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Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero; 1/32 Tamiya


One-Oh-Four

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Nice:)

I would HIGHLY recommend the Rexx exhausts, they are so realistic you can actually see the openings of the smaller feed tubes!  The actually come weathered metal like the real thing and not aluminum like the picture shows.

 

You can but them here:

 

https://eshop.scalehobby.eu/Metal-exhausts-REXx-c4_17_2.htm

 

I can help you out with detailing the Aires cockpit when you are ready.  I have 2 extra copies of my seat, trying to get more cast for interested forum members.

 

RX32039_large_zpsrc3xvpg5.png

 

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, Scott Negron said:

Nice:)

I would HIGHLY recommend the Rexx exhausts, they are so realistic you can actually see the openings of the smaller feed tubes!  The actually come weathered metal like the real thing and not aluminum like the picture shows.

 

You can but them here:

 

https://eshop.scalehobby.eu/Metal-exhausts-REXx-c4_17_2.htm

 

I can help you out with detailing the Aires cockpit when you are ready.  I have 2 extra copies of my seat, trying to get more cast for interested forum members.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh.... Wow.... That exhaust is really something else! I must have that!

 

As for the cockpit; to my eyes (and with my knowledge) the Aires pit looks quite accurate? Please tell me what needs to be altered or if details need to be / can be added. The Aires set consists of  basically extra detailed kit parts. I'm still not sure if I'll use the resin floor and rear bulkhead or if I'll use the kit parts for that, to give the assembly some extra strength. The rear bulkhead shows some warping. Probably easy to fix with some hot water but I have the feeling that the kit part is stronger. The cockpit sides seem to have ondergone a bit of resin shrinkage; the don't immediately fit onto either the resin or the kit cockpit floor. I'll try tonight or tomorrow to get some photos up of the kit- and the resin parts for comparison, for those interested!

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Aires is notorious for resin shrinkage.  They have great customer service though and will send you replacement parts in a funky green color!  There is a bit of extra plumbing you can add with fine solder.  I also used the Eduard parts for levers and added Martha Stewart craft beads for the round knobs (you get about a million for $4 and the vary slightly in size making them perfect for 1/32 knobs).  There is a correction needed (if you want to go through the trouble) to the kit rudder pedals.  I can post pics if you like?  There's also the amazing Yahu dashboard made for it.  He's also currently working on zero cockpit placards, which are prominent in them.

 

If your parts are slightly warped, put them in hot water (about 180 F) for about 5-10 seconds then in ice water and they should return to original shape.

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Yes, please post pics of those rudder pedals! Also, I'd like to see what you've done to the seat? The only thing I can come up with in a hurry is to add 3 lightening holes in the sides...

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Now, I don't have to make a post myself:)!!!

 

Here is the port side Aires part.  It's missing the linkage for the throttle and mixture controls, cowl flap lever and wing nut to adjust tension and threaded stock to adjust, hook to attach parachute to, and some other plumbing and controls that Ryan can probably tell us what they are (LOL)!  I sure wish I could read Japanese!  There's also a flexible romex cable for the cockpit light.  The dyno shelf needs to be added too.  Once completed I will run the cables back through the rear bulkhead, I left them extra long for that purpose.

 

DSC00561_zpse28353e6.jpg

 

The starboard side has the added tail hook indicator and cable to the crank to retract it.  The zero tail hook could be "opened up" to release the plane from the carrier arresting cable.  I need to tighten some of them up.  There's also a twist pair of leads to the cockpit lamp.  The morse code shelf is empty.  Ryan indicated probably only shotaicho or higher likely had them.  I scratch build a separate more panel

 

DSC00563_zps625c9dd0.jpg

 

DSC00567_zps1eddfea5.jpg

 

Here is the cockpit floor.  Note the bottom of the rudder pedals.  I ground the bottom out and added rod styrene to replicate the wrapped hemp pedal bottom.  Later models (A6M3) had the design in the kit parts.  They are also missing some rivets.  I added the foot straps from wire and added the brake lines and PE brackets, and of course the rudder pedal cables.  There's a spring missing as resistance for the pedal adjustment star wheel (PE part) I also re-shaped the control stick boot and added the 3 snaps.  There are a few lines missing, and the T handles I replaced with styrene rod

 

DSC00556_zpsbb3e07b4.jpg

 

 

