Hasegawa 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero Fighter Type 21 'Ein no Zero' Combo Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2015 | Manufacturer | Hasegawa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Mitsubishi A6M2b Zero Fighter Type 21 Combo | Scale | 1/72 |
| Kit Number | SP327 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Easy build, two complete kits in box | Cons | One-piece canopy |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $39.99 |
First Look
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Ein no Zero is a produced for television mini-series aired by TV Tokyo in which two siblings decide to look into the history of their grandfather's military service for an article honoring the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. The siblings investigate further when they find that their grandfather was not actually their biological grandfather. Finding a veteran who had served with their biological grandfather, they learn that he was considered a coward though he would lose his life in a kamikaze attack in the Ryukyu Islands.
In honor of this special mini-series, Hasegawa released special edition A6M2b Zero kits in their 1/48 and 1/72 lines with the Ein-no-Zero markings. This is Hasegawa's 1/72 A6M2b tooling which is an easy build and features some nice details. Molded in light gray styrene, this kit is presented on four parts trees plus a single tree of clear parts. Actually there are eight gray trees and two clear trees as this is a 'combo' kit with two complete A6M2b Zero kits in the box.
The kit offers a basic cockpit which is fine given that the canopy is molded in one piece (closed) so you wouldn't see much detail inside. The kit provides a nicely rendered engine and a choice of two propeller spinners. Assembly is straightforward and offers a nice result like in this build.
Markings are provided for five examples:
- A6M2b, 721 Naval Flying Group, Kanoya AB, Aug 1945, as flown by Kyuzo Miyabe
- A6M2b, Tainan Naval Flying Group, Rabaul AB, 1942, as flown by Kyuzo Miyabe
- A6M2b, IJN Aircraft Carrier Kaga, Dec 1941, as flown by Kyuzo Miyabe
- A6M2b, 204 Nabal Flying Group, Rabaul AB, 1943, as flown by Kyuzo Miyabe
- A6M2b, Tsukuba Naval Flying Group, Tsukuba AB, 1945, as flown by Kyuzo Miyabe
This kit provides two nice kits which provide opportunities for early and late war paint schemes carried by the Zero.
Here is another interesting release from Hasegawa which provides colorful markings out of the box or provides two airframes for your choice of subjects using your own aftermarket decals.
My sincere thanks to Hasegawa USA for this review sample!