Platz 1/144 Mitsubishi MU-2
By Matt Bittner
Introduction
The Mitsubishi MU-2 was developed in the late 1950s as suitable for both the military and civilian markets. In 2013 an MU-2 was flown around the world to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
The Kit
The Platz 1/144 MU-2 consists of 27 grey, injected pieces, seven clear and a stand – for a single kit. Since there are two aircraft in the box, double these numbers for the total number of parts. This will not be a difficult kit to assemble as the mating areas – with the large contact points – ensure positive alignment. There are decals for four aircraft:
- MU-2B-20, JA8770, 1970-1985
- LR-1, JG2001, 1967
- MU-2A, 63-3228, JASDF, 1986
- MU-2S, 13-3209, JASDF, 2014
Most aircraft are white with detail trim except for the LR-1 which is mostly olive drab. The decals are exceptional and look great.
One problem I have with this kit is the fact the instructions are mainly in Japanese. There appears to be some instructions for different versions that are difficult to figure out so you might want to track down further information for each marking. Also pay close attention to the instructions because there are different side-windows for different versions, along with the nose. The MU-2A/S uses the longer, recce nose, for example.
The assembly is simple with installing the one-piece cockpit (after painting it, of course) and then clicking the fuselage halves together. You might be able to get away without gluing the kit but for strength I would glue it together regardless. Once the fuselage is assembled then the engine nacelles are added to the wing and the wing added to the assembled fuselage. After the tail surfaces are added you'll want to mask and glue on the clear parts and then the kit will be ready for paint.
You can assemble the gear up or down, but be aware there is a hole for the stand so if you don't want to use the stand at all it will need to be filled.
Conclusion
This is a very nice kit, most parts being to scale. Couple that with the quick assembly and you can have a built MU-2 on your display shelves relatively quick.
My thanks to Platz for the review sample.