DSC00555_zps5d9e24b2.jpg

 

DSC00554_zpse20276c9.jpg

 

 

The rear panel is pretty much stock w/ PE and lead solder for the bungee cord for raising the seat:

 

DSC00558_zpsa26ff81d.jpg

 

 

Unfortunately, my seat pictures suck:(  Out of focus.  I thinned it down, drilled the side lightening holes you picked out, added back the rivet details and missing brackets on the rear for the seat belt attachment.  I also replaced the rear main horizontal bracket, I had to sand the original off to get the thinnest possible seat.  I made the brackets seat belt retaining brackets (look like ears with 3 position holes) but don't have pics.  I'm in the middle of cleaning up and painting mine so hopefully I'll have better pics soon, looks MUCH better with a coat of paint!  Note the wire around the perimeter.  I filled the seam w/ super thin CA glue to remove the seam, cut the corers off to replicate the outer wire frame the sheet metal was wrapped around.

 

Zero_Seat.jpg

 

 

Zero_Seat_2.jpg

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Hello Gentlemen,

 

Scott is giving you some pretty good advice. The one item you want to add to the right side of the cockpit is the Air Fuel Mixture Analyzer Control Box. 

 

I found out I still have a Flickr account from back in 2010 and so I finally loaded two pics onto it and am going to see if I can post these images here. These illustrate the control box that was found on all A6M2s. This box was then deleted on later models of the Zero.

 

Ryan

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/54116416@N02/shares/5htHU8

 

 https://www.flickr.com/photos/54116416@N02/shares/605X4Q

 

 

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Yes, Sensei (or more appropriately Shogun) Ryan has pointed this out to me and I need to make it.  It's the black box in the top left of this pic:

 

Exhaust gas analyzer, sounds like modern emissions sensor:)!

 

A6M2-scan4_zps70putdmn.jpg

Edited by Scott Negron
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12 hours ago, A6M said:

Hmmm. I can post a link, but I can't embed the image. Give me time to work on this.

 

Ryan

 

It looks like Flickr won't let you select the location of the image, it just gives a link that doesn't work with the forum. I hope you don't mind that I uploaded the pics to my Fotki... B)

 

46516396805_e7ceaf2a7c_o-vi.jpg

 

47378755732_119c9df3ec_o-vi.jpg

 

 

Edited by One-Oh-Four
Forgot the second pic, duhhhh....
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BTW, are the colors in the ModelArt (I presume) -illustration correct?

 

- Electrical wiring with black isolation (as opposed to white/tan (fabric) isolation that was widely used in the 40's?

- Black handles / knobs as opposed to red ones, one sees often

- What seems like a metal braided cable for the suspension of the seat. I've always thought it was some kind of off-white / tan elastic?

 

Where was the oxygen connection for the pilot's oxygen mask? I know the O2-control was in front of the stick, but I can't seem to identify a hose connector...

 

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Hello Erik,

 

Thanks for posting the images. I'm going to give Fotki a try...

All of the electrical wires I've looked at had a black fabric covering. The heavier lines are fabric covered in rubber.

The black handles/knobs in the MA image are correct for those particular pieces. They are actually black painted wood.

The seat suspension is a fabric covered bungee cord. From what I can tell the fabric could be black, gray, or off-white. It probably depended on the source of the bungee cord.

The pilot's oxygen mask plugged into the front face of the regulator. The plug was in the lower right side of the regulator. I will post pics ASAP.

The question of the Air Fuel Mixture Controls came up when I visited my father today. We discussed the procedure of leaning out the fuel mixture as altitude changed. He would use the Exhaust Temperature Gauge to get the right mixture. Interestingly the Fuel Mixture Analyzer on the A6M2 was replaced with a simple EGT gauge on the A6M3 and A6M5.

 

Ryan    

 

 

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15 hours ago, mgbooyv8 said:

Hi Erik,

 

Nice start and very good information in your thread!

I'll follow along.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

Ey Peter, welcome! It can hardly be called a start but I agree on the info! I’m counting ourselves fortunate that we’ve got access to subject-matter experts! I’m always happy to find WIP’s that not only contain the build itself but also valuable knowledge and documentation. In that way a topic can be very worthwhile even if it so happens that the model under construction doesn’t get finished! Not that I plan something like that, but I know my track-record in that respect....! :innocent:

 

No pressure, no pressure, no pressure.....!

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