Contact-Résine 1/32
Ki-84 Hayate (Frank) Detail Set

Contact-Résine has returned with another interesting set: weighted wheels and flight controls for the Hasegawa 1/32 Ki-84 Hayate.

Houston-based Design & Marketing International has become the exclusive importer for all of North America of a number of interesting product lines, including Contact-Résine. At last, we can take a closer look at these detail sets!

This set includes new ailerons, elevators, rudder, and weighted main gear wheels. The elevator trim tabs are molded in non-neutral position, adding additional detail to the tail feathers. Each of the flight control surfaces feature nicely molded fabric detail.

The molding technology used here must employ some vacuum-based pressure injection system as there are no molding blocks to contend with, just a stub at the end of some of the parts that easily snips away with your favorite sprue tool. The only preparatory task that will need to be done is to drill out the wheel center hub to accept the main gear axles. A few seconds with a pin vise will do the trick.

This is a nice-looking addition to the Hasegawa kit and will allow you to pose the aircraft in a more natural setting, as few taildraggers ever have all of their flight controls locked in center position Those few that do, like the DC-3, use heavy duty control locks, whereas smaller aircraft like fighters and trainers either use external gust locks or seatbelts around the control stick to keep the flight control surfaces from flapping in the wind. When using seatbelts, the elevators are held in the full-up position. When they aren't locked, the elevators droop in the full-down position. Something to look at when peering at reference photos..

This detail set is highly recommended! You can purchase this set online from Design & Marketing International.

My sincere thanks to Design & Marketing International for this review sample!