TAMIYAModels A6M2 Zero Fighter Model Kit

I like that it comes with the different options for wings and other features

Am older 1970's kit that is an accurate and easy build. Made in Japan.

The usual good Tamiya quality kit with mostly good fit and very little flash. But some trimming is necessary to get the right fit with some of the parts. I painted all the parts on the sprues and avoided getting paint on the ends to be glued. The decals are not the best quality but are ok. I had to soak them in warm water for 45 to 50 seconds to get them to slide off the backing. I held them in the water with a tweezer and then used the tweezer to put them in place and slide them onto the model. I personally would say that this kit is not for a beginner. The biggest problem I see is that the holes in the bottom of the wings are not deep enough so that when you insert the struts there is not a firm fit even when applying the glue. I used Tamiya extra thin cement on the entire kit. Once you have the struts in place in the wings, let the model upside down for a good 6 or 7 hours so when you turn it upright the landing gear doesn’t sag. I used a tweezer, sprue cutter, modeling knife, tooth pick and a flashlight to see some of the small parts and the numbers. Take your time, no rush.

This is a quality kit. Pieces go together nicely. Decals for 5 different planes. Can be built wheels up or down.

Several different options for decals and paint finishes, excellent fit, easy to follow instructions. Just what you would expect from a Tamiya kit,

Great value. Great kit. Love this Tamiya stuff.

This model kit is great, about 10 or so real small pieces the rest are good sizes, you have the options to make it either a grounded or airborne plane. So don't get confused when you see the extra pieces, you have the option to have a open cockpit or closed, same for the landing gear.This was a great first project for me. I bought this with the intentions of making a realistic historial replica until I started to paint and glue everything together and boy did I have fun, understanding that this was my first project I was quick to notice that it would be close to impossible without making some mistakes along the way so I turned it into a more anime looking zero.

Despite being released in the early '70s, this A6M2 Zero still is an excellent representation of the legendary Imperial Japanese Navy fighter of World War II. This model's overall fit is very good, the only place where a gap needs to be plugged is in the left wing root. Detail is better than most other models of the era when almost all models had raised panel lines, whereas Tamiya's zero had some recessed panel lines. Decals may seem a bit thick but will be usable. The molded in seat belts needed to be replaced by a scratch built one or an aftermarket set. Overall, model went together easily and I enjoyed the build.Even though this kit is far from being up to today's standards, with some additional effort from the builder, it can be made into a respectable replica of the A6M2 Zero, and is a great kit for the cost. I would recommend this kit to model builders that have had previous experience with building 1/48th scale WWII fighters and masking canopies because the zero's heavy framing on the canopy can be tricky to mask properly(use Bare Metal Foil to mask, starting by applying a patch of Bare Metal Foil that's slightly bigger than the canopy, then rub on the surface with a swab to let the framework show through, next, trace all the lines with a sharp #11 blade. When you are done, remove the foil from the framed area to expose the framework that will be painted over).Pros:-Mostly good fit, including clear parts.-Reasonably detailed cockpit for closed canopy arrangement.-Good decal choices available(there are 5).-Low parts count=great for people who want a short build or for a novice.-Additional clear parts are included for the builder to model an open canopy. This means that there is no need to carefully cut the canopy into the appropriate size.-Not just one sitting pilot figure included, there's also a standing pilot figure as well.Cons:-Thick and somewhat brittle decals.-Molded seat belts are very faint and will disappear under a light coat of paint.-Panel lines are a mix of raised and recessed.