter is repeated under the right wing and the 109 is under the left wing.
It was with the Katsumiguara Kokutai, Omura.
The black letter is repeated under the right wing and the 109 is under the left wing.
It was with the Katsumiguara Kokutai, Omura.
The plastic trees are alphabetized. The resin parts and the vacuformed canopy are just numbered in the parts illustrations.
Light-grey letter A tree holds: the fuselage, cowling, rudder, elevators, fuel tank, floor, individual propeller blades etc. (18 parts)
Light-grey letter B tree holds: wings, main wheels and wheel spats (9 parts)
There are 2 vacuformed canopies.
There are 2 decal sheets.
One sheet holds the black letters.
One sheet holds the black letters.
The second sheet holds the Japanese roundels and small stencils.
There are no pilot figures included. Detail is lightly engraved on the plastic parts. The resin parts will need some pour lugs removed.
This is a neat Japanese trainer aircraft.
This is a neat Japanese trainer aircraft.
Highly recommended.