1:48 Aichi D3A2 "Val" IJN Type 99 engine and carburetor

The radial and the intake in one package

The D3A2 version of the dive bomber was powered by a Mitsubishi Kinsei fourteen-cylinder engine arranged in two radial rows, of about 1300 horsepower. Compared with the earlier version it was a noticeable gain in power. A characteristic feature of the nose was the carburetor intake box standing out on top, shaped as a long hump running into the engine cowling.

How much the set covers

This is the more comprehensive of the brand's two engine offers. Besides the powerplant itself it also covers that intake structure, so the whole front end is dealt with at once and no difference in finish is left between a new engine and an old hump from the box. Anyone who only wants the radial has a narrower and simpler variant available.

What the work involves

The castings are taken off their gates, the surfaces are leveled and they are joined with cyanoacrylate-based glue. The intake box is usually set into the upper part of the cowling, which means sanding a matching opening in the plastic part and dry-fitting the part before the glue goes on. Painting is done off the airframe and the finished assembly is glued in at the very end.

Why it pays to replace the intake hump

The box standing above the cowling is complex in shape on this machine and the plastic part from the box usually renders it as a smooth block with a simplified mouth. Yet it lies in the line of sight from the front and from above, that is exactly where every viewer judges a model first. Replacing it together with the radial has the advantage that both parts come from the same designer and their level of workmanship matches.

Who it suits

Made for anyone building the Japanese carrier bomber who intends to display the engine cowling open or at least partly open. Anyone counting on a closed cowling will get by with the less extensive variant. The aircraft kit is sold separately.