[Epapazian]

Although I would have preferred it if Easy Model had made early model Zeros --Pearl Harbor, Midway, Coral Sea, etc.---I purchased two of its late model Zeros---both in green over gray schemes---which arrived today.

As with the ME-163s, which I reviewed earlier, these models were acceptably painted, detailed and assembled. Except for a slight glue drip on the antenna of one Zero, such slips did not mar either model. The wing guns need to be bent into alignment a number of times before they set in the right direction and there is no weathering nor are the underwing shell casing ejection ports darkened. The latter situation is easily corrected and a modest amount of weathering on the undersides, where it will be visible against the gray paint, may, with some effort, be possible.

So far, so good. However, there is one issue that will bother collectors. Like Easy Model's MS-406, the horizontal stabilizers on the tail---tailplanes to me---are not aligned properly. Where those on the MS-406 were bent upward, the Zeros' tailplanes---on both models---droop noticeably. With some careful bending, plus a dab of glue and paint, I was able to fix my MS-406 models. I may attempt a similar correction on my two Zeros, however this mistake, which looks like an engineering, not an assembly, error, doesn't speak well for the consistency of this series. Perhaps, they think no one will notice. If so, they are wrong. In view of the droopy tail snafu, I can't recommend MRC's Easy Model Zeros, much as I might like to. Three pictures, including one of the droopy tailplanes, follow:

[STARMAN 352ND]

Thanks for the review on the Zero.
I was thinking of getting the silver one with USA markings on it.
JP

[Cruver Collecter]

Great review and pictures of the Easy Model Zero.

[Epapazian]

OK. Here's the same Zero with the tailplanes bent into horizontal alignment.

[SkyBuffalo]

I got the same one that Epapazian is showing in his pictures, just to have an example of an A6M5, since I have a couple of Dragon's A6M2s. My plane had the same little tail stabilizer droop (which I hadn't noticed until Epapazian pointed it out), but a bit of gentle bending pretty much straightened it out. My only problem with the plane is the location of the exhaust pipes coming out of each side of the engine mounting (this is one of the primary visible differences between an A6M5 and an A6M2). The pipes don't line up correctly with the holes in the back side of the engine nacelle. In pictures and paintings of A6M5s, they should line up. So I looked up pictures of Witty's and Matchbox's A6M5s, and guess what? There models didn't seem to line up the exhuast pipes correctly either. So if nobody else's A6Ms had it right, I don't feel so bad about the Easy Model version being a bit off either. Otherwise, it is a great looking plane and a great example of a late war Zero.

[mikeb1958]

Originally Posted by STARMAN 352ND

Thanks for the review on the Zero.
I was thinking of getting the silver one with USA markings on it.
JP

JP, I recommend this one as I have it. It didn't have the droopy-tail either.

[csiemers]

You also might want to measure yours and see how close the Zero is to proper scale. The one I got #36351 is noticeably smaller than a Corgi and Forces of Valor Zeros that I have. I also calculated the scale and it's definitely not as large as it should be.

-Cary
www.wwiivehicles.com

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by csiemers

You also might want to measure yours and see how close the Zero is to proper scale. The one I got #36351 is noticeably smaller than a Corgi and Forces of Valor Zeros that I have. I also calculated the scale and it's definitely not as large as it should be.

-Cary
World War II Tanks - World War II Vehicles - Advanced Squad Leader - World War 2 Tanks

The actual A6M5 wing span is much shorter than the actual A6M2 wing span.