Curt B Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Hi All, Just beginning my build of one of the Eduard 1/48 Tora Tora Tora Zeros. I'd really been anxious to see what these guys look like, and while I was impressed with the Tamiya A6M5 cockpit detail, the Eduard detail, presuming, of course, that it is fully accurate, blows it away, this based just on the instructions, since I began with the wings today, and painting the Aotake parts of the wings and fuselage interior. I was really happy with the look of the Gunze Aqueous H63 Metallic Blue-Green version of the Aotake color, first time using it. I'll work on the cockpit beginning tomorrow. I wanted to ask if anyone knows if, like the Spitfire, the early, Pearl Harbor Zeros had any typical/characteristic 'looks' when parked on the ground, such as drooping elevators, or any other typical control surfaces that are other than in alignment with the wings/elevators/rudder, or whether everything should just be in perfect alignment. I could probably research, but I'm sure there are experts who could give me the straight scoop. I got the Gunze lacquer colors that should be mixed 50-50 Gunze as per the Eduard Profipack Zero (Eduard 82212) instructions (lacquer colors C336 and C60), which differ from the exterior paint color which is recommended in the Tora instructions. Per one of the posters on Britmodeler, the 50-50 mix is a 'better' color than the 70-30 mix of different colors in the Tora instructions. Then, too , I'm also going to get some of new lineup of IJN colors from MRP, which just recently showed up on the SprueBrothers website. We shall see which, the Gunze mixture, or the MRP straight from the bottle look better to my eyes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WarrenD Posted January 30, 2022 Share Posted January 30, 2022 Hi Curt, if memory serves, I don't think the flaps were dropped on these while on the ground as a matter of habit. I've seen a few with rudders turned, etc. Also, be aware, that aotake coloring of the wheel wells only occurred on Nakajima-built a/c. If you're doing a Nakajima Model 21, you're golden. I only mention it because I've seen quite a few builds where folks paint the wheel wells aotake on Mitusbishi-built A6M2's. (I'm in the middle of two Tamiya 1/72nd Zekes right now. I'll try to peruse my references for confirmation on the controls surfaces if you want.) Warren Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Curt B Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 Warren, many thanks, sir, for your input! Also, thanks for the jog about the aotake. It so happens I am extremely aware of the Mitsubishi and Nakajima differences, since, when I built my first Zero, a Tamiya 1/48 A6M5, I'd corresponded in great depth with Nick MIllman, who pointed out those details, among many other things. Granted, that build got the dark green upper surfaces, and this one will be the overall gray-green, but the point is still valid. It's going to be a bit until I get to the flaps and elevators (installing them, I mean), so if you DO happen to find evidence of droop, I'll gladly use that to droop mine, just for interest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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