STASH IN THE AT T IC

By Trevor Pask

Kit No: 09834

Scale: 1/48

Type: Injection Moulded Plastic

Manufacturer: Hasegawa Amerang/Hobbico

Aftermarket: Eduard photo etched set FE358

A little goes a long way. Eduard’s Zoom fret makes a big difference to the cockpit

The overall fit of parts is excellent as witnessed by the quickly completed airframe with minimal filling

Just a touch of filler was used underneath at the join of the wing to fuselage

The Mitsubishi Zero is an aircraft that needs little introduction. The aircraft that was seemingly invincible in the earlier stages of the Pacific War later became outnumbered and outclassed by far superior allied types. It is often commented that to the Japanese the Zero is as the Spitfire is to the British, but the analogy is more poignant. Both aircraft became associated with the hopes and aspirations of a nation; the fate of the Spitfire was not a crushing total defeat.

For some reason, I have never previously attempted a World War II Japanese subject. I think I am not alone in this, as clearly German subjects are more popular among European and American modellers than Japanese ones. I suspect that there are lot of deep rooted cultural reasons for this, not the least being the fact that the war against the Japanese was especially ferocious with long lasting effects. I always think of the incident concerning a Zero that was restored by the Confederate Air Force in the United States. That aircraft was subject to several acts of vandalism, which could have resulted in its loss if flown. The suspected reason was that some members could not bear the thought of an enemy aircraft flying in their collection. Oddly, the German aircraft in the collection have never been subject to the same feelings or treatment. Personally I believe that building a model or restoring a full size aircraft does not condone anything that happened in history, and if anything it can help us understand the past a little better.