Airfix 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero

[flyjoe180]

My latest build, this time of Airfix's A01005A kit. It depicts an A6M2b of the 3rd Air Group, 202st Kokuta, Imperial Japanese Navy, Rabual, during September 1942. It goes together nicely, with my only real construction issue being the landing gear fitment to the wings. My only additions were tape seat straps, and a replacement pitot tube as the original broke off. Airfix would have you fit the aerial mast; reference photos show it was not used:



I learned a few things about A6M2 colours along the way. I try not to get bogged down in too much research these days as it affects my fun factor. Here's my Zero!

 

[Mark1]

A tidy build, very nice.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Excellent results Joe. Looks like that was a very nice kit as well.

 

[peterairfix]

If you hadn't have it was 1/72 I would have thought it was a much bigger scale.
A very nice build

 

[flyjoe180]

A tidy build, very nice.

Thanks Mark. I kept it relatively clean per the reference photos.

Excellent results Joe. Looks like that was a very nice kit as well.

Cheers Tim, yes it's a good kit, recommended. I have the original new mould boxing (green with a number on it) for a future build.

If you hadn't have it was 1/72 I would have thought it was a much bigger scale.
A very nice build

Thanks Peter, I'm glad you like it.

 

[Airborne01]

Lovely build!
Steve

 

[flyjoe180]

Lovely build!
Steve

Thanks Steve, glad you like it

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Very nice indeed...
Quite the menacing look to these planes I always think,which is summed in that last,side on,pic
Lovely stuff Joe.

 

[spanner570]

A very tidy build Joe.

Fun Factor Rules!

Ron

 

[JayCee]

A very nice finish, Joe.
John.

 

[langy71]

A perfectly tidy finish Joe, you can't not love the way a zero looks.. clean and yet deadly in the right hands..

 

[stillp]

That's rather good Joe.
Pete

 

[scottie3158]

Joe, nicely done.

 

[colin m]

Great job Joe. I can imagine that 'greenhouse' wasn't much fun to mask / paint.

 

[yak face]

Superb , crisp build joe . I love the look of the zero and it always looks good in the greyish green scheme . Fantastic masking job on the many canopy panes too. This looks like a beautiful little kit from airfix , might have to keep a lookout for one now , cheers tony

 

[flyjoe180]

Very nice indeed...
Quite the menacing look to these planes I always think,which is summed in that last,side on,pic
Lovely stuff Joe.

Cheers Andy. Agreed, it does look a bit menacing.

A very tidy build Joe.

Fun Factor Rules!

Ron

Cheers Ron. Fun Factor is important for a hobby!

A very nice finish, Joe.
John.

Thanks John, glad you like the Zero

A perfectly tidy finish Joe, you can't not love the way a zero looks.. clean and yet deadly in the right hands..

Thanks Chris, appreciate your comments. It wasn't grubby in the references, and it seems the ground crews took time to look after these early war navy aircraft. So tidy and clean is what I went for.

That's rather good Joe.
Pete

Cheers Pete

Joe, nicely done.

Cheers Paul

Great job Joe. I can imagine that 'greenhouse' wasn't much fun to mask / paint.

I splashed out on Edward masks Colin. The first time I've bought masks, not because of the number of panes, but because Airfix have slight curves in each section. I tried to mask with tape before I bought the mask set but the slight curves defeated me. I have a Hasegawa A6M5c kit which does not have the curves. I think Airfix exaggerated them a little, and Hasegawa hasn't bothered at all. Here's the canopy of the original A6M at the Auckland War memorial Museum

Superb , crisp build joe . I love the look of the zero and it always looks good in the greyish green scheme . Fantastic masking job on the many canopy panes too. This looks like a beautiful little kit from airfix , might have to keep a lookout for one now , cheers tony

Highly recommend kit Tony. All the errors were mine, apart from the blanking off for the antenna mast on the canopy, and the main landing gear was testing. The original issue of this mould correctly has the mast. Same instruction sheet, different scheme.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

Built this one myself, as a what if? It almost falls together.
I DO like the precision engineering of these modern Airfix kits
...Excepting when the Hurri was TOO precise in the undercarriage.
The Zero may be the best kit in this scale currently available, without paying an arm and a leg!

 

[flyjoe180]

Built this one myself, as a what if? It almost falls together.
I DO like the precision engineering of these modern Airfix kits
...Excepting when the Hurri was TOO precise in the undercarriage.
The Zero may be the best kit in this scale currently available, without paying an arm and a leg!

Yes, it's a nice kit from Airfix. I have no idea how it compares to Tamiya, but my research of colours shows Airfix are probably more on the money for the early 'hemp' scheme.

 

[JR]

Well done , love the paint work .

Congratulations Joe .

 

[flyjoe180]

Well done , love the paint work .
View attachment 474352
Congratulations Joe .

Cheers John