Friday 4 October 2013

Zero-one

Following another ill-judged exchange of comments over on Plastic Warriors, I rashly agreed to build the Airfix Zero I have had in stock for the past couple of years.
But first - some history.  Predictably, I built an Airfix Zero on a previous occasion.  Around 1975 I think. During a school trip to Perth (the real one - in Scotland), we were allowed some time to freely graze in the shops.  While the other kids were squandering their pennies on sweets my friend George and I hot-footed it to Woolworths and emerged each clutching a Series 1 kit.  I forget what George bought, but I got the Mitsubishi Zero - the first Japanese (or indeed non-British, US or German) aircraft I had bought!
Pic from the Airfix Tribute Forum.  This kit was originally issued in 1959 but my 1970s version came in the card-backed bubble packaging as shown.  It contained a mere 27 parts!  Despite it's simplicity I don't remember this as being a great kit.  To be fair, what I mean is that I, with my limited skills found it more of a challenge than other small kits I had tackled.
It was with a degree of trepidation then, that I opened the box of the current Zero.  I knew there was a new tooling but would this be the old or new?
Even before I had taken in the quality of the parts, it was evident from their number (47) that this was the new 2011 tooling!  All parts appear to be very crisp, with nicely recessed panel lines.  While this is welcome news, it does mean that if the built kit is a duffer, it's all down to me.  No pressure then.
To manage you expectations, I should point out that the Zero will be built as a wargames model, not a display diva.  So it'll be as rough as the other stuff you see on this blog!

8 comments:

Milgeek said...

It's a wonderful plane. I remember going through a phase when I was a teenager of building all sorts of Japanese aircraft - I had a particular liking for float planes.

I think you do yourself down Tim, I am sure you'll make a great job of this. Looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Paul Foster said...

Good score Tim. I also would like to point out that mine will be built to a wargame standard rather than a display type.

The great thing about the Zero is they really got quite scruffy out in the field so its go time for weathering!

47 parts does seem a rather lot though!

Nick Grant said...

Good stuff Tim.

And I heartily agree with the 'ain't gonna be a display diva' sentiment. What's the point in making 'em if you're not gonna play with 'em!

peter said...

Looks like a real nice set! Good luck with the build!
Just had a look at the one from Paul, and he's working very proffessional on it! :-D

Greetings
Peter

Tim Gow said...

Stephen Beat
You were clearly more adventurous then me as a lad!

Tim Gow said...

Paul Foster
Mine will be built 'wheels up', so that loses a few parts!

Tim Gow said...

Nick Grant
Quite right!

Tim Gow said...

Peter
it's going together well so far....