AML 1/72 Nakajima C3N1 By Chris Bucholtz

Introduction

During the formative years of Japan's air forces, she purchased some types for evaluation (like the Seversky 2PA-B3 and the Dewoitine D.510 which some contend helped in the development of the Zero) and she allowed her own fledgling industry to take a stab at their own advances. Sometimes, the results were startling; other times, they were dead-ends. One of these dead-ends was the C3N1. Although the experienced gained with it would pay off in the later C6N1, the C3N1 was not what the navy wanted, a high-speed long range carrier observation plane. It was a different-looking scout for 1937: long, streamlined and, most importantly, a monoplane. It had spatted landing gear and a single-bank, nine-cylinder Nakajima-built engine, the only less-than-modern features on the aircraft.

Despite its modern looks, the C3N1 was terminated after just two examples were manufactured, and they went to serve in Shanghai with 12 Kokutai. They performed long-range reconaissance missions through 1940, when they were withdrawn from service.

The Kit

Several years ago, AML did another Japanese dead-end plane, the B5M1 'Mabel,' which is topped for obscurity by the C3N1. The planes look a little similar although the C3N1 is far more lithe in appearance, and the kit is much more clean in its details. The kit is simple (40 parts in all, including both vacuformed canopies) and the panel line detail is quite nice. The cockpit begins with a floor that looks like it started life as the floor of a Hasegawa B5N1, and is outfitted with three seats, a bulkhead between the pilot and observer, and a simplified control panel and stick. The seats need belts and a little more detail could help, especially since the fuselage sides have full stringer/former detail.

The cockpit parts go between the fuselage halves. A one-piece lower wing is topped by two upper halves, and the horizontal stabilizers are single pieces that butt-join the fuselage. The tail wheel unit but-joins the lower fuselage, and the engine, supplied oddly as front and back halves of the same bank of cylinders, goes on the tapered mount in the nose. The cowling is provided as two halves and a front ring with separate exhaust stubs. The propellor is three blades and a hub, which look like they'll need care to assemble. The wheel pants have separate wheels, a nice touch, but they are provided as halves.

The instructions show how to cut the canopy to open the rear cockpit and expose the gunner's 7.7mm Type 92 machine gun (a Lewis gun, built under license). If your first attempt to cut the canopy fails, you have a second one just in case.

Decals are for one aircraft, 3-92, from Shanghai in 1937. The aircraft has a silver overall scheme with a red vertical fin and horizontal tails and a black cowling. With the addition of hinomarus and a fuselage band, the plane looks quintessentially Japanese. Photos of the second plane exist showing it in an improvised camouflage scheme; this will require considerable research or speculation to replicate.

Conclusion

This is a very nice kit of an exceptionally obscure subject. Here's hoping AML keeps up this attention to the more unusual Japanese aircraft; personally, a Mansyu Ki-79a or b would find a welcome spot in my collection, especially if it is as good at the C3N1.