**** DONE: GB-43 1/48 A6M2a Type 11 - Aces' Aircraft of all Eras

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Thanks, I have the wing tip clear lights and stabs added. John
A6M2a 19.JPG
 
Good progress on the build John, looking good.
in your previous post showing the 2 Zero models the top one is a reasonably good "version" of the Olive Grey colour on a Mitsubishi Zero and showing correctly the glossy appearance, the second however is not the Nakajima version of the Zero colour which is slightly darker than the Olive Grey with a more yellowish Brown look to it , both "versions" having also been referred to as a Tannish brownish colour in reports by US pilots.
The V-103 appears to be the Tamiya XF-76 colour which those in the know indicate that is only likened to a faded version of the Olive Grey but should have a more greyish tone rather than a greenish one.
 
Yes, Sakai's V-103 was said to be gray green which would have been a Nakajima machine but
he himself said it was a Mitsubishi built machine. Either they both used that paint or he was
mistaken and it was a Nakajima machine. Some of this makes no sense at times I agree. I can't
and won't even attempt to explain it, I just try to get it right for each different build I do. I have
come to the conclusion that no one really knows unless they were actually there in 1942-43 or
whenever or have actual color photos. I just read that a gentleman that does this research was
visiting Sakai before he died and Sakai had a piece of V-103 which he was given from researchers
who excavated the site and it had faded to a gray color but when he got it wet it turned back to
the "shiny light green" color he talks about. But look at the PH crashed planes, definitely NOT green
although they may have a bit of an olive hue. Paint them as you wish, some of it is a mystery to
me. John Here is report on Sakai's plane V-103 color.
Saburo SAKAI's Zeros: Color and Markings
 
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Why, why, why? What were they thinking when they dreamed up this fit? The good old Airfix
P-40B has this beat 7 ways to Sunday! Putty time. John
A6M2b 20.JPG
 
I just purchased this kit. A 21st Century Toys A6M2 model 21 Zero in 1/32 scale. It has quite the cockpit to build. I started
one several years ago and it never got done. I would love a Tamiya kit but they seem much too intense for me. I do not mind
detail but that kit scares me with it's over engineered parts. This one is a bit simpler but has a few challenges, how to hide the
screw hole caps for one. I guess it will finish off my half used tube of Tamiya putty. I am hoping to find Saburo Sakai's decals for
his gray green V-103 bird. I don't think I will have enough time to enter this in the group build. John
A6M2-21 1-32 21st Century Zero (2).jpg
 
The nasty gap is filled with putty and sanded, inside the wheel well I used super glue sparingly. I
now have the drop tank on and the fabric covered surfaces sprayed gray. John
A6M2a 21.JPG
 
I sprayed my "ameiro" color. It looks a bit light but once I clear coat it will darken, I did it before on
an A6M2b. Now to do some more detail painting and mask and spray the canopy. John
A6M2a 22.JPG

A6M2a 23.JPG
 
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Berna Decals does the markings for V-103.
Thanks, I checked them out and the colors are wrong. They have the V-103 as white letters, should be black,
the tail stripe as blue, should be white and the fuselage band as blue, should be red. I just can't seem to win on
this one! I did it wrong here....same as their wrong color decals. John
Sakai A6M2b 2.JPG
 
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Here is the box art from Hasegawa's double kit of Sakai's A6M2b and A6M5c. John
Saburo Sakais A6M2b and A6M5c.jpg
 

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