1:48 Scale, Tamiya, Mitsubishi A6M5, Model 52a, Type 0 Carrier Fighter, Reporting name, 'Zeke/Zero'..
Calling this one as DONE; and this is the eighth model completed this year!
With all the rave reviews of the new 1:48 scale Eduard or Finemolds 'Zeke/Zero' out there, AND the inability to procure one, (Finemolds) for under $100 off ebay, (Which I find insane by the way...), I really wanted to build a model of the later mark of this historic aircraft.
Enter the Tamiya kit, the 2008 release kit number 61103 which I picked up at the IPMS/USA Nationals in Virginia Beach. Folks, this is a REALLY good model kit. It is packed with detail that, OOB will build into an awesome model. I can't tell you if it is, or is not better than the newer kits, (Because I have not had the pleasure of building any of them) but I will tell you it is still a phenomenal kit.
The fit, engineering and level of detail are typical of the newer Tamiya kits. It was always one of those kits that I knew would be one I eventually got around to. I guess all the hub bub of the newer kits kind of forced the issue?
I used the kit's own decals, a custom mix of Tamiya Acrylics for paint, Infini Scale Aero Rigging for the aerial and thinned oils and pastel chalks for weathering.
Markings are for a machine attached to the 652 Kokutai, and served aboard the Japanese carrier HMIJS Jun'yo during the fleet engagement in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19 June, 1944. This was the infamous, "Marianas Turkey Shoot", where close to four hundred Japanese land and carrier based aircraft were shot down by US Navy pilots. The result of this engagement was that it broke the back of Japan's carrier force, reducing it to a mere shell of it's former self. The next A6M kit will be the Academy A6M2 but I will get to that at a later date, (There are a couple things I am not too wild about, but it looks overall to be a decent kit).
I thoroughly recommend this kit. Especially if you don't feel like paying through the nose for the Eduard kit, OR being scalped by an Ebay seller for the Finemolds offering.
PS, Don't Poo Poo the Hasegawa kits either. In spite of their age, they also still build up into respectable representations of the A6M series.
Anyway, with this done, I have to focus on the Japanese tank I started, the Tamiya 1:35 scale Chi Ha, and try to get that done for the NATS in August.
Thanks for looking and I hope everyone has a great day!
Cheers!
Freddie from Palm Beach
So many models, so little time...Yo...
The latest and greatest kits arent always the easiest kits to build too. The word fiddly can apply to some kits. A lot of the Tamiya kits are engineered to be built for the ease of having completed. The bottom line Frederick is your happy and you had a good experience, didnt break the bank and came up with a lovely build. Two thumbs up.
Thanks Stephen!
That’s one of things that are great about their kits; ease of build. The newer the kit the better the engineering, level of detail and still maintaining the ease of build Tamiya is known for.
I have a couple of the Eduard kits, and they look fantastic, and fiddly, and I am sure are also beautiful models to build.
I bought this kit back in 2008 when it was sold in the USA at the NATS in Virginia Beach. It was the state of the art at the time. Too bad they one produced two A6M kits in this new style and none of the rest of the Zero family like Eduard is doing, and as Hasegawa did in the past.
A beauty, Fred @fjs3! How right you are - so much plastic, so little time…great build!
Thank you Felix.
Well-done, Freddie. Build & finish look great.
Thanks Bob.
Well done, Frederick. I built the Hasegawa version and thoroughly enjoyed it as well
Thanks, George!
That's a good-looking Zeke - well done!
Thanks again, Greg
That's a really nice result, Frederick @fjs3
Beautifully painted and weathered.
Thank you, John
Nice work, Frederick. I’ve long since passed the point where I need the latest kit of common subjects. I get the most pleasure when I build from my stash, many of which are old kits bought for a pittance at shows.
Thanks John.
While I still do love to get the "Latest and Greatest", sometimes the latest isn't always the greatest. I love to build out from my stash, problem is, I'm gonna get another kit because I made room for it...if that makes any sense.
