Tamiya 12624 - 1:48 A6M Zero Detail Up Parts Set

Detail-up set for the A6M Zero models (Tamiya 61016 and 61103) in 1:48 scale

Tamiya 12624 is a detail-up set for the 1:48 models of the Japanese A6M Zero carrier fighter. It targets the three places where plastic mouldings fall furthest behind the real aircraft: the slender Pitot tube, the wing cannon barrels and the cockpit seatbelts. Wheel chocks, useful for an airfield scene, round out the contents.

The set is intended for two Tamiya kits: the A6M2 Zero (61016) and the A6M5/5a Zero (61103). Both base models are sold separately - this box contains the accessory parts only.

What's in the box:

• Stainless steel Pitot tube
• Metal 20 mm cannon barrels (blackened)
• Photo-etched cockpit seatbelts
• Wheel chocks for airfield scenes

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:48
• Product number: 12624
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Dedicated models: Tamiya A6M2 Zero (61016) and Tamiya A6M5/5a Zero (61103)
• Type: detail-up set (turned metal parts, photo-etched parts)
• Material: stainless steel, blackened metal barrels, photo-etched parts

Turned metal barrels and Pitot tubes - a quick upgrade

Lathe-turned parts have a perfectly round cross-section and no mould parting line - the line that on a plastic moulding has to be filed and sanded away, all too often damaging the fine detail around it. The barrel muzzles are hollowed from the factory, so no drilling is needed, and a slender metal Pitot tube is far more resistant to accidental bending than its plastic counterpart.

Metal needs different preparation than plastic: before painting we suggest degreasing the surface and using a primer intended for metal. The cannon barrels are blackened, so with some painting approaches they can be left in their factory finish. Cyanoacrylate glue works well for bonding metal parts to plastic.

Photo-etched parts - fine, delicate detailing components

Seatbelts are a detail that injection moulding simply cannot handle - a moulded strap will always be too thick and too stiff. Photo-etched parts are close to scale thickness and, more importantly, they can be posed: a belt can be bent, threaded through a buckle and left hanging over the edge of the seat, which immediately changes how the cockpit reads.

The parts are cut from the fret with a sharp knife and the remaining tabs smoothed with a file. A minimal amount of cyanoacrylate glue works well. It is worth fitting the belts before closing the fuselage halves - once the cockpit is enclosed, access is very limited.

About the aircraft - Mitsubishi A6M Zero:

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a Japanese carrier-borne fighter of the Second World War and the most recognisable aircraft of the Imperial Japanese naval air service. In the early phase of the Pacific war it surprised its opponents with a combination of long range and exceptional agility - qualities Allied pilots did not expect from a carrier aircraft.

The Zero was armed with two 20 mm cannon in the wings and two machine guns. Those wing cannon barrels are among the details that benefit most from replacement with turned metal parts.

Original aircraft specifications (Mitsubishi A6M Zero):

• Role: carrier-borne fighter
• Service period: Second World War
• Armament: two 20 mm cannon in the wings and two machine guns
• Key characteristics: long range and high agility in the early phase of the Pacific war

About the manufacturer - Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, active in the modelling industry since 1946. Alongside its plastic kits it offers detail-up accessories for its own models: turned metal barrels and Pitot tubes, photo-etched frets, detail sets and display stands. These accessories are designed for specific Tamiya kit numbers, so they fit without modification. The range is completed by Tamiya paints, glues and modelling tools.