Hobby 2000 72016 - 1:72 Nakajima B6N2 Model 12 Tenzan

Plastic model kit of the Japanese Nakajima B6N2 Model 12 Tenzan torpedo bomber in 1:72 scale

The B6N2 Model 12 was the main production version of the Japanese carrier torpedo bomber Tenzan – the variant in which the troublesome Nakajima Mamoru engine was replaced by the proven Mitsubishi Kasei 25 radial. This boxing allows you to build the machine that actually fought in the last great carrier battles of the Pacific war.

The model is based on Fujimi sprues, to which Hobby 2000 has added a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf and self-adhesive masks for the long cabin glazing. The sheet covers three marking options: "52-33" of the 752nd Kokutai (Toyohashi, spring 1944), "348" of the Genzan Kokutai (Gannosu, summer 1945) and an unusual captured aircraft, "S19", evaluated by the Technical Air Intelligence Unit at Clark Field in the Philippines in June 1945.

What you will find in the box:

• Plastic sprues with airframe, cockpit and undercarriage parts
• Clear parts for the long crew canopy glazing
• Aerial torpedo for carriage under the fuselage
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf covering three marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72016
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Length of the finished model: approx. 151 mm
• Wingspan of the finished model: approx. 207 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

Please note: the kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The breakdown of the model is classic and straightforward, and the relatively large airframe makes detail work easier. The three-seat interior is best painted and closed up before the fuselage is joined, as the long glazing reveals a good deal of it. The self-adhesive masks save time on the canopy framing, and it is worth leaving the torpedo until the end of the build so that it does not get in the way when handling the model.

The Japanese schemes combine dark green upper surfaces with light undersides and yellow leading-edge identification bands, while the captured machine stands out with its Allied evaluation markings – an interesting change for anyone who already has Japanese schemes in the cabinet. Laying the decals over gloss varnish is recommended, as it prevents decal silvering, with a satin varnish for the final finish.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution to help the decals conform to the detail
• Modelling wash to emphasise the detail and panel lines

About the aircraft – Nakajima B6N Tenzan:

The Tenzan was developed to a Japanese Navy requirement for a successor to the B5N carrier torpedo bomber. Nakajima's designers produced an aircraft of similar layout but far more powerful and faster, with the distinctive fin canted to port, which allowed the aircraft to fit on carrier lifts and helped compensate for propeller torque.

The B6N2 Model 12 was the answer to the problems of the Nakajima Mamoru engine used in the first version. It was replaced by the fourteen-cylinder Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei 25 of around 1,850 hp – a unit well known from other Japanese designs and far easier to maintain. This version accounted for the majority of the roughly 1,268 Tenzans built.

The B6N2 saw action in the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944, where Japanese carrier aviation suffered losses from which it never recovered. In the following months, with few serviceable carriers left, Tenzans operated mainly from land bases in the torpedo, bombing and patrol roles, and in the final period of the war also on suicide missions. The Allies knew the type by the reporting name "Jill".

Original aircraft specifications (B6N2 Model 12):

• Length: 10.87 m
• Wingspan: 14.89 m
• Height: approx. 3.80 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 5,200 kg
• Crew: 3 (pilot, navigator/bombardier, radio operator/gunner)
• Powerplant: Mitsubishi MK4T Kasei 25 radial engine of approx. 1,850 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 480 km/h
• Range: approx. 3,000 km
• Defensive armament: 7.92 mm machine gun in the rear cockpit and a ventral position
• Offensive load: aerial torpedo or bombs up to 800 kg
• Production: approx. 1,268 aircraft of all B6N versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that builds its range around its own themed releases of plastic kits. Each box contains sprues from an established manufacturer – in this case Fujimi sprues – combined with the company's own artwork, illustrated assembly instructions and a new decal sheet. The waterslide decals for the brand's kits are printed by Cartograf of Italy, valued in the industry for their thin carrier film and accurate colour registration. Most of the aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the glazing, which makes painting the canopy frames considerably easier. Hobby 2000 selects its subjects around specific campaigns, units and pilots, and Polish themes appear regularly in the catalogue. Print runs are limited, so once a release sells out it rarely returns. For the modeller this means access to proven tooling in a boxing with carefully researched markings that are often hard to find elsewhere.