I totally understand that. After liquidating a lot of my stash over the last few years, I keep track too. I’m just about to finish number six for the year and have only bought two. Last year I built 12, sold 45, and bought 10.
Freddie, this is a beautiful build, and I fully agree that this "old" kit is a great one that stands up well beside the newest releases, but I am a bit concerned about the prices you are stating for other kits. I got both the first two A6M5 Fine Mold kits from Japan including shipping for less than what you're seeing on eBay for one kit. Of course, that was before the tariff insanity, but it wasn't a difficult shopping venture. Concerning the Academy A6M2, there is a set of replacement control surfaces from CMK that will improve the most obvious short-coming of that kit, and the rest of the kit is very nice and less fiddly than the Eduard version.
Hey Chris,
With the Fine Molds kits, Hobby Link Japan does not have either version in stock. To make matter worse, they list both as being out of production. Now that could mean that they are just out of inventory, and may soon get them back IN, but as of yesterday, 4/28/25, they had not...yet. If you go the ebay route, you'd better be prepared to pony up some cash for them. I have seen them listed for as little $85/90 and as high as $120.
The Academy kit I find to be very nice. My area of concern is the decking piece, immediately in front of the windscreen. Not loving the way that part fits onto the fuselage. I think the control surfaces look a bit overstated, but when painted and weathered, that will subside...I hope? I am working on the cockpit of that kit as we speak and it pretty much has excellent fit everywhere else. I rate it as good as the Hasegawa kits, ahead of the old Tamiya kit and right below the Eduard kit. Again, that's just my opinion so there's that too.
I appreciate your input and I think that we pretty much agree.
Thanks for your comments!
Cheers! 🙂
G’day Freddie (@fjs3),
A nice clean build of a classic aircraft.
This is a kit that is starting to float to the top of my build list.
I have both this and the A6M3 and, like you, wonder why Tamiya didn’t refresh their line and replace the older ‘70s vintage zeros to cover the whole family.
Still, now we have a range of brands to choose from that cover all variants.
Loked!
Thank you, Michael.
If Tamiya had done all the variants, they would have cornered the market on Zero kits years ago. My biggest gripe was the A6M2; probably the type that saw the most action, from China through Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Midway, the Guadalcanal sea and air battles and the rest of the Solomons, I would think that would have been the mark they did first.
Anyway, what do I know, I just buy em and build em!
Fantastic result from the great Tamiya kit, Frederick! This is a real beauty! How nice that Tamiya managed to make a model so detailed, yet not overengineered!
Thanks, Spiros!
I am thinking that, "Over Engineering" is the wave of the future with model kit design. It bumps up the parts count with a lot of extras, SOME of which cannot be seen. Bumps the price of the kits too. Thanks again, Sir! 😉
Nicely done, Frederick
Thank you, Gary
Very sharp work with realistic finish. Thanks for sharing!
A great result from a true quality kit. I'm just about to start one for our club group build. If it turns out anything like yours I'll be a very happy modeller. I agree with Spiros that a high parts count seems to be getting out of hand (but it could also be my eyesight!). I still have a good number of the "earlier" Tamiya kits & I have no hesitation in building them. I can add more detail if I want to & I don't mind doing a bit of scratch building if the need arises. I can't honestly see the need for a rudder bar assembly requiring five parts in 1/48 scale though. There is a lot to be said for the KISS principle!
Thank you, Tony!
I agree 100% with you; five piece rudder bar…no thanks!
I just like Tamiya’s approach. Right from the box you can build a terrific looking model, and the detail is there. If you want to juice it up with aftermarket, then do that.
I do use some aftermarket from time to time, weighted tires, exhaust stacks and occasional seat but I am pretty much an OOB builder.
Very well done. I agree, Tamiya and Hasegawa Zeros are great for the money, I've got some of each.