Hobby 2000 72051 - 1:72 Arado Ar 234 C-3 w/ Ar E381 Julia

1:72 scale plastic model kit of the German Arado Ar 234 C-3 jet bomber with the Ar E381 Julia

Hobby 2000 72051 is an unusual release: alongside the four-engine Arado Ar 234 C-3 it also contains parts for the Arado E381 "Julia" parasite rocket fighter, carried beneath the fuselage of the mother aircraft. This unrealised late-war concept opens up a completely different display option than the classic Ar 234 releases.

The kit is based on 1:72 Dragon plastic from 1992 tooling, with recessed panel lines and the fully glazed nose cockpit. Hobby 2000 has added its own illustrated assembly manual and a new sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf covering two German marking schemes.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (Dragon)
• Parts for the Arado E381 "Julia" parasite rocket fighter
• Clear parts for the glazed cockpit
• Sheet of waterslide decals printed by Cartograf for 2 marking schemes
• Illustrated assembly manual

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72051
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled length: approx. 176 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 200 mm
• Skill level: intermediate

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

Assembly:

Building the Ar 234 itself progresses calmly — the glazed nose cockpit, best painted and finished before the fuselage is closed, and the alignment of the four engine nacelles require the most attention. Dry-fitting before cementing helps keep the powerplant symmetrical. The small "Julia" is simple in construction, but given its size precision tweezers are useful and it is worth painting its parts while still on the sprue.

For painting you will need the typical late-war Luftwaffe colours: RLM 81 Braunviolett and RLM 82 Hellgrun on the upper surfaces with RLM 76 Lichtblau below. Applying the decals over a gloss coat is recommended, as it limits decal silvering, with a satin varnish for the final finish. The kit offers interesting display options — the model can be shown with the "Julia" attached, or both aircraft can be placed side by side on a common base.

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)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes or an airbrush
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish under the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Wash for emphasising panel lines and details

About the aircraft – Arado Ar 234 Blitz:

The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first jet-powered bomber to enter operational service. Work began in 1941 and the prototype made its first flight in June 1943. Early examples took off from a jettisonable trolley and landed on an extendable skid — only the production versions received a conventional wheeled undercarriage.

The twin-engine B series entered service in 1944, initially in the reconnaissance role. With a speed of over 700 km/h the Ar 234 was practically untouchable by Allied piston-engine fighters and flew reconnaissance sorties over Britain and the Normandy beachhead. As a bomber it became best known for the attacks on the Remagen bridge in March 1945.

The C series received four BMW 003 engines instead of two Junkers Jumo 004s, mounted in pairs under the wings. This provided greater thrust, better take-off performance and a wider safety margin in case of an engine failure, as well as allowing heavier ordnance to be carried. Only a handful of C-series aircraft were completed before the end of the war and none reached full operational service — they remain evidence of how far German jet development had progressed in the final months of the conflict.

The Arado E381 "Julia" was in turn a design for a miniature rocket fighter carried under the fuselage of an Ar 234. The pilot lay prone in an extremely cramped fuselage of very small cross-section; after release the aircraft was to make a short attack on a bomber formation and land on a skid. The project never progressed beyond mock-ups and research airframes, but it remains one of the most frequently cited examples of the desperate air defence concepts of the late war.

Original aircraft specifications (Arado Ar 234 C-3):

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Length: 12.64 m
• Wingspan: 14.41 m
• Height: 4.29 m
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 11,000 kg
• Powerplant: 4 x BMW 003A-1 turbojets, approx. 7.8 kN thrust each
• Maximum speed: approx. 870 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 11,000 m
• Range: approx. 1,600 km
• Gun armament: 2 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon firing rearwards
• External stores: up to approx. 1,500 kg
• Production: C series — a dozen or so aircraft in 1945; all Ar 234 versions — approx. 210 built

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice, known for releasing themed re-editions of existing kits. Rather than tooling its own moulds, Hobby 2000 sources sprues from established manufacturers and builds a complete package around them: its own box, an illustrated assembly manual, a fresh sheet of waterslide decals printed by the Italian printing house Cartograf. This kit is based on Dragon plastic. The brand is recognisable above all for its choice of subjects: releases focus on specific squadrons, campaigns and service periods, with a strong presence of Polish themes that rarely appear in the ranges of the large manufacturers. Kits are produced in limited runs, so older releases tend to disappear from the market quickly. For the modeller this means proven plastic combined with fresh, carefully prepared markings and extras that were not part of the original release.