A pair of Zeroes
Quite a bit of detail can be extracted from Airfix’s moulds- not as good as Tamiya’s - harnesses are from my recent Ju-88….I’ll tone them down a bit looking at these pictures! Airfix, naturally, don’t provide them at this ‘starter kit’ level
So here’s Tamiya….ahead in detail and intricacies- I’ve used an aluminium dry-brush to highlight. Some subtle washes to follow…
Airfix the quicker of the two to this stage- the least complicated- but again not too many sacrifices to detail
Pure artistry from Tamiya. Any
“Ham-fistedness”…model maker’s own! ?
“Ham-fistedness”…model maker’s own! ?
Mind.
Blown.
Tamiya’s finesse in 72nd plastic is peerless
Blown.
Tamiya’s finesse in 72nd plastic is peerless
This little lot’s got to go together. Flawlessly it would seem.
This is Tamiya’s trade mark. Put your sides together and insert cockpit tub from underneath to ensure a tight, square fit.
Both sides together, both together!
Sprayed the wheel wells & inside of gear doors. Tamiya metallic blue with some drops of their clear green. Both models done. Featured here is Airfix which being the slightly simpler kit edges forward.
Airfix: a little Mr Surfacer for a very small gap in wing root. Otherwise spot on engineering
Spot the difference?
Not easy from the picture.
Not easy from the picture.
Dimensionally near-identical. Tamiya’s plastic is just that bit crisper and sharper. Probably at the limit for styrene’s injection tolerance?
A pair of black birds
I’ve preshaded Airfix with Xtreme dark aluminium
Trying Tamiya’s lacquer paints. This is on Airfix. Omens are good so far. May try to spray the red circles too. May.
Trying 2 methods of roundel painting- 1st the red over the base IJN grey-green…
The 2nd, the red over the primer with a mask to go over it.
AI-102 about to depart.
Another grainy close up of the tail shows the yellow bands.
Not bad: first attempt in 72nd at hinomarus.
I think I’m better masking over the grey-green as I did on the undersides, then spray the red.
Better control versus the red first, then grey-green
Better control versus the red first, then grey-green
Undercarriage hydraulics - simply small electric wires
Airfix decals and added the yellow bands on the tail. Airfix don’t provide the prominent red propellor markings, so will need to find some from the decal spares.
Airfix: IJN grey-green from Tamiya lacquers.
Tamiya: decided to spray the identification bands rather than use the kits. 50-50 Gunze yellow and Tamiya orange.
I will, however, use the decals' hinomarus.
Decals I
Decals II
Decals III:
naturally the Tamiya kit offers the complete set with stencils.
naturally the Tamiya kit offers the complete set with stencils.
Side by side.
Short finals. Undercarriage, engine and propeller all went together well. A little wire for the hydraulics
A bit of a tone down for the decals to be done.
Short finals no.2 sees Airfix nearly complete. By no means an inferior kit, but the undercarriage is that little bit less defined and difficult to display. Same with cowel and propeller
Underside of the Pearl Harbor attacker.
Airfix I
Airfix II (I know I'm a bit knock-kneed on this, but will learn for next time)
Airfix III
Airfix IV
Airfix V
Tamiya I - sublime moulding and engineering.....art in plastic....bravo Tamiya!!
Tamiya II
Tamiya III
Tamiya IV
Tamiya V
Comments
67 15 January 2023, 14:17
CuajeteNice start, Andy... and thanks for the comparison 👍
Following (one more time 😛 )
17 January 2023, 19:26
Andy BallThanks again Cuajete…sorry to fill your eyeballs with all this plastic building!
17 January 2023, 19:56
Łukasz GlińskiThanks A for the comparison, didn't know Tamiya is that greatly detailed 👍
Good, I didn't do such pictorial with the vacu Zero I have in my stash 😄
18 January 2023, 08:54
Bernd GrünNice start, Andy. 👍 Following. Tamiya kits play in their own league in terms of quality .
18 January 2023, 08:56
Andy BallŁukasz, go on…include your kit!, would love to see it! I think you'd struggle to justify any resin on this build, but I'm sure other Japanese addicts may have an opinion?, and I have to say Bernd- yep, Tam is tops - I'm doing their Il-2 too…it's magnificent too.
18 January 2023, 10:05
Łukasz GlińskiThere you go A: Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero (JWK Model A1, 1:72)
It's really hard to take the pic of white vacu sheet.
