1:48 A6M2 Rufe

The float Zero from Nakajima

When the Imperial Japanese Navy needed a fighter where no runway stood yet, it reached for a conversion of the production Zero. Nakajima took away its landing gear, hung a massive central float under the fuselage and two auxiliary ones under the wings. The machine designated A6M2-N, with the Allied code Rufe, then appeared from the Aleutians to the bays of New Guinea. The added surfaces took away speed and agility, yet it proved itself patrolling over anchorages and over landing sites. The glazing stayed identical to the land version: long, only shallowly domed and divided by narrow frames, which in 1:48 give more work than the rest of the airframe.

A red disc that turns gray

With the national insignia, mistakes are made even before the paint touches the surface. Red covers weakly and, sprayed straight onto dark camouflage, it sinks into brown; adding more passes does not help, it only builds up the load at the edge of the cutout. Under the disc there belongs first a thin white patch slightly smaller than the opening in the mask and only onto that the target shade in two thin coats.

How to save an insignia that has already gone wrong

A ruined disc does not mean respraying half a wing. Apply the film again in the same place; following the panel lines and rivet rows you will hit it exactly, matte the area inside with the finest abrasive sponge and lay down the white. You work inside the same outline, so no step arises at the edge and the surrounding camouflage stays untouched.

Breakdown of the contents

Two films for the cockpit cover, one for the outer and one for the inner face, and with them one set of national insignia masks. The shapes are cut for a plastic model in 1:48 scale. Paints, glue and decals are not included.