Hasegawa

1/48 F1M2 "Pete" Early Version

Kit Number: 09874 Built with Eduard Detail Set #49445

Reviewed by  Michael Novosad, IPMS# 36721

MSRP: $ 47.00 Kit Supplied by Dragon Models USA: www.dragonmodelsusa.com See an in-box review of the Eduard 49445 PE. History I used "Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War" by Rene' Francillon as a reference source for this project. This kit represents the F1M2 Type Zero Model 11 early version of this aircraft. This reference included five vintage photos plus one small scale line drawing of this aircraft. Two of the photos show F1M2 in various damaged to destroyed conditions. There are single images of a Pete in the water, in flight and one prototype on the beaching trolley. The specifications for this aircraft were issued in 1934 by the Japanese Navy, and the first prototype flew in 1936. The configuration for this short-range observation aircraft was obsolete, but its exceptional maneuverability led to its use as an interceptor, dive-bomber, convoy escort and coastal patrol duties. Over 1100 of these aircraft were built during the war. The Kit The kit arrived in the sturdy Hasegawa card stock box. The sprues are all individually packaged. A few of the parts had broken free from the sprues and two other parts were broken, but were easily repaired with a touch of solvent while still attached to the sprue. Some of the larger parts were slightly marred, but a light buffing with a fine sanding stick removed all traces of the marring. Instructions- The instructions are typical Hasegawa fold-out, with ten pages provided. The stages of construction are the exploded-view variety, with the parts and recommended paint colors noted. In addition, there are two sheets of instructions for the Eduard photo etch, plus the sheet for the Hasegawa photo etch. The latter sheet is a layout for the PE parts, while the placement instructions are included with the kit instructions. A thoroughly review all the instructions is recommended, as there are several duplicate steps between the Eduard and the Hasegawa PE parts. In most instances I used the Eduard parts over the Hasegawa, as the former were color and included better detail. I must confess that many of the very tiny Eduard parts were not used in this build: there were just too small, and often kit molded detail was to be removed before the PE was applied. Here, in my opinion, the results would not merit the effort. Clear parts- The clear parts are provided on two sprues, with a few surplus parts included. These parts are crisply molded. This sprue is bagged separately. Two parts had broken free. Photo etch- The review kit was furnished with the Eduard set No. 49445. This is the self-adhesive set. I also purchased the Hasegawa enhancement set, as these parts are noted in the kit's instructions and have been recommended by other builders. Decals- There are markings included for four aircraft, two all grey and two green over grey. Construction Fuselage- the first two steps in the build address the cockpit construction, then the two fuselage halves are fitted around the cockpit assembly. The first steps are very busy with all the parts involved, so some time to study the parts and locations is necessary. I first assembled the cockpit interior, checking off each part on the instruction sheet to gage my progress. The cockpit sides were fixed to a scrap piece of foam board with a masking tape ring, sticky side out. This would hold the parts during the painting and detailing process. Some of the Eduard PE parts were fixed in place with Gorilla Super Glue, while others were set aside for installation after the parts had been assembled and painted. There are many parts to keep track of for this step. When a cockpit is a very busy assembly, I have a concern about everything fitting, and then having the completed sub-assembly fit between the cockpit halves. Some care is required when fixing the cockpit sides to the floor, but the fit was flawless. The solvent was applied along the join lines. Once the seams were dry I placed the cockpit on one side of the fuselage and carefully located the other fuselage half in place. Slowly, very slowly everything came together. It fit!! I applied the solvent along the fuselage join lines, which resulted in some minor clean up after the join cured. The engine cowling is made from three parts. I added two machine gun barrels using fine brass tube. The fit of the cowling over the engine is tight, and must be finessed carefully to fit properly. I managed to crack one of the seams on the final fit. I did not repair the crack as it appeared to be rather minor, and hopefully not too noticeable. Main float- This step involves five plastic parts, plus two PE parts. The instructions note the addition of 20 grams of weight to the front of the float. I used a large fishing sinker for the weight. Again, I used the Eduard PE parts for the float side panels. I rolled each PE part under a hobby knife to impart a bit of a concave to the mounting surface. First challenge: When it came time to fix the main float in place I found that the foot of the fuselage pylon was too deep. The foot has two tabs with raised portions that are to lock the float in place. Several attempts to insert the pylon foot in place were met with no success. The tabs would not engage. It just did not fit. I felt the tabs were unnecessary and would not engage, so I cut them off. Still, the foot would not go too far into the mounting hole! With a good deal of cutting, sanding, scraping, cussing, test-fitting, cussing, more cutting, sanding, and scraping I was able to get the foot into the mounting hole. In the end the mounting foot was still a bit higher than I thought was correct, but it would have to do. Wings- the wing halves for the upper and lower wing fit like a glove. No warping was found, and an application of solvent along the seam fixed to the halves together without the need