18 January 2023, 21:44
Andy BallŁukasz, I guess that was a model from a previous era!? Does it pre-date the actual plane? 😂
18 January 2023, 22:06
Łukasz GlińskiNot v.much tbh 😄
Btw the boxart is a copy of Squadron/Signal book, so it surely comes from the pre-copyright era 😉
18 January 2023, 22:21
Gary KitchenFabulous Andy. The Airfix one looks a little longer and wider, is that a camera angle thing? I have the Airfix one (Middle at Lidl) so glad it seems ok. Chasing down an old Hasagawa one for a side by side too.
19 January 2023, 10:19
Andy BallThanks for having a look Gary....I'm really not sure if its an optical illusion. They both look to my eyes near-similar dimensionally. The finesse of Tamiya's moulds is the main difference.I'll look forward to your three-way build soon!
19 January 2023, 15:08
Edward MacKenzieHave to follow this very interesting project. Looks great so far!
27 January 2023, 11:45
Andy BallCheers Eddie! I've done a wee bit more today, they'd make quite the headache against your Hellcat!
Thanks all to those who've 'liked' this project!
27 January 2023, 13:50
CuajeteWell done so far, Andy.
It's nice to see the differences between the two kits, and both looks great even though the Tamiya kit is finer. For the price of the Airfix one, it's very good 👍
27 January 2023, 18:51
Andy Ball@Cuajete: I think you have the review down to a perfect sentence. I'm actually struggling to work out which one I'm picking up in their black-coated state
27 January 2023, 22:13
Andy BallThanks David, they're both vice less kits at the moment. Trying to stretch the skills with the new paints and the substitution of paint for decals.
28 January 2023, 17:33
Kyle DeHartMan Andy, this is making me want to break back into my double zero build. I put it on hold while I researched and tried to decide how I wanted to paint them and haven't cracked back into it yet.
28 January 2023, 17:36
Andy BallWhat are your double zeroes Kyle? They can be quick to put together and depending on the scheme - quick to render. Thanks for the comment!! And. Go. For. It!!
28 January 2023, 17:39
Kyle DeHartI have the eduard dual pack and they seem to be quite lovely. I started on the cockpits last year but then got bogged down researching grey green/white and whether I wanted them in flight or on the ground or both. Overthinking really. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what color I paint them, someone will always tell me I'm wrong lol. Beautiful airplanes and the Eduard kit appears to be pretty nice. I'm really enjoying your builds here so it's making me want to pull those back out.
28 January 2023, 17:41
Andy BallYou'll have more fun in 48th with Eduard for sure! I'd not worry about the colours, get them sorta OK (BTW Tamiya's lacquer paints are great) and by the time you've bleached them/dirtied them it won't matter! Let me know when you do!?
28 January 2023, 17:46
Kyle DeHartThanks Andy. I'll let you know for sure. A couple projects to finish up first, such as the C9 but I'll get back into them.
28 January 2023, 17:53
Andy BallYou're right Michael - it's a bantamweight fighter great dimensions.
Mille Grazie Moreno!
Gracias Cuajete- I love the Tamiya LPs, never used them before.
29 January 2023, 19:35
Łukasz GlińskiHoly cow, how did you manage perfect circles? 👍 Lacquers are great, not only Tamiya's A.
29 January 2023, 19:43
Andy Ball@Ł, I used some interior roundels from Maketer's 1/24th Spitfire offering- they were pretty much the correct size. Although I've now realised I actually have the sizes the wrong way 'round! Grrrr
29 January 2023, 19:47
Andy BallJan: loving the Dutch humour! I think I've "rounded" up that technique. Groans…..
@Bernd: appreciate your scrutiny on the paintwork. Danke.
30 January 2023, 22:32
Andy BallAh, cheers Daniel-as you advised Tamiya has got to be the best in this scale.
31 January 2023, 21:13
Andy BallThanks Rui S, nearly there. Now distracted by the B-26!
Thanks Arif for popping by
4 February 2023, 15:41
Andy BallYes, I'm better pleased with the Airfix all-grey pre-shade, I will add some oils to both before declaring them finished. Thanks for having a look, Jan!
4 February 2023, 16:15
Andy BallWell, NOW that is a wrap!....I aim to improve my camera shots...
Tamiya is the winner, (but, then again if a Japanese model manufacturer can't produce the 'gold standard' 72nd Zero, who can!?)
pleased you like them bughunter!
15 March 2023, 09:38
Andy BallThanks Guy and Cuajete, what pleasant chaps you both are! Looking forward to your finishes too!!
@Austin- thank you too
15 March 2023, 23:11
Andy BallThanks Neuling and Roland, and appreciating the likes- Christian and many more to acknowledge!
16 March 2023, 10:28
Album info
Heroes or Zeroes: to be decided!
