Here is my model of the Mitsubishi's A6M2 Zero. This aircraft was flown by Lieutenant Commander Shigeru Itaya, Flying Corps Commander. It was flown from the Carrier Akagi on December 7, 1941 in the attack on Pearl Harbour.

I built this model about 2 years ago but I have only recently purchased a digital camera and have now been able to photographed it. The modifications that I made to the kit include the addition of seat belts from Tamiya masking tape with buckles from fine fuse wire. This kit is quite old and has a mixture of recessed and raised panel lines. All the raised panels lines were rescribed with a sewing needle in a pin vise using Dymo tape and plastic card strips as a guide. The counter balances on top of the ailerons were scratchbuilt with epoxy putty, plastic card and fine fuse wire. The attenna wire is stretched sprue with 5 minute epoxy insulators.

The model goes together well but some filler was needed in the wing joints and tailplane joints. I filled these with Tamiya putty and sanded smooth. Small gaps around the canopy were filled with PVA White glue.

Click on images below to see larger images

The model was sprayed with my Aztek A470 airbrush using Gunze Sangyo Imperial Japanese Navy Grey acrylic paint lightened by about 25 percent with white. It was then preshaded with dark grey along all major panel lines. Finally another light coat of IJN Grey was sprayed over the top of the preshading until I was satisfied with the tone. I use this technique to try and avoid the model looking too dark due to the preshading. The cowling was sprayed with Tamiya semi gloss black and the propeller with Alclad II Aluminum over Tamiya Gloss Black acrylic. The rear of the propeller blades were painted Tamiya flat black. The cockpit and wheel wells were painted Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver and then overcoated with a 50/50 mixture of Tamiya clear green and blue until I was happy with the color intensity.

The kit decals were used however the yellow bands on the fin and the red band around the fuselage were masked and painted with Gunze acrylics. The kit decals give you a choice of 5 different aircraft so there are plenty of options to choose from in this kit.

Weathering was done with heavily thinned brown and black Tamiya acrylics and a airbrush. All panels lines were darkened with a dark grey artist oil paint mixed with turpentine. A Mid brown artist oil paint was used on the panel lines to the cowling. Once all weathering was complete, the wheel wells and engine was masked off and Gunze flat was sprayed over everything to achieve and even finish.

Hope you enjoy the pictures !

Kevin Jongen