1/72nd old Hasegawa Mitsubishi Zero in RAF markings, ATAIU-SEA

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,

I found this part built old Hasegawa Zero model with parts missing tucked inside the box of another kit which I bought 2nd hand at the Cosford model show and as I`ve always fancied doing one of the captured Zero`s flown by the ATAIU-SEA. I thought that I`d give it a go.

Here is the real aircraft, which is the furthest away in this photo;

And here is the model. I`m not a Japanese aircraft expert by any means and it was mainly a kit bash, so please be gentle!;

For the weathering I experimented with a silver pencil for the chipping,.....although I may add a bit of paint later?

Cheers

Tony

Edited June 6, 2016 by tonyot

[Mr Modeller]

Nice job Tony and an interesting scheme. I think you've gotten pretty close to the aircraft depicted in the original photograph and your use of a silver pencil for the simulated paint chipping was a sound move and looks to have worked well?

Very well done - I like it!!

Kev

[old thumper]

I think you have done a really good there. I didn't know the RAF had any captured Zeros and it is interesting to see how different it looks in RAF markings, almost like a sporty Harvard.

[Vince1159]

That looks fantastic,great job...

[cngaero]

Very nicely done Tony, as usual. Have you done any other "Captive Wings" by any chance?

[polo1112]

Seems absolutely realistic to me.

Great job.

[stevej60]

Looks a cracker to me Tony,fine way of reviving an old kit

[batcode]

looks great, nice job on the scheme and finish...

[tonyot]

Thanks for your kind remarks everybody,

Very nicely done Tony, as usual. Have you done any other "Captive Wings" by any chance?

Hiya Chris,....no not lately but I have a few more planned including an overall silver RAF marked Zero and some Bf109`s, FW190`s and more German stuff wearing British markings.

Cheers

Tony

[Cookenbacher]

Another very interesting subject Tony, the weathering is very convincing and matches the reference pic perfectly.

[Epeeman]

Looks great and the weathering looks fine to me.

Interesting subject too

Regards

Dave

[Simon382]

Very nice with convincing wear and tear. FYI part of one of the airframes in the picture now resides at Duxford if you're ever passing

[tonyot]

Thanks everybody.

Very nice with convincing wear and tear. FYI part of one of the airframes in the picture now resides at Duxford if you're ever passing

Cheers Simon,....yeah I`ve seen it and took some pics to use as reference for this model, I think it is the earlier variant which is closer to the camera on photo of the real aircraft in the air together

Tony

[Nick Millman]

Very nice!

But looks more like the old mould Hasegawa A6M5c sans wing guns than the Revell.

The IWM example is an A6M5 and the original finish was overpainted in Dark Earth at some point. The engine and cowling is at Cosford. The tail was reported at the 71 MU scrapyard at Bicester in 1956 and the wings were to be seen in a London scrapyard for many years.

There were at least six ATAIU-SEA Zeros in RAF markings at Singapore with various 381st Ku 'B1' tail codes including an A6M5c and even two A6M2-K two-seat trainers but only one was brought back to the UK.

Nick

[pascal JMW]

Superb work !! Looks great ! I love it

[HOUSTON]

Tony,

EXCELLENT build and SUPERBLY weathered.

WOW..AWESOME work Sir.

Edited June 6, 2016 by HOUSTON

[glatisant]

That's a very nice bit of work on an old kit.Great looking scheme.

[Meatbox8]

Super stuff. Brillaintly applied weathering and an interesting subject.

[tonyot]

Thanks again everybody for your very kind comments!

Very nice!

But looks more like the old mould Hasegawa A6M5c sans wing guns than the Revell.

The IWM example is an A6M5 and the original finish was overpainted in Dark Earth at some point. The engine and cowling is at Cosford. The tail was reported at the 71 MU scrapyard at Bicester in 1956 and the wings were to be seen in a London scrapyard for many years.

There were at least six ATAIU-SEA Zeros in RAF markings at Singapore with various 381st Ku 'B1' tail codes including an A6M5c and even two A6M2-K two-seat trainers but only one was brought back to the UK.

Nick

Thanks for the updates Nick, I knew that you`d know the score and if you say that it is the Hasegawa kit then I`ll go with that,......there was no box or decals and just a number of loose parts in the bottom of a box along with three other models,......it was green plastic with raised detail and looked like a Revell kit but I know nothing at all about Japanese aircraft or models,.....unlike yourself!

Cheers

Tony

[stevehnz]

Thats nice Tony, I reckon you've caught that well worn look to a Tee.

Steve.

[airjiml2]

Great job Tony, you really nailed the pencil chipping.

Jim

[Nick Millman]

Thanks again everybody for your very kind comments!

Thanks for the updates Nick, I knew that you`d know the score and if you say that it is the Hasegawa kit then I`ll go with that,......there was no box or decals and just a number of loose parts in the bottom of a box along with three other models,......it was green plastic with raised detail and looked like a Revell kit but I know nothing at all about Japanese aircraft or models,.....unlike yourself!

Cheers

Tony

Hi Tony

Thanks. The Revell kit was usually moulded in various shades of sky blue, sky, eau-de-nil, duck egg green or light grey! Other recognition points are that the exhausts and cowling flaps were moulded solid with the fuselage halves and not on the cowling as in the Hasegawa kit. The tail planes were in one piece and fitted through a slot. They had to be inserted before the fuselage halves were joined and always seemed to result in negative dihedral unless you ignored the "top" moulded on them and fitted them upside down! The upper wings were in one piece like the lower wings and incorporated the wing root fairings, so you assembled them as one unit before offering it up to the fuselage Hobby Boss style - fit was actually very positive that way. The front of the engine was moulded in relief integrally with the cowling and not with separate engine parts like the Hasegawa kit. There was no cockpit detail but only a pilot figure with peg seat whereas the Hasegawa kit has a cockpit "bath tub".

The Hasegawa kit is a much better shape too, as your model demonstrates. The Revell kit has a tapered cowling which spoiled the overall look. It could be corrected with plastic card and putty but was a lot of work to do. Hasegawa's A6M5c eclipsed it although due to mould limitations the first generation Hasegawa Zero cowlings were cylindrical in cross section and slightly over length. On the plus side the Revell rivets are much finer than the Hasegawa! The first generation Hasegawa Zero kits can still be obtained easily and cheaply and IMHO are still worth building as I think your very impressive model shows!

Regards

Nick

[vh-bob]

Tony, I think that the hardest things to model satisfactorily are the things roughly applied in the field like Invasion stripes , the "Do not Touch" on a certain FW-190 and the grey sealant prominent on the F-35. I think you nailed it.

Trev.

[rob85]

Really like the look of that Tony, very nice job!

Rob

[Matt_L]

That looked like it was fun to do Tony! Really nice weathering, think i'll need to sharpen my dusty silver pencil and have a go. Inspired.

Take care,

Matt