A6M5 Zero, Revell, 1/48
Here's my new model, a Revell 1/48 Scale A6M5 Zero. This is a small, simple model, a grand total of 28 parts, 36 if you count the 9 decals I used! Of course it's rated for ages 10 and up, so I only barely meet that criteria, by the slim margin of 45 years...it's right up my alley!
As I'm sure many of you know, it's an old kit too. There is a copyright 1962 on it, fortunately inside the wing. I hate it when they put them on the exterior.
As a rule, I "don't do pilots", I like the planes, but I had to make an exception for this one, because aside from the mostly hidden control panel, the pilot is the only other part in the cockpit. His seat is a part of him...which would make it hard to get out, or stand up, I bet!
This kit has a sprayed on underside of MM "Camo Gray" and a thinned and brushed on ("Hair Brush" not "Air Brush") upper sides in MM "Japanese Army Navy Green". I painted the canopy by hand without trying to mask it.
I wanted to get this little model done because its been on my shelf for a while and I thought, being simple, I could get it done and leave plenty of time to get the much, much more complex Italeri JU-87 Stuka kit done that I have chosen for my part in the Battle of France/Battle of Britain Group Build, which has an October 31 deadline.
Thanks for looking and keep posting photos of those wonderful models I enjoy admiring so much- Ralph
Hi Ralph good work on a very old (for me) kit !
Hi Ralph. Who says a new tune can't be played on an old fiddle. She might be old but you did a stellar job on this old gal.
So, does the landing gear still retract? It's the Monogram Zero, which is a good, basic kit. I know I had one, but it disappeared, what with the moves, Army, marraige, kids.
The markings on yours are far more authentic than what they gave you back when.
Good job on her, looks the part, good old Monogram!
We'll the "symbology" in what passes for instructions seems to indicate the wheels retract or should be built closed, it's hard to tell. I made them fixed, lowered to avoid collapse. It's pretty flimsy.
Nicely done Ralph, the kits nearly as old as me.
But then I suppose every kit that came out was the mutts nutz.
Well done mate.
nice work on a classic kit!
That come out great Ralph. Your brush painted canopy looks very nice. As does the rest of your model. Good Stuff!
California Steve
Good work here Ralph. I like your brush work.
Hey, Ralph, keep posting your own wonderful models, too, I'm sure we all enjoy them, I certainly enjoyed looking at this one!
Well done Ralph. Great paint work.
Ralph,
Looks great to me. You can't knock the old Monogram kits. They were the cats meow in their day and they still hold up well. I like what you did with this one
Thank you, Frank. Part the whole idea with this was to see if painting it by hand with thinned paint would give any kind of decent result. A nice looking model posted here a month or two ago have me the idea, helpful since my rattle can color options are limited and spray paint is unforgiving
Nice looking Zeke Ralph. Wish you'd left the gear retractable, the play value is much higher that way. 😉
Well I did consider it, but thought it would be hard to fix after it broke, which I expected to not take long to happen!
Good job what you done in the model, really. I'm thinking to buy this kit for my birthday, but the other idea was a Tamiya zero kit, but, in my country, the unic option will be this one, I want it to play too, and as well you mention, the landing gear is flumsy, and I will take that tip, but, something what I can do, and you probably you should did, is reforce the gear parts putting in the middle between the gear leg and the gear door, but if your concept its what is week from the axis what make it rotable inside the wing, I'll be carefull about that. I really don't care about if it have or not a lot of details on the kit. It is really good buddy
Thanks Sebastian!
Hello dude, I got a question, what are real dimensions of the plane?, did you mid with a rulle?, because, in the box say the kit lengths, but for the 1/48 scale are other measures passing the original measures to scale ones, so, does it change? greedings.
Hector, it is difficult to measure this three dimensional model accurately with a two dimensional rule, but I get its wingspan right at 9.0" (22.9 cm) and its length at 7.4" (18.8 cm) including the propeller spinner. I hope this helps -
I have this model as well in the same color scheme, have always really liked it. Yours looks great!