1/72 Airfix Mitsubishi Zero A6M2b

[Val]

Hello!

So my Lancaster, Gnats and 727 have been on hold while I've been moonlighting on another site doing a couple of group builds... sorry! But here's the first completed build for a while, a Mitsubishi Zero.
 

• Kit manufacture: Airfix
• Scale: 1/72
• Type: Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero
• Extras used: Quickboost resin seat, Eduard mask set.
• Paints and colours used: Citadel Mithril Silver (prop, undercarriage), Citadel Chainmail and Boltgun Metal (base coat for chipping), Tamiya XF-71 (cockpit), XF-76 (underside), XF-70 (top colour), XF-17 (engine cover, props), XF-85 (wheels), Tamiya X-13 (wheel bay), Tamiya XF-3 (yellow bits), Tamiya XF-2 and XF-7 (roundels), Vallejo Polyurethane Primer, various Vallejo colours for detail. Clear coats were AK Gauzy Shine Enhancer and Tamiya Matt Coat, washes were Flory Grime wash and AK Engine Grease. Streaks added with burnt umber oils and Tamiya weathering set.

 

The kit itself is good. Fit is generally excellent; basically no filleriller with the exception of the wing roots. You might get away without this with a bit of sanding etc. Detail is good. Not brilliant, but not poor either. Panel lines, in my opinion, are acceptable depth. Some areas, like the engine, I thought were really sharply detailed, as is the cockpit although you are unable to pose the canopy open OOB. Rivet detail was added by myself, and I was pleased with my first attempt. Decals are very good, although there aren't many and I masked and painted the roundels myself.

Problems with the kit are, as ever with Airfix, soft plastic and large sprue gates which means care must be taken with part removal and cleanup. Overall, very enjoyable.

Oh yeah, I beat the heck out of the paintwork, so if you're not a fan of over-weathering, look away now! I did exactly what you're not supposed to do and used imagination and other builds as references as opposed to actual photographic references. Fun it was, though!

Comments, tips and feedback as always greatly appreciated.

Oh, and apologies for my photography work!

  

  

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So there we go, thanks for stopping by,
 

Val

 

[Learstang]

Very nice Zeke, Val! I think the weathering looks good - those Japanese birds, going by actual photographs, got pretty beat up by the weather.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Vadim]

Great finish. I like tough weathered models and your zero really delivers it. The only thing I would try, while making pictures, to close an apperture as much as possible to have a better depth of field. Alternatively you may use image stacking software. With a bigger dof your model would look like a 1/32 scale because of really great finish.

[celt]

A very beat up looking Zero,well tidy mun.

[Garry c]

A very nice job of weathering, however, I believe that plane is from a training school and I suspect the students would be hard at work keeping the paintwork bright and shiny. 

 

I love the rivets and the wear on the roundels.

 

Garry c

[condor1]

Really nice one Val, lot of detail and elbow grease . The chipping and weathering are superb.

Now I have to agree with Vadim the pictures can be improved. Use more light, lots more,  dont be shy about light.  Go to the higher f stop possible  to get a deeper field . Finally edit your shoots, play with different adjustments and crop your frame tighter..

Back to the model, congrats , well done mate

Regards 

Vultur Gryphus

[BerndM]

Looks great, the weathering and chipping makes it look very busy.

I share your view on this kit, typical Airfix quality. For the money you can t complain.

[Val]

8 hours ago, Vadim said:

Great finish. I like tough weathered models and your zero really delivers it. The only thing I would try, while making pictures, to close an apperture as much as possible to have a better depth of field. Alternatively you may use image stacking software. With a bigger dof your model would look like a 1/32 scale because of really great finish.

 

Cool, thanks for the tips. I've got a Tie Fighter and a Mustang nearly finished so will try to improve the pictures when they're done with your tips

 

5 hours ago, Garry c said:

A very nice job of weathering, however, I believe that plane is from a training school and I suspect the students would be hard at work keeping the paintwork bright and shiny. 

 

I love the rivets and the wear on the roundels.

 

Garry c

 

Thanks Ahhh... didn't realise that! Yes, you're quite right, would probably have been kept very clean!

 

2 hours ago, condor1 said:

Really nice one Val, lot of detail and elbow grease . The chipping and weathering are superb.

Now I have to agree with Vadim the pictures can be improved. Use more light, lots more,  dont be shy about light.  Go to the higher f stop possible  to get a deeper field . Finally edit your shoots, play with different adjustments and crop your frame tighter..

Back to the model, congrats , well done mate

Regards 

Vultur Gryphus

 

Thanks for your kind words and your tips. I will try your suggestions to improve the photos on the next completed build

 

2 hours ago, BerndM said:

Looks great, the weathering and chipping makes it look very busy.

