Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero Type 21 'Super Ace' with resin figure

[Mike]

Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero Type 21 'Super Ace' with resin figure

1:48 Hasegawa

The iconic Zero fighter took many variants through its long career in service with the Imperial Japanese Navy. Referred to as Zeke by the Allies, its nickname came from its reference as Type Zero in IJN nomenclature, and was more often called that than its official Allied designation - certainly in Hollywood at least.

It's only natural that a Japanese manufacturer such as Hasegawa should have a number of indigenous aircraft in their line-up, and this is only one of their wide repertoire. The kit arrives in a top opening box, and features a painting of the aircraft at rest with a proud pilot stood before it with his hands on his hips. This is entirely relevant to the review, as you get a pilot figure in pretty much that pose to go with your kit, so the picture will also serve as an assistance to the painting guide.

Inside the box are three sprues of shiny grey styrene, a bag containing decals, clear sprue and another bag containing the resin pilot figure.

Detail on the plastic is the usual fine engraved panel lines that we have come to expect from Hasegawa, with plenty of raised detail where appropriate in the gear bays, cockpit and around the engine assembly.

The cockpit assembles as a tub inside the fuselage, with sidewall detail included in the tub. Detail is very nice, depicting the ribs and stringers of the fuselage nicely. The pilot's seat is well moulded with lightening holes portrayed as depressions in the plastic. These will be simplicity itself to drill out with an appropriate sized drill bit chucked into your pin vice. The instrument panel is covered in raised detail for the dials, and you get three decals to apply to the various banks of instruments. No surrounding color is included with the decals, which will free you to use your favourite interior color without having to worry about matching it to the decals. The carrier film will need trimming however, as it's quite large, but seems thinner than usual, which will doubtless help settling them down.

The kit includes a full engine, with both banks of 7 pistons provided, plus a simplified rendition of the collector ring behind it, which will most likely never be seen. At the front you get a bell housing with delicate radial spokes, which will need care when handling. A little additional wiring from some scrap lead wire and you'll have a perfectly acceptable engine front, as only a small proportion is visible through the crisply moulded single-piece engine cowling. The cooling flaps are positioned closed, so very little of the rear of the motor will be visible unless you elect to cut and open them.

The main landing gear bays are moulded integral to the wing underside, with a small additional part forming the front inner section of the bay and providing the prominent intake on the underside of the interface between the cowl and fuselage. Detail here is fine with two extra parts giving extra detail. The bay doors are commendably thin with plenty of surface detail, and the gear legs sturdy, fixing into the bays with a strong lug & socket arrangement. Wheels are simple one piece affairs, wearing smooth treaded tyres with no weighting. The hubs are simple by design, and have a keyed socket to attach to the gear leg spindle.

The canopy is very clear and thin, comprising three separate parts to allow you to pose it partly or fully open. The prop is built from three separate blades that rest in keyed sockets on the prop boss back plate, over which the spinner slides. There is a choice of two prop bosses on the sprues, so choose wisely for this mark, which you must also do to pick the correct bell housing at the front of the engine earlier in the build. The only additional item included for the airframe is a central fuel tank often used on longer range missions.

As mentioned earlier, a resin pilot figure is included with this kit, wearing period IJN flying suit, boots and flotation jacket. There is a choice of two heads, one with flying helmet, the other without, showing a slightly less cheerful expression. The choice is yours, and the sculpting of the figure is excellent, up there with the best currently available. Clean up of these resin parts is simple, with minimal attachment points to the pour blocks, so should not put off a resin novice, as long as they remember to use Super Glue (CA) to attach the resin parts of course!

Decals are provided for three airframes, as follows:

• 201st naval Flying group, Flown by W.O. Tetsuzo Iwamoto Nov 1943, Rabaul (green over grey green)
  
• ZUIKAKU, 2nd Section first aircraft, NAP 1/C Tetsuo Iwamoto Dec 1041 Pearl Harbour Attack (all grey green)
  
• OPPAMA Naval Flying Group, NAP 1/C Tetsuzo Iwamoto Feb 1943 (all grey green)
  

Decals are excellent, with vibrant hinomaras, codes, tail bands and walkways all provided. Data plates and mission markings are also provided, and the decals seem to be a step up from Hasegawa decals of old, with thin transparent carrier film.

Conclusion

Another excellent Zero release from Hasegawa, which should build up quickly and easily from the box. The inclusion of a crew figure in a standing pose is a nice touch, which begs the modeller to provide a diorama setting on which to stand the finished model.

Mould quality is top notch, with plenty of neat engineering to ensure an easy build. Recommended to all skill levels.

Review sample courtesy of UK distributors for

[daz greenwood]

Great review Mike!

Shame it's not my scale

[junco]

Any chance of posting apic of the Pilot please Mike as I have previous issues of the 21 and would like to see the figure?

Thanks

Neil