Yes, it's a proper air-spaced capacitor with ceramic ends (in the 520, anyway).
The VFO isn't *very* easy to remove, needing the front panel and the PCBs behind and in front and a couple of "freezer bag ties" on the harness to be loosened and moved (at which stage the lamps are accessible) but it's OK, working methodically with the service manual, and there are some Youtube videos that give an overview ("Kenwood TS520" and "Kenwood VFO")(
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...9nAyIcQk0RPdVi,
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...c1SN3kjn--ePH8 although I don't necessarily agree with the rough treatment in the one that de-soldered the back wiper...
And another covered dismantling the gearbox, risking removing his fingers with an electric drill, then omitting how to re-tension the split (anti-backlash) gears on re-assembly.
They do mention the grease on the ball-bearings on the capacitor and the planetary drive hardening with age, though.
And they're very useful complements to the service manual, nonetheless.