1:48 A6M2b Zero Fighter Model 21

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A6M was a Japanese carrier fighter of the Second World War, known at home and abroad by the nickname Zero. The A6M2b version, that is the Model 21, is the one with which Japan entered the war in the Pacific. It was built for aircraft carriers and had folding wingtips so that it would fit into the hangar below deck. It excelled in agility and exceptional range, but paid for that with a light structure without armor and without self-sealing tanks.

What the set contains

The package contains photo-etched metal parts in 1:48 scale and the manufacturer's instructions. The point of photo-etched parts is always the same: what is thin sheet metal on the real machine is necessarily exaggeratedly thick when made of plastic on a model. A photo-etched part, by contrast, has a thickness comparable to paper, so the difference shows above all on belts, grilles, handles, the faces of the instrument panel and on everything that is meant to have a crisp edge.

• 1:48 scale, the real subject being the A6M2b Zero, Model 21
• photo-etched metal parts to complete a kit
• the thickness of the parts is comparable to paper
• glued with cyanoacrylate glue, not with cement for polystyrene

Building and painting tips

Separate the parts from the fret with a sharp blade on a hard surface and level the remains of the tab with a fine-toothed file. Make the bends over a sharp edge or in a bender, so that the edge is straight along its whole length. Work over a tray, as a tiny part is otherwise hard to find. Before painting, wash and degrease the metal and cover it with a primer intended for metal; only then does the paint go on.

Terms of supply

The kit of the aircraft, paints, primer and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.