Daz's Zero warbird

[DazDaMan]

I always wanted to add a 1/48th scale Zero to the collection, and since I rather like the Arii kits, I thought I would do one of these:



My intention is to build it as the only flyable Zero which has its original Sakae engine:

[DazDaMan]

My kit came today.

Happy Daz!

[Gadfly]

Those old Otaki kits are very nice. I haven't built the Zero but have a Hellcat on the go. Considering the age of the tooling they are quite remarkable and scrub up well.

[59North]

I've always liked the ARII boxings. Don't have any left myself, but they were a go to in the old days.

[DazDaMan]

Those old Otaki kits are very nice. I haven't built the Zero but have a Hellcat on the go. Considering the age of the tooling they are quite remarkable and scrub up well.

The Spitfire is my "go to" for a bit of quick 1/48th amusement - still got one in the stash somewhere!

[DazDaMan]

A bunch of Zero bits:



The canopy is still in the box. Lots of flash on the airframe, though.

[DazDaMan]

So, made a start on the Zero tonight....

Painting the interior bits:


The first bits to be assembled were the wings:

[DazDaMan]

Cockpit assembled:


Fuselage going together:


The wings in the background are done - I had to remove the bomb racks and fill in the holes, as the real Zero doesn't have them.

[DazDaMan]

Cockpit installed in the fuselage:


Flying surfaces fitted:


Starting to look like a Zero now...

[DazDaMan]

With the engine mount fitted, I managed to get a quick layer of light grey paint on the undersides before bed:

[DazDaMan]

First layer of black-green on the top:

[MarkyM607]

Looking good. Interesting to see your interior colour, is it the kit choice or yours?, as my Airfix Zero says everything in the cockpit should be Humbrol 64, which is grey!.

[DazDaMan]

Neither - it's the closest colour I have to what it looks like in the photos.

[Kevan Bailey]

My man!

[DazDaMan]

The camo is done. Rambo looks on approvingly.