A recently completed side project: a flight of three 6mm (1/285 scale) Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero fighters from Raiden/I94 miniatures which had been sitting, basecoated and magnetised, in my to-do box for literally years at this point. These were among the first planes I got intended for 'The Swede' introductory scenario in the Check Your 6! rulebook. One day they might fulfil this purpose if I find an opponent or get motivated to go solo. Until I get to play CY6! again, they'll be sitting in the display case: both the actual one and this online one.
The Raiden/I94 miniatures Zero seems to be the nicest and most accurate of the 6mm Zero miniatures out there (although I've never tried any GHQ aircraft). Raiden are a little larger than most of my other planes (Heroics & Ros and Scotia Grendel), though it's not usually obvious to me at tabletop distances.
These Zeroes were a very easy, quick and enjoyable item completed in between the more challenging 15 and 28mm projects. They represent a Chutai-Cho and two wingmen from the fighter Hikokitai (aircraft group) aboard the carrier Hiryu through 1941-42 (at Pearl Harbour, several island operationss, the bombing of Darwin and eventually Midway where the carrier was destroyed). The colour I used, Vallejo Silvergrey, is consistent with that shown in most colour plates I've seen of early Zeros in history books and modelling materials. Specifically, I used as references a painting in an old Take Off magazine and another depiction of the very same aircraft in Wheeler, B.C. The Hamlyn Guide to Military Aircraft Markings.
Colour realism and possible lack thereof
Historically, according to authoritative authorities, most (maybe all?) Japanese carrier planes at this stage of the war were actually a pale green-grey or blue-grey colour. However, there were probably variations, a lack of standardisation and the effects of fading which might account for the almost white appearance of Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft. Also I didn't want to mix paints for the perfect colour while wasting paint only to forget the 'recipe' in future if I paint more IJN carrier planes.
Hand-eye-co-ord failed me on the squadron and aircraft numbers: they're the red scrawling on the tail. The leader is supposed to be BII-144, if you can see it (you can't). A short-hair brush would probably have worked, but mine perished recently from overwork (a phenomenon called 'Karoshi' in Japanese).
For the first time ever I tried out a gloss varnish, which worked pretty well (make sure to keep the coats thin and prevent pooling in recesses). Historically the carrier planes were glossy.
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| Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero (Raiden/I94 miniatures, Vallejo paints, Dom's Decals). |
