1:48 A6M3 Zero gun bays long barrel 3D-printed

Eduard 1:48 A6M3 Zero: gun bays with the long barrel

This set is not a kit of an aircraft, but an accessory for a model of the Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero in 1:48 scale. The parts produced by 3D printing replace the simplified plastic moldings at the wing gun bays and make it possible to build the model with an open bay you can see into. The form matches the version with the long barrel of the wing cannon, so choose according to the machine you are building.

The real subject

The Mitsubishi A6M3 was a stage in the development of the famous Zero carrier-borne fighter. Besides the machine guns in the nose it carried a pair of 20 mm cannons in the wing, housed in bays covered by panels. On the later forms a longer barrel was used, which brought a higher muzzle velocity; it is for that one that this set is cut. Open gun bays are among the favorite details when building, because they show part of the structure a model otherwise hides.

Building and painting tips

Wash the 3D printed parts in warm water with dish soap before building so that they are free of resin residue, and separate them carefully from the supports. They are glued with super glue; ordinary cement for plastic has no effect on them. Cut the opening in the wing gradually according to the instructions, rather in several goes and with fine-tuning by file than in one deep cut. Protect your airways while sanding. Spray the inside of the bay with primer and paint it before you close the wing up; a fine wash will pick the ribbing out and the cannon barrels will come out best in a metallic shade.

Who the set is for

• modelers who build the Zero in 1:48 and want to open the model up in detail
• more experienced builders used to working with printed and resin parts
• a competition build, where worked-up detail decides
• those who know exactly whether they are building a machine with the long or the short barrel