A6M2 Zero - Attack on Pearl Harbor

[Green KreationZ]

This is the 3rd plane included in the Hasegawa 1/48 "Pearl Harbor Attack" limited release. The other two planes in the kit were a B6N2 Kate and a D3A1 Val which I have already completed.

B5N2 Kate:

D3A1 Val:

The A6M2 included in the kit is offered in the markings of EII-102 (Mobile Task Force over sky direct support unit from carrier Zuikaku) or AI-110 (Pearl Harbor 2nd Attack unit from carrier Akagi). I will be going with AI-110.

Along with the Hasegawa kit, I also purchased Eduard detail set, Eduard seat belts, and Eduard mask.

The first thing I have planned to do is to add in additional rivets.

[406 Silverado]

I’m definitely gonna be in on this!!!

[kyledehart5]

Can’t wait to see this one come together after seeing the others. Going to be an awesome lineup.

[Green KreationZ]

Rivets applied:


Cockpit cleaned up and painted in IJN Cockpit Green (Tamiya XF-71):

[kyledehart5]

Off to a quick start here. I love the Zero.

[thug626]

Tuned in and bookmarked.

[Green KreationZ]

Dec 26, 2023 2:25:30 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Off to a quick start here. I love the Zero.

Yep, trying to get her finished so I can jump on the FW-190 build. I love all the Japanese planes and ships! 

[kyledehart5]

Dec 26, 2023 11:48:29 GMT -5 Green KreationZ said:

Dec 26, 2023 2:25:30 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Off to a quick start here. I love the Zero.

Yep, trying to get her finished so I can jump on the FW-190 build. I love all the Japanese planes and ships! 

me too! I need to build some of them! For now I’m happy to watch you build them.

[deafpanzer]

The rivets really look great! What kind of tool did you use or how did you do this? I have some older kits that needs rivets to be applied too.

[Green KreationZ]

Dec 27, 2023 8:40:49 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

The rivets really look great! What kind of tool did you use or how did you do this? I have some older kits that needs rivets to be applied too.

Thank you! 

The tool I used is - HUBEST Model Rivet Maker Tool with Handle for Model Hobby Craft Building Accessories Tool(Set S4)

a.co/d/a04Po28

There is various sizes to choose from depending on your scale. 

It is similar to using a small pizza cutter. Some areas like the wings you can use a ruler to help keep it straight, but other areas like the fuselage require you to freehand it. I have messed up plenty of times and had to go back and sand away my mistakes lol. 

[Medicman71]

Very nice start!

[406 Silverado]

I"ve got a tool pretty similar to this Keith. It attaches to my X-acto knife and had a chance to use it during my Arado 234 build. These things sure make a difference as your reuslts clearly point out.

[Green KreationZ]

Medicman71 406 Silverado - Thank you both!

Tonight I was able to get the interior finished!

Base coat:

XF-71 (IJN Cockpit Green)

Weathering:

Oil paint - Black

Dry Pigment - Soot, Green, Dirty rubble, Beach sand, Rust

Dry Brush - XF-71 (IJN Cockpit green), XF-70  (Dark Green), XF-16 (Flat Aluminum)

Tomorrow I plan on getting the fuselage glued up.

Cheers!

[jeaton01]

Excellent cockpit!

[TJ]

Fantastic start. Cockpit is ultra realistic

[Green KreationZ]

jeaton01  TJ - Thank you both! First cockpit done with some decent brushes, and I can already tell a big difference. No more random frayed strands painting something I don’t want painted lol. 

[handiabled]

Bookmarked this! Your work looks top notch as usual. The office looks great and rivet work adds so very much to the look of the bird

[Green KreationZ]

Dec 31, 2023 10:28:36 GMT -5 handiabled said:

Bookmarked this! Your work looks top notch as usual. The office looks great and rivet work adds so very much to the look of the bird

Thank you handiabled 

Glad to have you following along! 

[adt70hk]

Great work on the cockpit so far.

And the other two look very good indeed!

ATB.

Andrew

[thug626]

THAT is a very nicely rendered Pit!

[Green KreationZ]

adt70hk  thug626 - Thank you both!! 

Got her all glued up. Only noticeable big putty job ahead will be fixing a crack on the bottom. 

[handiabled]

Coming together fast! I am looking forward to the engine and whatever magic you put on it

[kyledehart5]

Oh yeah. Quick work! Looks like an airplane now

[Green KreationZ]

handiabled kyledehart5 Gotta hustle through and get onto the Fw-190 builds haha! 


Seem lines filled:






Sanding complete, Engine assembled, Fuel tank assembled: 




Hasegawa doesn’t care if bullets run into the engine cowl apparently… 




This is just a dry fit of the engine cowl, but based on how it fits every where else, I think this was just an oversight on Hasegawa’s part. The plastic on this particular kit is rather thin and brittle, so I am a bit nervous to remedy the issue…. Other than that specific angle; you cannot tell:

[kyledehart5]

Interesting when everything looks so nice on the kit. But, as you so, from the other angles all looks perfectly fine, so maybe they just weren't too worried about it. And I have run into some similar feeling Hasegawa plastic on a couple of their F1 kits. Made me extremely hesitant to do any body work. 

[TJ]

I don't think I had that issue when I built my A6M3

[M1Carbine]

Terror - Looks fantastic. the front office is stunning!

-Bob

[Green KreationZ]

As always, I appreciate the feedback and your following of this WIP.

So... I remedied the cowling issue. I had to cut a section of the engine off which was preventing the cowl from going any lower:

I applied metallic blue paint (Tamiya X-13) to sections of the gear flaps and inside the engine cowling:

Lastly I applied Alclad aluminum to the prop, engine, landing gear, and a few other misc parts:

[handiabled]

Nice fix with the cowling

[Medicman71]

Great fix on the cowling.