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Mitsubishi Zero A6M2a Type 11


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Hello guys!

Well, I guess this one is has allready been beaten to death :woot.gif:... but I still don't have an answer that I'm satisfied with.

So after some research...

The early Zeros in B&W photos looks like they are painted, perhaps a light grey, but today we know there might have been one more options.

The first one is the "Hemp" color, a grey-green brownish color. and the second one a light grey green color something like a lightened RLM02 - look alike.

So, if it's just a light grey I guess I can use a light grey color and maybe add white to it.

If it's "Hemp" perhaps I canuse Tamiya XF 12 and add some Tan color to it.

If it's light grey green, I can use XF 12 straight up.

Any suggestions?

At the moment I'm building Hasegawa's 1:48 scale A6m2a Type 11, fanning the flames..., they suggest to paint the aircraft with 2(!) different mixes of Gunze's colors, thus (perhaps) making two different grey-green-hemp-whatever color. One for the front of the A/C and one for the back, parting just about the mid section of the fuselage Hinomaru.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

S.

Edited by Shahar Levi
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I used Gunze's RLM 02 on my 1/72 Pearl Harbor Zero 21, and like the result. I'm not sure what the closest Tamiya equivalent would be.

Photos show early Zeroes in China with a lighter color on the rear fuselage..there are a number of theories, but I haven't really looked into it that deeply.

SN

Zero01.jpg

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The two tone was from the front of the aircraft being covered with a tarp, the exposed area, rear fuselage "faded" in the sun. I have seen pictures somewhere of A6M11's in China I think with tarps over cockpit , forward fuselage area. HTH---John

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Thanks a lot guys. :D

I guess I will have to trial a bit with what I got.

Perhaps I'll begin with Tamiya IJN grey and maybe add a little tan and/or white to it and see what happenes before I'll paint the model.

Edited by Shahar Levi
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Guys, if you haven't followed the LOOOOOOOOONG discussions of this color on J-Aircraft over the past 6-8 years, let me summarize the current research by several noted experts on the subject. This includes discovery of well preserved examples of Zero 21 panels with original paint intact:

Zeros were not light grey

Zeros were not RLM grey

Zeros *were* a rather deep, rich shade of what's been described as "pistachio green". Apparently this paint had a tendency to chalk up when exposed to UV light (as in the Solomons), giving rise to the myth of light grey Zeros. In b&w photos it is *impossible* to say exactly what color anything is, so that's right out as a 'reference' on Zero colors.

Tamiya were so convinced of the correctness of this research that they came out with an new Tamiya acrylic bottle and spray can matched to the existing samples of the real thing. It's *much* darker and greener than anyone ever thought, and its use will require a readjustment of our brains, since we "knew" all these years what color Zeros "really" were. But then for decades we "knew" that all Bf109s and Fw190s were RLM 70/71/65 right up to May of 1945. Dave noted the reference numbers for this color.

I'm sure there are people who will go on debating this for decades, but I think the consensus is that Zeros were green, not grey. An odd shade of green, to be sure, but green none the less.

J

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Just to add to what Jennings mentioned, the intial revision on the accepted light gray conventional wisdom was the "caramel" shade, about 3 or 4 years ago IIRC, then it switched to the now accepted "pistachio green" color.

Regards,

Murph

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Actually, Vals and Kates are a completely different kettle o' fish. Japanese colors varied by manufacturer, each coming up with their own "take" on the specified colors. The guys at j-aircraft will have more specific info, but I believe the current accepted color for Vals is a brownish-gray, almost a tan shade.

SN

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Like this one?

a6m7-1.jpg

Nuts! :thumbsup:

j-aircraft, lots of interesting stuff in there. Well I suppose I'll paint the Zero XF-76.

NOOOOO!!! That's an A6M5 that's in dark green. We're talking about early Zeros. A6M2 and A6M3 only. I'm not aware that any A6M5 ever wore the "pistachio green" scheme.

J

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What's the best Zero kit in 1/72 & 1/48?

What model Zero? Right now in 1/48 the early ones are best represented by the Hasegawa kits. However (caveat) they appear to have been done from some inaccurate drawings, and suffer from some proportion issues (according to my Japanese sources who have researched this extensively). They do look a lot like Zeros though. The new Tamiya A6M5 kit is alleged to be *the* best 1/48 fighter kit ever done.

Not sure about 1/72. Tooooo tiny for me.

J

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What's the best Zero kit in 1/72 & 1/48?

Best in 1/72 scale are the Fine Moulds kits, they literally require no aftermarket. After that would be the Hasegawa kits, then the Academy one (which is said to have a weird nose shape).

Regards,

Murph

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