Marabu Design is a small Czech company specialized in photo-etched frets for aviation model kits. One of their latest releases is dedicated to Airfix A6M2 Zero fighter in 1:72 scale. The set contains many details which for sure requires improvement in original Airfix release.

Contents

Inside the plastic bag we will find:

• single, but large, photo etched fret
  
• small printed acetate film with instruments gauges
  
• assembly instruction

PE fret contains about 85 parts (it's the highest part number) for detailing both interior and exterior of the model, although the majority of details, about 90%, is dedicated to the cockpit interior. This is easy to understand as all the pilot office will be easily visible through the large and transparent glassing.

Exterior details are four covers of landing gear, anti-torsion „scissors” and a rack for additional fuel tank carried under fuselage. It may seem to be small at first sight but each of these parts consists of few smaller details. Some of them will require sure hand, precise tweezers and good eyes or maybe even magnifying glass to fold everything together. Remember about folding carpet in your workshop before you get to work!

As I said before majority of details is dedicated to the cockpit interior. What have we here then? Well, hell lot of brass to but stick into very small area. Marabu provides completely new cockpit flor, pilot seat and imitation of fuselage frame behind seat. For these major parts we get lot of smaller sub-assemblies like rudder pedals, seat belts and seat mounting to frame and regulator of its high. Cockpit side wall are stuck with new instruments, boxes, regulators and controls. This step will require removing of many original Airfix details and a careful study of assembly instruction. It is really crowded with details so make a good battle plan before starting.

Front part of each cockpit is instrument panel. In this set we get few PE and acetate parts of gauges and indicators, new gun sights, machine guns cocking levers.

Set contains also few other details like handles, steps or air intake mesh.

Summary

This product will surely make attractive your A6M2 and remove many Airfix shortcomings. What I also like very much is the possibility of soldering the details instead of gluing. Soldering makes the joints much more durable and enables further tooling or even some folding what is very difficult or even impossible when you use CA glue. In my eyes this very strong asset because sometimes other producers cover brass with some galvanic finish which makes the set visually more attractive but also prevents the parts to be soldered.

Related reviews

Don't forget to read the review of Airfix A6M2 model kit for which this Marabu product is dedicated to.
Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero – Airfix model kit review by Michał Sindera.