MPM 1:72 NAKAJIMA "KIKKA"
'In The Box Review'

Reviewer: Myself  (braithy@bigpond.com)

Kit:  MPM No.72074 1/72 Makajima Kikka

Aircraft:  The "Kikka" is the Japanese produced 'copy' of the German Me-262 and was the first Jet aircraft in use by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force.  Initially designed as a suicide aircraft in which even the landing gear was going to be ommitted. The prototype aircraft came into service literally within days of the "Victory in Pacific" day and thus was not used.

Parts: 1 Sprue in plastic bag of 26 injection molded parts in light grey colour, minor amounts of flash evident, especially around undercarriage
One-piece injection molded canopy
Photo etched instrument panel and 17 piece brass etched detail set
Fuselage is split vertical into two full sections incorporating nose and fin, the wing is one-piece and the fuselage will be attached to the centre section of the wing, engine pods are each two-piece which will encase intake and exhaust.

Instructions: 2 A4 sheets folded to make A5 booklet with first pages devoted to brief history and notes from MPM in four languages (Czech, German, French & English). Also included is a sprue diagram and paint call out from Humbrol range.  There are half a dozen assembly steps which are quite straightforward to follow, perhaps a couple of areas a bit vague in exact positioning. A couple of extra sketches are provided, eg: front view and cockpit detail. Four-view diagram (top, underside and each sideview) provided for markings and colour scheme for aircraft.

Versions:  Two - Nakajima Kikka prototype and Kokutai 724. Both aircraft are in overall dark green upper and light grey lower colour scheme, the only difference between the two aircraft is the serial number for Kokutai 724 and roundels (one having larger white border than the other).

Decals:  Produced by Propagteam - with very good register. Only serial number and roundels (8 of them) provided so should go onto the surface without any problems whatsoever.

Accuracy:  I don't have any quotable reference sources to be vigilante in this area (given the aircraft was relatively unknown of).  MPM quotes the length and span about a metre shorter than the Me 262A - by measuring the kit according to MPM's research it measures slightly over-scale at about half a centremetre for length and a millimetre for span which is quite acceptable in this scale.

Detail:  Panel lines are recessed but very finely and hard to see.  There is nothing really to brag about as far as the surface detail is concerned but is adequate.  Nothing in the wheel wells. The brass etched detail set will help spark up the cockpit and includes rudder pedals, sidewall console, side panels, throttles and seat harnesses.  The kit itself provides cockpit base, stick, instrument panel (with engraved detail), seat, stick and molded rudder pedals.

Options:  Nil. Canopy is one-piece, only options are basically wheels up and wheels down!

Impressions:  A clean and refreshing subject material which looks very straight forward to build from the sprue. This is a limited run injection kit so the detail is lacking a little, a little bit of flash is evident and there are no alignment pins for attachment.  Test fit shows the cockpit will be a tight squeeze, the fuselage onto one-piece wing will need some work to fit snuggly but other than that looks to be okay.  Gear doors for once look about the right size (if you are looking to do wheels up model).  Overall looks to be quite a straight forward kit for those who have built MPM material before.

Other Comments:  I have little subject material of the Kikka, but what I do have suggests that this aircraft is a copy of the German Me 262 (rather than an Me 262 in Japanese markings).  As such there appears to be a few differences, such as the canopy framework and the difference in aircraft dimensions.  For this reason, I don't think it is advisable to convert an existing Me 262 to pose as a Kikka, otherwise you will have a model overscaled in length by about 3cm and an incorrect conventional canopy. 

Related Reviews:  Revell 1/72 Messerschmitt Me 262A-1a 

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