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Best 1/48 A6M2 Zero kit?


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Hi All,

 

I currently have, and am working on, a Tamiya A6M5/5a late war Mitsubishi Zero fighter, and have gotten some fantastic color info from Nick MIllman.  

 

However, I am now interested in an early war Zero, like the Pearl Harbor vintage Zero, an A6M2, I think is the correct version identification.  I think there are several kits, by Tamiya, Hasegawa, maybe Fine Molds, perhaps more.  I'd be interested in hearing from those of you have have experience building whatever version you think may be the best, in terms of accuracy and fit/engineering, though I'm pretty sure there aren't any recent new toolings on this plane.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Edited by Curt B
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Hasegawa. Nicely detailed and well engineered. I like Hasegawa's 1/48 Zero series overall. They're a fun and enjoyable build. There are also numerous boxings with all sorts of decal options. 

 

Tamiya's A6M-2 is old. It's not bad but isn't well detailed, particularly in the cockpit. The instrument panel is completely flat and uses decals for the details. 

 

The Pegasus snap kit seems like a copy of the Tamiya kit. The panel lines are recessed and maybe a bit heavy. It doesn't have a lot of detail in the cockpit or wheel wells. It's not the worst 1/48 model I've seen especially for the $8.00 or so that it sells for.

 

I can't think of any other 1/48 A6M-2s. If I missed one, I'm sure someone will point it out.

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For an A6M2 (or -3), it's hard to go wrong with the Hasegawa kits. They've issued a large number of boxings of both the A6M2a Type 11 and the A6M2b Type 21, the latter being the version seen in the Pearl Harbor attack. According to the Hasegawa kit list at Modeling Madness, all the Type 21 and Type 11 kits have the same plastic (no different wing moldings for folding or non-folding wings) and everything needed for a Type 21, but the Type 11 kits also provide the earlier rear canopy. Obviously, markings will vary from box to box.

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Thanks, guys.  I know that it's hard to go wrong with a Tamiya model, but when I was a kid building models (this was the late '60s/early '70s) Hasegawa kits were the ones I used to like best.   I know they still have some great stuff, so I'm thrilled that you have recommended a Has kit for a Pearl Harbor vintage Zero.  I appreciate your comments, and so the Hasegawa version in will be!

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FWIW, it's a closer contest if/when you go for an A6M5 since both Tamiya and Hasegawa have produced good, relatively recent moldings. I have both and have built the Tamiya kit. It's really well done, and the cockpit detail OOB is extremely fine IMHO. My one disappointment is the fact that the sliding canopy cannot be easily posed open. I replaced it with the Hasegawa part, which fit perfectly, and will use a vacuform piece if/when I build the Hasegawa kit.

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19 hours ago, tarlucan said:

Tamiya has also released a new mold A6M3 which is based on their excellent A6M5 - kit no. 61108.

 

Were any A6M3s used at Pearl Harbor...I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment 🤨

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On 8/3/2020 at 9:54 PM, Curt B said:

Were any A6M3s used at Pearl Harbor...I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment 🤨

No. The -3 didn't come around until the Battle of Santa Cruz (October of 1942 or thereabouts). As far as I know, the A6M-2 was in the front lines from Pearl Harbor through Coral Sea and Midway. 

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On 8/5/2020 at 8:31 AM, Chriss7607 said:

No. The -3 didn't come around until the Battle of Santa Cruz (October of 1942 or thereabouts). As far as I know, the A6M-2 was in the front lines from Pearl Harbor through Coral Sea and Midway. 

Thank you, sir.

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