1:72 Arado Ar-234B

The real subject

The Arado Ar 234B is a German twin-engine jet aircraft of the end of the Second World War and the first machine of its kind to reach regular combat service. It served mainly for fast reconnaissance and for bombing raids, on which it relied on its speed. While the prototypes took off from a jettisonable trolley and landed on extendable skids, the B production version was already given conventional retractable landing gear. The pilot sits alone in a glazed nose with a view in every direction, so the fittings of the cockpit are visible on a finished model.

What the set contains

Photo-etched metal parts for the Ar 234B model in 1:72 scale. The elements are etched from thin sheet metal and stay on a carrier fret until they are cut out. The small thickness that photo-etch achieves cannot be imitated with plastic parts, so small flat elements look more faithful in a small scale. The extent of the set, the placement of the individual parts and the kit the set is cut for are given in the instructions of the manufacturer.

Building and painting tips

Separate the parts with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not with side cutters, otherwise the edge bends. Make bends over a straight edge, ideally with a metal rule or a bending tool, and finish them in one movement; repeated bending tires the metal. They are glued with a tiny amount of cyanoacrylate glue, transferred on the tip of a piece of wire. Degrease the surfaces before painting and lay down a thin primer, otherwise the paint will not hold on smooth metal.

• 1:72 scale, the real subject is the Arado Ar 234B
• photo-etched metal parts to round out a plastic model
• a small part thickness that a plastic kit part cannot imitate
• glued with cyanoacrylate glue; degreasing before painting is essential
• the extent of the set and the kit it is meant for are given in the instructions of the manufacturer

Terms of supply

The kit, the paints and the glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.