Model Forum / General / Models / February 2008

You might want to try here:

http://www.testors.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=42

You can order direct from Testors if you want. You'll need to scroll
down quite a ways, but they do have IJN Green & Gray listed.
Barring that, check your favorite Mail Order establishment (they may
have other brands that will useful to you, too) or your local hobby
shop (if you've got one).

One really valuable net resource is the Japanese aircraft modeling website,
j-aircraft.com.

http://www.j-aircraft.com/index.htm

They've done a huge amount of research, a lot of it centered on the Zero.

Here's the URL for the Research section of the site:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/mainresearch.htm

If you read through the menus, you'll find an article by James Lansdale on
Zero camouflage schemes. The URL:
http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/zeroclr.htm

In the article, Lansdale gives the following FS call-outs for A6M-5
camouflage schemes, which were generally dark green over gray with
blue-black cowl.

Mitsubishi: Flat "dark black-green upper and flat gray lower" (D1 over J3):
FS-34052 (upper); FS-36357 (lower)
   
Nakajima: Flat "black-green upper and flat blue-gray lower" (D1 or D2 over
J2): FS-34077 (upper); FS-36307 (lower)

As you can see, the colors are slightly different for Mitsubishi-produced
planes from those for Nakajima-produced planes. The easiest way to tell who
produced the Zero you're modeling: on Nakajima-produced planes, the
upper/lower camo demarcation line curves up to meet the front of the
horizontal stabilizer; while on Mitsubishi-produced planes it goes straight
back to the rudder.

Hope any of this helps.
Pip Moss
I used to feel cheap 'cause I had no signature.

It's not Sakai's aircraft but there's info on building the Hasegawa
model in the green camouflage here:
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/cleaver/tmca6m5c.htm
There's more details on painting other green camouflaged A6M5's here:
http://modelingmadness.com/scotts/axis/j/a6m5c.htm
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/j/grana6m5.htm
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/j/ewinga6m.htm
http://modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/j/jnaf/patzolda6m.htm

Pat

Many thanks to all for the information...I look forward to a few hours of
research you've provided...I've gotten advice in the past from this group
and will try to post some pictures of the finished results soon.  I'm going
to enter a few at the Columbus show this weekend...maybe I'll see some of
you there!  Look for the Polish 303 Sq Spit Mk Vb and a Yak 3....possibly a
FW 190 A8 as well!

Cheers to all!

P