Eduard 1/48 Rufe Dual Combo
By Jacob Russell
This is the Dual Edition of Eduard's Rufe kit. You get 2 complete kits, 2 photo-etch frets and rice paper masks for the windscreen, canopy and the beaching trolley wheels. Each kit consists of 231 parts. 185 of these are injection molded parts on 6 sprues. The PE sprue includes 46 pieces, many of them pre-painted.
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The surface detail of the wings, fuselage and floats consists of delicate recessed panel lines and rivets, along with raised elements where appropriate. This detail is well executed and it will look stunning under thinly applied paint and panel line washes.
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The fabric ailerons and horizontal stabilizers are molded separately and the fabric effect is convincing. The cockpit is appropriately busy and it has superb detail. It will look absolutely stunning with careful dry brushing and an oil wash. You can use the kit instrument panel decal or opt for the PE "sandwich". The photo-etch fret includes the instrument panel, seat harness, throttle quadrant and major elements of the fuselage side consoles. The Sakae 12 radial engine is assembled from 6 well detailed parts and it will look great with an oil wash and careful dry brushing. The engine attaches to the fuselage front and is enclosed in a 6 piece cowling.
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The beaching trolley deserves mention as well. It is as well detailed as the Rufe that sits on it and it gives you an excellent opportunity to test your weathering skills!
The kit includes 8 different decal options:
"Y-161", Yokohama Kokutai, Tulagi Island, Solomon Islands, August 1942. This early Rufe was painted overall Ame-iro (gray-green) with a "Cowling Color" (blue-black) cowling and silver spinner.
"R-106", 5th Kokutai, Aleutian Islands, August 1942. This Rufe was also painted overall Ame-iro with a "Cowling Color" cowling and silver spinner. The canvas covered fin and probably other canvas colored control surfaces were a much lighter shade of Ame-iro.
"NI-118", c/n 15, Lt. (jg) Keizo Yamazaki, Kokutai 802, Shortland Islands, February 1943. This A6M2-N was also painted overall Ame-iro with a silver spinner and "Cowling Color" cowling. The wing leading edges were painted Orange Yellow, there were 2 blue bands around the fuselage and a red band around the fin and rudder.
"NI-112", Faisi-Poporang base, Kokutai 802, Shortland Islands, February 1943. This Rufe had mottled field-applied Dark Green paint on the fuselage and float upper surfaces with Ame-iro lower surfaces and fin, with a silver spinner and propeller and "Cowling Color" cowling. The wing leading edges were painted Orange Yellow, the canvas covered fin was a much lighter shade of Ame-iro. There was also a red band around the fin and rudder.
"VII-107", Kokutai 452, Shumshu Islands, Kuriles, July 1943. This Rufe also had mottled field-applied Dark Green paint on the fuselage and float upper surfaces with Ame-iro lower surfaces and fin, with a silver propeller and spinner and "Cowling Color" cowling. The wing leading edges were painted Orange Yellow.
"Y4-124", Kokutai 802, Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands, October 1943. This A6M2-N had an even coat of factory applied Dark Green paint on the fuselage and float upper surfaces with Ame-iro lower surfaces and fin, with a silver spinner and propeller and "Cowling Color" cowling. The wing leading edges were painted Orange Yellow and there was a wide white band on the fin and rudder. The Dark Green upper surface color wrapped over the lower wing's outer leading edge.
"I-106", Ensign Jin'ichiro Ozawa, Sasebo Kokutai, Sasebo Air Base, Japan, Kokutai 802, September 1944. Another Rufe with factory applied Dark Green over Ame-iro with a silver propeller and spinner and "Cowling Color" cowling. The wing leading edges were painted Orange Yellow. The Dark Green upper surface color wrapped over the lower wing's outer leading edge.
"34-116", Kokutai 934, Ambon Island, Moluku Islands, March 1944. Painted as the above aircraft with the addition of a stylized white lightning bolt painted mid fuselage on both sides.
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The decals are very well printed, in register and with accurate colors. There are 2 separate sheets of stencils. The instructions are well illustrated and include a parts map, a stencil placement guide and color callouts for GSI Creos (Gunze) Aqueous and Mr. Color paints.
Conclusion
Eduard's A6M2-N Rufe is a superb kit. It's accurate and well detailed, plus you have numerous Eduard's aftermarket accessories (Brassin resin, Space, Look) to choose from. I recommend the A6M2-N Rufe and I would like to thank Eduard for the review sample.
References
Mitsubishi A6M Reisen "Zeke" Vol.II, by Dariusz Paduch, Kagero Monograph Number 73, Kagero Publications, 2021
A6M Zero in action, Aircraft Number 59, by Shigeru Nohara, Squadron/Signal Publication, 1983
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