1:72 A6M5 [Nakajima Green]

Colored photo-etched instrument panel for the A6M5 Zero, Nakajima Green (1:72, Yahu Models)

A colored photo-etched instrument panel for models of the Japanese carrier fighter A6M5 Zero in 1:72 scale from Yahu Models. This version is painted in the cockpit shade matching machines from Nakajima license production. The panel comes assembled by the maker and ready to glue in; it is not a model but a detail cockpit accessory that replaces the simplified plastic panel from the kit.

The real subject

The A6M5 was one of the most widely produced versions of the Reisen fighter of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in the Second World War. The agile machine with its radial engine was built by two manufacturers, and the shade of the cockpit green differed between them. This panel matches the shade used on Nakajima-built machines.

Fitting and use

Cut away or thin down the plastic panel from the kit, degrease the surface and seat the colored photo-etch with super glue. The layered construction gives the instrument panel real depth and finely legible instruments. The work calls for tweezers and a feel for small photo-etched parts.

Who it is for

• Builders of Japanese fighters in 1:72 with a Nakajima-built machine
• Modelers who want a realistic cockpit without painting the instruments by hand
• Collectors of detailed cockpit accessories
• Those who will appreciate a pre-painted, finished part for quick fitting

This is a cockpit accessory, not an aircraft model. Glue, paints and the kit are not included in the package.