I share your view on this kit, typical Airfix quality. For the money you can t complain.

 

Agreed, it's a decent kit overall and more than worth the money for a bit of fun!

[Meatbox8]

That's a beauty.  The rivet detail gives it the look of a 1/48th model.  As to the weathering I think it looks spot on.  I don't know what is was about IJN paint but it clearly wasn't meant to last.  The painted on Hinomaru look excellent.

[WildeSau75]

Very nice build of a heavily war weary bird.

 

Cheers,

Michael

[Garry c]

The early war Japanese Navy aircraft have a red-brown primer and good paint though prone to fading. The Army aircraft were painted in the field with no primer and are famous for chipping. Late war Naval aircraft have no primer from the factory and also chip very easily. As this aircraft is an A6M2 it would of had primer and held paint well. To me, chipping on an early Zero is like a red crowbar in a Spitfire.

 

rant over

Garry c 

[Val]

6 minutes ago, Garry c said:

The early war Japanese Navy aircraft have a red-brown primer and good paint though prone to fading. The Army aircraft were painted in the field with no primer and are famous for chipping. Late war Naval aircraft have no primer from the factory and also chip very easily. As this aircraft is an A6M2 it would of had primer and held paint well. To me, chipping on an early Zero is like a red crowbar in a Spitfire.

 

rant over

Garry c 

 

Thanks for the info, I shall keep that in mind for the future.

[Val]

27 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

That's a beauty.  The rivet detail gives it the look of a 1/48th model.  As to the weathering I think it looks spot on.  I don't know what is was about IJN paint but it clearly wasn't meant to last.  The painted on Hinomaru look excellent.

 

14 minutes ago, WildeSau75 said:

Very nice build of a heavily war weary bird.

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

Cheers guys! I certainly had a lot of fun with it!

[Vince1159]

Beautiful build Val,one thing you could do is try taking your photo's outside if you can you can't beat natural light...

[Val]

1 hour ago, Vince1159 said:

Beautiful build Val,one thing you could do is try taking your photo's outside if you can you can't beat natural light...

Thank you! Yes, I will try that, thanks. Mind you, I might have to wait a while as |I doubt I'll be seeing the sun again until March!! #BritishWeather

[modelglue]

Wow that's just incredible. The closer you get the more stunning it is to look at!

[Darby]

That'll do for me. I'm also envious of the fact that you have Citadel Boltgun and Chainmail.

[GREG DESTEC]

Great Zero Val. I really like the finish.  cheers Greg

[Val]

2 hours ago, GREG DESTEC said:

Great Zero Val. I really like the finish.  cheers Greg

 

Thanks mate

 

7 hours ago, Darby said:

That'll do for me. I'm also envious of the fact that you have Citadel Boltgun and Chainmail.

 

Cheers! Yes, that stuff is lovely! I've got to say the new Vallejo metal colour stuff is excellent too, although not sure what it's like to brush.

 

7 hours ago, modelglue said:

Wow that's just incredible. The closer you get the more stunning it is to look at!

 

Cheers mate, you're too kind

[stevej60]

Superb build and finish Val,outstanding paint and weathering

[Val]

32 minutes ago, stevej60 said:

Superb build and finish Val,outstanding paint and weathering

 

Cheers mate

[Spad]

1/72nd you say? Wicked!

Really like the rivets and weathering and you really can't beat painted markings. I am impressed with how delicate the weathering is on such a small model - very easy to go OTT in that scale.

Nice one!
ATB

Rick

BTW which part of Norfolk are you in?

Edited December 16, 2016 by Spad

[Val]

8 hours ago, Spad said:

1/72nd you say? Wicked!

Really like the rivets and weathering and you really can't beat painted markings. I am impressed with how delicate the weathering is on such a small model - very easy to go OTT in that scale.

Nice one!
ATB

Rick

BTW which part of Norfolk are you in?

 

Cheers Rick! It's the first time I've tried to paint on the roundels; it worked really well in this case as the aircraft is so beaten up, but I now know exactly how accurate I'd have to be on a better maintained aircraft! Had a touch of bleed though on the fuselage too due to the more complex shape.

 

I'm in Harleston, between Diss and Bungay in South Norfolk! I guess you can't be too far away from me!?

 

Val

[jean]

Hi Val,

impressive looking Zero and you sure put a lot of work into it!

Superb!

As a training plane, the underside may have been yellow-orange... a matter of taste, I guess, in the absence of a color picture.

For your info, a photo of that Zero shows the underwing Hinomaru sporting a white border.

 

Cheers

JR

 

[Mark4700]

Fantastic finish. Love your Zero