Marking Q re: carrier-based A6M circa late summer/autumn 1943

[andrewgeorge]

Hi everyone first time poster here, but I see that there's a lot of expertise and I wanted to see if anyone had any leads on a fairly technical question.

I've been getting back into model building and I am looking to make a project out of an old $15 Tamiya A6M2 mod. 21 kit I picked up at the local hobby shop. I'm trying to build it as a Nakajima-make late 1943 carrier based plane.

Specifically, I'm trying to find information about tail markings on IJN 1st carrier Div aircraft in late 1943. My understanding is that the unit prefixes at this time would have been, e.g., A1-3-1xx for a fighter aircraft assigned to the carrier Zuiho. However, I haven't been able to find a photo or published profile showing a command plane (flight leader, squadron leader, air group leader) and what, if any, stripes would have been on the tail (e.g. two stripes for squadron leader, three for air group leader).

If anyone has any recommendations on books/other resources that might have a photo or other evidence to answer this Q, I'd be very interested and grateful!

Thanks!

 

[SaparotRob]

Hi, andrewgeorge. Welcome. There's quite a few of us here who know. Sadly, not me.

 

[Donivanp]

HEY JESSIE!

 

[Crimea_River]

Welcome aboard. Wayne Little or Shinpachi might be able to answer your question.

 

[Snautzer01]

Welcome aboard. Wayne Little or Shinpachi might be able to answer your question.

Dont forget our bible. Wurger

Welcome btw. I sure you will get an answer.

 

[Viking1066]

I am here now. Let me look into it. I am pretty sure I can get you the information.

 

[Viking1066]

I am here now. Let me look into it. I am pretty sure I can get you the information.

Shinpachi would definitely know!

 

[Viking1066]

August or September 1943?

 

[Viking1066]

I have found some for March-June 1943.

 

[Viking1066]

A6M2 'A2-2-102' IJN Junyo Truk January 1943

 

[Viking1066]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 'A1-I-110' and 'AI-I-113' IJN Zuikaku Rabaul January 1943.

 

[andrewgeorge]

August or September 1943?

I was thinking September/October 1943.

I've read Admiral Koga sortied in strength a few times from Truk with the first carrier division among other major assets, so I was thinking there may be some photos or film of deck operations from that period—I figure the navy would want to propagandize a major fleet deployment like that. Haven't found anything yet, but figured someone here might.

 

[Viking1066]

Lt. JG Saneyasu Hidaka Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 'AI-3-105' IJN Zuiho Truk 1943. From Samourai Sur-Porte Avions. I wish I had purchased the other one!

 

[Viking1066]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Zuikaku October 1943 from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.

 

[Wurger]

A6M2 'A2-2-102' IJN Junyo Truk January 1943
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A nice set of pics. However the lack of the white outline of the Hinomaru may indicate the Mitsubishi made Zero but not the Nakajima one. Secondly I'm not sure if these are of the new camouflage introduced in the Spring of 1943. The tops were painted green while the undersides stayed of the grey.. The difference between the Nakajima and Mitsubishi camo was the way of applying of the grey colour at fuselage sides of the tail section. The Nakajima started the colour from the vertical stabilizer undersides while the Mitsubishi just a narrow part at the fuselage bottom. IMHO these pics look like being taken in 1942.

Here the Nakajima-built A6M2 model 21 just dated on August 1942 and IJN Junyo carrier .. looking similar ...

the pioc source: the net

 

[Viking1066]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Shokaku October 1943 Truk from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.

 

[Wurger]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Zuikaku October 1943 from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.

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Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Shokaku October 1943 Truk from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.
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And again the top profile shows the Mitsubishi-made Zero while the bottom one the Nakajima one. The camo looks correct for the late 1943.

 

[Viking1066]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Zuiho 1943 from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.

 

[Viking1066]

Mitsubishi A6M2 model 21 IJN Ryujo 1943 from Mechanism of IJN Aircraft carriers Vol.2 Kojinsha.

 

[andrewgeorge]

A6M2 'A2-2-102' IJN Junyo Truk January 1943
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Wow those are great shots—from a newsreel I gather?

My understanding is that summer 1943 the navy went to two-tone green/grey paint and removed fuselage stripes from planes.