1/48 Tamiya A6M2 Zero

by Rick Reinbott

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This is my Tamiya 1/48 A6M2 Zero.

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Construction

 

Although the kit builds into a nice representation of an early Zero, the mold is beginning to show its age.  In addition to one of the lower wings being warped, I had to do some filing and drilling to get the oil cooler cover and drop tank to fit in their respective slots.  The front of the two fuselage halves didn’t align with one another, which caused a problem when trying to glue the cowling on it.  Also, although the tops of the landing gear struts have tabs to ensure proper alignment, the fit is somewhat loose with the corresponding slots in the landing gear bay.  Finally, the rear corner on the landing gear bay doors must be bent up quite a bit in order for the drop tank to be glued to the fuselage underside.  

 

The overall detail of the model is very good.  The holes in the seat and rear bulkhead were drilled out using my micro drill set.  The seat harness is lead foil from a champagne bottle with beading wire for the buckles, the wing cannon barrels are brass tubing, and the brake lines on the struts are beading wire.  Following fellow modeler Jeff Brundt's advice, the aerial wire is a strand of hair.  I used my oldest daughter’s hairbrush for the source.      

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Painting   

For the topside and underside colors, I used Tamiya IJN Green and Gunze Sangyo IJA Light Grey respectively.  After spraying on the IJN Green, I went over it with the same color mixed with white to give it more of a faded look.  Humbrol Semi-Gloss Black was used for the engine cowling.  For the propeller, Humbrol Rot was used for the spinner while the blades were finished in Gunze Sangyo Red Brown.  The cockpit was painted using a mixture of Gunze Sangyo IJA Green mixed with flat white.  

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Weathering

For the landing gear, wheel wells, and interior of the inboard gear doors, I used an acrylic wash of Model Master Flat Black, followed by a drybrushing using the respective base colors mixed with white.  A few coats of Future was brushed on to the fuselage, wings, exterior of landing gear doors, and drop tank in preparation for the decals and to seal the enamel and decals against the effects of the oil wash.  I used Ivory Black mixed with Turpenoid for the oil wash, applying it to a section at a time; then wiping it off with a dry cotton rag. 

As I was wiping the oil wash off the model, it surprisingly took off some of the base color, mostly the topside green.  However, since I sprayed an aluminum undercoat in order to "chip" the paint with masking tape, the aluminum showed through the areas where the paint had been wiped away, creating a nice, subtle worn look.  Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. 

Paint chipping was done by spraying certain areas of the model (wing leading edges, wing roots, fuselage sides, propeller blades, etc.) silver.  Once the base coat was applied and let to dry about 40 minutes or so, the paint was then “chipped” off using a small piece of drafting tape to reveal the silver underneath.  Additional chipping was done by applying Testors Silver with a small brush.  The powder stains from the guns and behind the shell ejector chutes were made by drybrushing using Humbrol Panzer Gray.

I used the kit decals, which, although a little thick, were okay.  The model depicts a machine of the 261st Air Group (Tiger Corps), Kagoshima Base, in February 1944.    

Happy Modeling!

Rick

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Photos and text © by Rick Reinbott