for clamping. There were several small PE panels to add to the wing surfaces. Each panel included a subtle rivet pattern around the perimeter of the panels, so I could not resist the effort to add these details. The pitot tube is molded as part of the right side main strut between the top and lower wing. I knew I was going to break the tip off at some point, and with little effort I did. This was replaced with a short length of brass tube and a fine stainless steel tube. Second challenge: When I went to install the left side wing-to-fuselage diagonal brace (part E 15) I found that it was a bit too long. When dry-fitted to the two mounting openings the brace took on a pronounced bow. I trimmed a very thin slice from the center portion and it fit. The fit on the right side was perfect and no modifications were required. This entire assembly was very solid. Third challenge: The Hasegawa PE set includes what appears to be a V-shaped antenna on both sides of the fuselage, that attaches from the fuselage to the horizontal stabilizers and finally back to a vertical brace between the top and bottom wings. Attachment nubs must be removed from the long, thin antennas, and that proved to be quite challenging. When I went to dry fit the parts I found the in-board legs to be too short, and rather than fiddle with these parts I replaced them with invisible thread. None of my references show these antennas, so that actual purpose is strictly speculation on my part. Wing Floats- like the wings the floats fit together perfectly. The join line crossed though an engraved access panel which would be marred in my effort to eliminate the glued join, but fortunately the Eduard PE set included a replacement panel. This is a great idea. Engine. The engine consists of two plastic parts, one nylon bushing and several small PE enhancements. I could not use the PE ignition wires as they were difficult for me to handle, but rather used fine copper wire after drilling holes in the appropriate locations. Painting and subtle dry-brushing really brings out the details. Weapons- two small bombs are provided, along with individual wing racks. The Hasegawa PE set includes bomb fins to replace the out-of-scale plastic parts. The Eduard PE set had some enhancements for the bomb racks, but I elected not to add these parts as they are very small and the added detail would not have been worth the effort for me. For the life of me I could not use the PE fins and bracing. I managed to ruin one bomb before I acknowledged my shortcoming in this effort. I went to the part box and used a set of bombs from the Hasegawa Rufe kit: these were used without any PE enhancements. Beaching trolley- This went together with no problems other than the removal of some ejector pin marks and molding seams. The rear float stand is a separate piece. The model set firmly in the beaching trolley. Finishing/Painting I decided on a green over grey scheme. I used Rustoleum's Painter's Touch to prime the model and to check for defects in the initial build. Once any defects were corrected I reapplied the primer and after a 24 hour drying time pre-shaded all the panel lines with a 1:1 mix of Tamiya flat black and red-brown. The model was painted with Tamiya paints. XF-12, for the under surfaces, and topsides with XF-11. Hinomarus were masked and airbrushed, while the aircraft number and stencils were the kit decals. I gave the model a wash of burnt umber oil painting heavily thinned with odorless thinner. The propeller blades and spinner were finished with silver Rub-n-Buff. I weathered the surface with dots of oil paint, and used a flat brush semi-dampened with odorless thinner to sweep from front to back for a subtle streaking effect. I used white oil paint in a similar manner to represent dried salt water on the main float. Paint chipping was done with a silver prismatic pencil. The only kit decals used were the tail codes and the fuselage stencil. From past experience I have found Hasegawa decal carrier film to be quite thick and even with the best efforts to be noticeable after a final clear seal. With this kit that problem did not exist. Conclusion What an absolute gem of a kit!! The Hasegawa is a neat kit to build and add to the collection. The lines of this aircraft really have an appeal for me. I found this to be an "intense", only because of the many, busy instruction sheets to work with, plus all the tiny parts. The kit can be built without the Eduard photo etch, but not the Hasegawa PE. But, for the added satisfaction, plus the enhance detail the Eduard PE should be used. Had I purchased the kit on my own I most certainly would have added both the Eduard and Hasegawa PE to the project. I decided not to use many of the very small Eduard PE parts, but that was a personal decision. Other, more accomplished modelers might be up to the challenge of using the tiny parts. This combination of plastic and PE is highly recommended. Note: The use of the Hasegawa PE set is not without its challenges. There are some duplications between the Eduard and Hasegawa set, but the Eduard details were better detailed than the Hasegawa. The wing struts were challenging to use. The kit instructions show the parts to be bent and twisted, which created an impossible installation task for me. Some field modifications were required to make it work. Since four sets of instructions were used in this build each must be studied thoroughly before any assembly is begun. The few "challenges" noted above are actually of minor consequence and modelers should not be put off by the challenges to make the adjustments. This kit is truly worth the effort, and was a most enjoyable build. The finished model has some heft to it, and has a very "solid" feel. I truly enjoyed this build and was reminded how much fun this hobby can really be. Many thanks to IPMS/USA, Dragon Models USA, Hasegawa and Eduard for the opportunity to test my skills on this project.