Among recent offerings from Brengun is a set photo-etch details designed to enhance the 1/72 Tamiya A6M3 Type 32 Zero kit. Set BRL 72071 provides about 70 parts on a single photo-etch fret and two on a printed acetated sheet that will combine to enhance the cockpit and exterior details of the a/c. The photos below show the fret and the instruction sheet that guide where the details are to be installed.

The small photo-etched parts on the fret are very impressive, but look strangely familiar to me. Familiar, because they are exactly the same as the parts on Brengun’s set BRL 72074 for the Zero type 22…yes, exactly the same. Not surprising though, because the detail parts they provide were the same on the original aircraft (with the possible exception of a small dial face on the instrument panel). One of the photos below from the Brengun website shows most of the parts installed.

As with other photo-etch sets from Brengun, the fret is packaged in a clear pouch stapled to a card to protect it from damage. A folded instruction sheet, printed on one side, is attached behind the bagged fret and an extra card. As the photo below shows, the instructions are easy to understand but quite involved. Model builders familiar with using photo-etched detail parts will have no difficulty following them. But, because of the delicate nature of all of the parts, those unfamiliar with handling and attaching photo-etch may find some of the small items a challenge…because they are small and require careful placement.

The detail is very crisp and well etched on nickel-plated metal. The parts can easily be separated from the fret with a sharp #10 or #11 x-acto blade. I recommend placing the fret on a piece of low tack masking tape (read: drafting tape) before applying any pressure with a blade to avoid the likelihood that small parts might be launched into the open mouth of the carpet monster when separated from the fret. Carefully removing them from the tape with a set of pointed tweezers should then be a fairly easy task. Remember that because the material is metal, is will be necessary to use superglue (CA) or epoxy cement to attach these parts to the kit’s styrene plastic

This set is highly recommended to model builders who wish to enhance their 1/72 scale A6M3 Zero type 32 with some impressive photo/etch details.

My thanks to Brengun for the review sample and IPMS/USA for the opportunity to review this detail set.