Fine Molds AA54 - 1:72 20 mm Gun Barrels and Pitot Tube for IJN Zero Fighter

Fine Molds set of turned 20 mm gun barrels and a pitot tube for the IJN Zero (A6M) fighter model in 1:72 scale

Fine Molds AA54 is an upgrade set consisting of turned metal 20 mm wing cannon barrels and a metal pitot tube, intended for 1:72 scale models of the Japanese Zero carrier fighter. The metal parts replace the plastic components of the base kit, improving the sharpness and realism of the thin, easily damaged details of the aircraft's silhouette.

The turned barrels have a perfectly consistent cross-section and thin walls that cannot be reproduced in injection moulding, while the metal pitot tube is far more durable and precise than its plastic counterpart.

What's in the box:

• Turned metal 20 mm cannon barrels
• Metal pitot tube

Set specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: AA54
• Manufacturer: Fine Molds
• Intended model: IJN Zero (A6M) fighter in 1:72 scale
• Accessory type: turned metal barrels and pitot tube
• Material: turned metal

Turned metal barrels and pitot tubes – a quick model upgrade

Turned metal accessories are one of the simplest ways to raise the quality of an aircraft model. Thin, protruding parts such as gun barrels and the pitot tube are fragile in their plastic form, easily damaged during assembly and painting, and their cross-section is never as consistent as a part turned from metal.

Fitting them usually comes down to cutting away the plastic detail, drilling a mounting hole and setting the metal replacement in place with cyanoacrylate glue. The turned barrels give a noticeably sharper muzzle detail, and the metal pitot tube resists accidental bending. We suggest this work as an optional way to increase the realism of the finished model.

About the aircraft – Mitsubishi A6M Zero:

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was the standard Japanese naval carrier fighter of the Second World War. Designed by Jiro Horikoshi's team, it entered service in 1940 and quickly earned a reputation as an exceptionally agile, long-range aircraft that dominated its Allied opponents in the early Pacific War.

The Zero combined a lightweight airframe with long range and strong gun armament of wing-mounted 20 mm cannon and machine guns. The price for this performance was poor protection of the pilot and fuel tanks. As more modern Allied fighters appeared, the Zero's advantage diminished, yet it remained in production and service until the end of the war, becoming one of its symbols.

Original specifications (Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero):

• Length: 9.12 m
• Wingspan: 11.0 m
• Height: 3.57 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 2,700 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Nakajima Sakae 21 radial engine, approx. 1,130 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 565 km/h
• Range: approx. 1,900 km
• Armament: 2 × Type 99 20 mm cannon and 2 × 7.7 mm machine guns

About the manufacturer – Fine Molds:

Fine Molds is a Japanese model company active since the 1980s, valued above all for its precise models of Japanese military hardware — aircraft, tanks and ships. Alongside its kits, Fine Molds offers a range of metal upgrade accessories, including turned barrels and pitot tubes matched to its own models and to those of other manufacturers. The brand is well known among modellers interested in the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy.