Tamiya A6M2b Zero (1:72)

[dr_gn]

Got this one a while ago to go with the Eduard Hellcat:



It’ll be OOB apart from the seat harness and possibly brake pipes. I think it’s the best 1:72 injection moulded kit I’ve ever seen in terms of part fidelity; some parts are remarkably small:



Others, like the u/c doors are so thin they are semi-transparent under a decent light:



So no thinning required there!

The fit of the parts is also pretty phenomenal. You wouldn’t think this:



Was a three part dry fit:



Panel lines and surface detail is beautiful - I hope it doesn’t get dulled by the various coats of paint...

Most of the way through cleaning up the parts now, I’m hoping this one will take days rather than months!

[4321go]

Ooooooh! A Dr build. I’ll go fetch popcorn!!

[shortar53]

I'd send it back.... the pound coin is out of date!

[dr_gn]

Seems like the "days rather than months" bit is already out of the window...

[dr_gn]

First bits of paint on, the metallic Aotake primer looks a bit hot-rod, but it’ll tone down with some weathering and a matt coat. At least I hope it will:

[dr_gn]

Thought I’d give these Tamiya washes a try. I usually use MIG washes, or oil paints, but it’s always a hassle - too dilute, or too grainy, lots of decanting and brush washing. These seem perfect so far, and come with their own brushes:

[robemcdonald]

Great build so far. It looks like a very nice kit. Its been a while since I built a Tamiya kit.

What clear coat did you use before the panel line?

I have struggled a bit with the Tamiya panel line washes reacting with the clear coat.

This has been so much of an issue that I have resorted to making my own washes with pastels and distilled water.

[dr_gn]

robemcdonald said:

Great build so far. It looks like a very nice kit. Its been a while since I built a Tamiya kit.

What clear coat did you use before the panel line?

I have struggled a bit with the Tamiya panel line washes reacting with the clear coat.

This has been so much of an issue that I have resorted to making my own washes with pastels and distilled water.

Just used Klear as usual, seems fine so far.

Now I'm worried...

[robemcdonald]

Don’t worry. It’s most likely I’m doing something stupid.

[dr_gn]

robemcdonald said:

Don’t worry. It’s most likely I’m doing something stupid.

Are you using Klear? The Tamiya stuff seems to be enamel based, so I don’t see a problem using it over an acrylic base. I’ll double check everything when it’s fully cured.

[dr_gn]

Finished the cockpit tonight - it’s by far the best standard 1:72 kit cockpit I’ve seen. Only additions were the lap belts and shoulder strap, and some dial face decals cut from spare instrument panel items. For some reason, seven of them are not included:





Adding some ignition wires to the engine:



As I’d hoped, the metallic blue anti-corrosion paint looks fine when weathered and matted down:

[generationx]

This is great work Doc - that interior is amazing, especially for 1:72!

Have a

[dr_gn]

generationx said:

This is great work Doc - that interior is amazing, especially for 1:72!

Have a

Thanks! A quality kit helps no end...

[dr_gn]

So the fuselage was closed, with the cockpit PVA’d in place. Then the wings and tail planes added:





Needs a guide coat, but apart from a couple of dots on the fuselage spine, I doubt any filler will be required. The engineering of this thing is superb - it’s almost too easy.

[HoHoHo]

As always, a master class in model building and I'm looking forward to seeing the thread progress and the results

[dr_gn]

Thanks guys - bit more progress: Masked the wheel and arrester hook wells with Blu-Tack, and the cockpit with the same plus Tamiya tape. Then airbrushed a guide coat of decanted Tamiya fine surface primer. This didn’t reveal much to correct, so I sprayed the rear cockpit deck interior green, and hand painted the headrest in leather. Then brush painted a seal coat of Klear ready for weathering;

[dr_gn]

Glazing masked up:



And fitted to the fuselage with pva, before re-masking the cockpit and applying a guide coat:



Also drilled out all four machine guns with a micro drill:

[CanAm]

dr_gn said:

Most of the way through cleaning up the parts now, I’m hoping this one will take days rather than months!

Did we all really think this was going to be a just a quick build OOB?

[allegerita]

Also drilled out all four machine guns with a micro drill:


[/quote]

I do this with a lighter heated needle. Less aggressive to the usually very small parts and you can go to much smaller diameters.

[dr_gn]

dr_gn said:

Also drilled out all four machine guns with a micro drill:

allegerita said:

I do this with a lighter heated needle. Less aggressive to the usually very small parts and you can go to much smaller diameters.

I'd be scared of distorting the end with a hot needle. I'd normally replace with brass tube and be done with it, but they are slightly flared so I just went with it.