1:32 Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A6M, called Reisen at home and known elsewhere as the Zero, was a Japanese single-seat carrier fighter of the Second World War. The A6M2 version is the one from the first year of the fighting in the Pacific, when the aircraft surprised with its long range and its agility. A carrier machine also brings with it conspicuous details that interest modelers: the arrestor hook, the folding wingtips and a light structure with thin covers.

What photo-etch can do on a model

Photo-etched parts are made from thin metal sheet, so they have a thickness that injected plastic can never have. Covers, brackets, buckles, grilles and placards come out thin and with crisp edges in scale. In the large 1:32 scale this matters even more than on small models, because here every thickened plastic part is visible from the usual viewing distance. The scope of the particular set is given in the manufacturer's instructions.

How photo-etch is worked

The parts are held in the fret on thin tabs. Separate them with a sharp blade on a hard surface, not by twisting, and sand the remainder of the tab down. Make the bends over a straight edge, best in a bending tool or between two blades, so that the edge is not rounded. The metal is glued with cyanoacrylate or two-part glue, because polystyrene cement does not hold on it, having nothing to melt. Before painting, degrease the parts and go over them with a primer.

Who it is for

For modelers who want to take a large model through to the detail and have no trouble working with small metal parts and tweezers. The kit, paints, glue and tools are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.