Special Hobby 1/72 Aichi E16A1 Zuiun "Paul"

SPECIAL HOBBY 1:72 AICHI E16A1 ZUIUN "PAUL"
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Jesús Alcocer (rec.models.scale)

Kit Details

SH 72013.

Aircraft

Aichi started the design of a two-float reconnaissance seaplane to replace the E13A Jake then in service in October 1940. The project was known as AM-22 by the company. In early 1941 the Imperial Navy issued specification 14-shi which required a two seat reconnaissance floatplane which had dive bombing capabilities. The first of the three prototypes built was flown in May 1942, but changes in the design were needed and the modified seaplane was not ready for series production until more than a year later, in August 1943, when it was officially designated Navy Reconnaissance Seaplane Zuiun Model 11.

Production totalled 193 E16A1s and 59 E16A1. Unfortunately for the Japanese navy, by the time the E16A1 entered service in the defence of the Philippines, the Allies had gained air superiority and these aircraft suffered very heavy losses during 1944. The majority which survived were used for Kamikaze operations in the Okinawa area or as trainers.

The Kit:

The Aichi E16A of the Czech manufacturer is a kit which is becoming difficult to find, at least it was so for me. Overall this is an uneven model, with a wonderful resin interior that is not worth the rest of parts moulded in quite common plastic although it shows acceptable details. The kit comes in a single plastic bag including three sprues for plastic parts, the vacformed canopy, the resin parts for the engine and the cockpit interior, and the decal sheet. There are 34 parts in all.

Apart from the fit of wings and fuselage, this kit does not apparently seem to have important difficulties to be built. Needless to say, you do not have to add more details to the interior because it comes with everything ranging from the pilot's seat to the different instruments. In some areas of the wings the model has tiny marks for rivets which will be necessary to open or else they will disappear under the first layer of paint. Although the panel lines are correct in general, some parts will need some sanding (no Japanese finish here). On the other hand, the engine is a little resin gem.

Instructions, versions and decals:

The instructions have a brief historical note in four languages and basically show two painting versions: one for the Japanese Navy Zuiun painted in the usual IJN colours, and another for the Zuiun captured by the U.S. forces at the end of the war with American markings. The Propagteam decals are quite thin and they include different tail codes.

With some improvement in the plastic parts this Zuiun model could become a hard competitor for Hasegawa's version. I think this kit, apart from being easy to build, should be a good initial test for those starting to use resin parts.

Jesús Alcocer
www.j-models.org

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