Daz's Pearl Harbor gift set - two out of three ain't bad!

[DazDaMan]

So, the girlfriend heard me mention that I was doing a Pearl Harbor GB, and thankfully she remembered to get me this for my birthday last month:



Yes, the Airfix Pearl Harbor 75th anniversary gift set, which includes:
1) Curtiss P-40B Warhawk
2) Mitsubishi A6M2B-21 "Zero"
3) Nakajima B5N2 "Kate"

I've built Airfix's new-tool Zero before, and it was a lovely wee thing, so I hope the others are just as nice!

Anyway, here's a photo of the parts in their bags:


I also imagine this will be getting watched at some point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n1pKsGqrqQ[/youtube]

I'll not bother splitting up the builds into separate threads, so progress will be contained in the one.

[DazDaMan]

First up, the legendary A6M2 Zero....

The kit has a decent smattering of well-detailed parts, and nothing looks too complicated about it:


First bits to be built were the wings:

these are just three main parts - top and bottom halves, plus the full-length underside. No issues here.

Painting the interior parts:


The kits will all be done as per the box art, so no faffing about with AM stuff here.

I am, however, faffing about with the idea that I might build the three aircraft with their gear up, so as to look as though the P-40 is engaging them in combat....

[DazDaMan]

Cockpit parts assembled:


Fuselage halves going together:


I'll install the cockpit after a final quick coat of paint. I reckon she should start looking like a Zero before I head to work!

[DazDaMan]

Cockpit installed:


Wings and tail fitted:

[Dazzled]

The P-40 is a peach of a kit. I've built a couple, one of them for the last Pearl Harbour GB.

[DazDaMan]

The P-40 will be done after the Zero...

Anyhoo, progress on the Zero. Engine installed, and the cowling temporarily hung to check fit etc:



First coat of paint:


I'd been advised against using the paints Airfix supplied as they were too light for a Pearl Harbor-era Zero. I've used a thinned coat of RAC medium grey here, and to my eye it doesn't look too bad.

I've built the model with the gear up, so as to mount it on a stand. At the moment I'm modifying the drop-tank so the stand will slot into the bottom of it. Fingers crossed it works, as the drop-tank is something I don't think the Zero should be without!

[DazDaMan]

After a bit of discussion, I've redone the Zero's paint scheme with a mix of greenish-grey and white so that, with any luck, it will look a bit closer to this:

[DazDaMan]

The photos don't really show it properly, but this is the Zero after the repaint, using RAC a mix of greenish-grey and white.







The photos make it look darker than what it is!

[TobyC]

What no Spitfires?
Nice kit that

[DazDaMan]

Not this time!

[MarkyM607]

They're on the window sill in that pic of the underside. And you thought you could convince us you're on other things!.

[DazDaMan]

Haha, good shout.

I've actually got a Monogram Spit IX I want to do at some point. It's just waiting for a gap in the queue!

[Kitaholic]

looking good for a non-spitfire Trying to work out what you use Sainsbury's Chilli Pesto for in modelling, paint stripper?

[DazDaMan]

With a few more bits fitted:


The Zero is going to be mounted on a stand, along with the P-40, in a dogfight pose.

[DazDaMan]

After ANOTHER repaint, and now with the canopy painted and the model mounted on its stand: