Scale Aircraft Conversions continues their 1/32 scale line of white metal replacement gear with set 32146 for the Zoukei Mura 1/32 Ki-45 Toryu. The set includes 8 well made pieces of white metal that allow replacement of the two main landing gear struts along with a replacement of the tail wheel also.

Inside the package, there are two main gear struts that are not interchangeable so make sure you know which side is left and right. The main gear also includes retraction struts and oleo’s for both sides. The tail wheel includes a nice sturdy strut and separate oleo.

Fortunately, I was building the Zoukei Mura kit and these popped up on the list so I was able to incorporate them into the build. The cleanup was simple. They clean up like plastic gear and removal of a few seam lines was all the was required. They were direct replacements for the kit parts and the metal is stronger.

I did prime them before painting also. Fit into the kit is superb and the replacement tail gear alone makes this an improvement on the kit parts. For those that haven’t built a Zoukei Mura kit, they tend to be on the heavier side due to the complete interiors included in their kits. The Ki-45 was no exception and was fairly heavy due to all the parts. The tail wheel slips right into its bracket can take a beating due to being a single piece.

SAC gear sets are great for two reasons. First, they provide a nice stable base for those kits (such as this one) who are big and beefy and could potentially cause the plastic gear to sag. Second, for those of us prone to losing parts or breaking them, SAC is a great alternative to begging for parts from the Internet or the manufacturer.

Highly recommended. My sincere thanks to Ross and the excellent people at Scale Aircraft Conversions for the opportunity to get this into my kit.