Hobby 2000 72039 - 1:72 Arado 234 B-2 First Jets

Plastic model kit of the German Arado Ar 234 B-2 jet bomber in 1:72 scale

Hobby 2000 72039 represents the Arado Ar 234 B-2, the first jet bomber to enter operational service. Its slim shape, with a thin wing, two engine nacelles and a fully glazed nose cockpit, is among the most recognisable of late Second World War aviation.

The kit is based on Dragon mouldings supplemented with a steel photo-etched fret - steel is springier and more resistant to deformation than brass, which makes handling small parts easier. Hobby 2000 adds its own box, illustrated instructions, self-adhesive masks for the glazing and Cartograf-printed waterslide decals for two marking options: a KG 76 bomber from February 1945 and a Kommando Sperling reconnaissance aircraft from autumn 1944. Both wear the late-war RLM 81/82/76 scheme.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with fuselage, wing, engine nacelle and detail parts
• Steel photo-etched fret
• Clear parts for the cockpit glazing
• Self-adhesive masks for the glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf for two marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72039
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled length: approx. 176 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 196 mm
• Skill level: intermediate (working with photo-etched parts)

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model requires assembly.

Assembly:

The greatest challenge in this model is the cockpit - almost entirely glazed, so its interior remains fully visible on the finished model. It is worth taking time over painting and detailing the cockpit before closing the fuselage, and over fitting the photo-etched parts. Steel parts are bent with fine tweezers or a bending tool and attached with cyanoacrylate glue, as plastic cement does not bond metal. The included masks considerably shorten the preparation of the extensive glazing for painting.

The late-war RLM 81/82/76 scheme uses dark brown and dark green mottling over a light blue underside; the instructions provide paint references. Decals applied over a gloss coat are less prone to silvering, and a satin varnish suits the final finish. For added realism, subtle exhaust streaking behind the nacelles and a panel-line wash are worth considering - late-war German jets were often operated in very rough field conditions.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Cyanoacrylate glue for the photo-etched parts
• Fine modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes and modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decalling and satin varnish for the final finish
• A wash to accentuate detail

About the aircraft - Arado Ar 234 Blitz:

The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first jet bomber to enter operational service. Design work began in the early 1940s and the prototype first flew in the summer of 1943. The original concept called for take-off from a jettisonable trolley and landing on skids; only the B series received conventional retractable wheeled landing gear, which made it suitable for routine operations.

The design was aerodynamically very clean: a thin wing mounted high on the fuselage, two turbojets in underwing nacelles and an extensively glazed cockpit right in the nose, giving excellent visibility. Bombs were carried on external racks. The single pilot handled both flying and bomb aiming, using a bombsight swung into position for the attack run.

The B-2 was the bomber variant, while reconnaissance machines fitted with cameras flew over Britain and the Western Front almost with impunity - the Ar 234's speed left Allied piston-engine fighters little chance of interception. The type's best-known bombing operations were the attacks on the Remagen bridge in March 1945. Limited production, chronic fuel shortages and short engine life meant that the Blitz nevertheless had little influence on the course of the war.

Original aircraft specifications (Arado Ar 234 B-2):

• Length: 12.64 m
• Wingspan: 14.11 m
• Height: approx. 4.3 m
• Empty weight: approx. 5200 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 9800 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: two Junkers Jumo 004B turbojets of approx. 8.8 kN thrust each
• Maximum speed: approx. 740 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 10,000 m
• Range: approx. 1550 km
• Armament: up to approx. 1500 kg of bombs on external racks
• Production: 1944-1945, approx. 210 examples of the B series

About the manufacturer - Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that has built its position on themed releases. Its kits are based on mouldings from established manufacturers - in this case Dragon - completed with original packaging, new illustrated instructions and fresh waterslide decals printed by the Italian printing house Cartograf. Most aircraft releases also include self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing, which noticeably simplifies painting. The brand favours subjects connected with Polish aviation history as well as less obvious episodes of the Second World War and the post-war years, selecting its marking options from archival material. Production runs are limited, so individual releases are often sought after by collectors. For the modeller this means proven, well-detailed mouldings combined with subjects not available in the original boxings. The company's catalogue covers aircraft, vehicles and ships in scales from 1:72 to 1:35.