A6M2 Zero Type 21
1/48 Scale Plastic Model Kit
The Mitsubishi Zero became symbol of the Japanese air power during WWII. The nimble
and agile fighter had upper hand over US aircraft at early stages of the war in Pacific
theatre, but was gradually losing to its newer opponents.
The Japanese aircraft industry was oriented towards the production
of aircraft built under foreign licenses in the 1920s and early 1930s.
However, the armed forces, especially the Navy, with regard to the
specifics of the Chinese and Pacific battlefields, came up with requi-
rements that foreign aircraft designs did not offer.
Due to that, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries developed Type 96 naval figh-
ter aircraft, better known as the A5M „Claude“. The head of the design
team was a young Japanese engineer, Jirō Horikoshi. With an engine
that lacked some power, he managed to design a light and fast figh-
ter with a fixed landing gear, which had no comparison in the world
regarding maximum speed.
In October 1937, Mitsubishi and Nakajima were approached to deve-
lop prototype 12-shi Carrier-based Fighter. The requirements were so
extreme and in some cases contradictory that the two design teams
investigated whether they could be less stringent. Nakajima eventua-
lly withdrew from the project, while the criteria for the prototype were
even rised based on experience on the Chinese battlefield.
In the end, Horikoshi‘s team managed to meet the technical specifi-
cations, not only thanks to the aerodynamic design and a new type of
light alloy used for the aircraft‘s skin, but also thanks to the Nakaji-
ma Sakae 11 engine. During the flight tests, the wing surface suffered
cracking during overload and aileron control during high-speed mane-
uvers had to be addressed. The new fighter had a powerful armament
of two cannons and two machine guns, extremely long range (over
1,800 km) and excellent maneuverability. The new fighter reached top
speed of 533 km/h at an altitude of 4,550 m. However, it lacked armor
and other protective features and had structural speed limit 600 km/h.
Surprising Zero
The new aircraft entered service in 1940 with 940hp engine Sakae 12
and received the official designation Rei shiki Kanjō sentōki (Type 0
carrier fighter), with the „zero“ being derived from the imperial year
2600 (1940). Japanese pilots usually abbreviated it as „Rei-Sen“. That
was also the origin of the name „Zero“ often used by Allied pilots in-
stead of the official code name, derived from the male name „Zeke“.
As part of the Navy‘s system, the new machine was given the type
designation A6M, where A6 meant that it was the sixth type of carrier
fighter to enter service, and M stood for the Mitsubishi company name.
Zeros, specifically the A6M2 Type 11, had been successfully deployed
on the Chinese battlefield since the summer of 1940, but their exis-
tence eluded Western intelligence because no one wanted to believe
reports from China that suggested the Japanese had a world-class
fighter. Further modifications to its design were made during 1941, cre-
ating the A6M2 Type 21.
Total of 740 A6M2 aircraft were produced by Mitsubishi by June 1942
with additional 800 delivered by Nakajima by February 1944. The gun
armament was improved and variants with magazines for up to 150
rounds could be used on the Type 21.
© Eduard - Model Accessories, s.r.o. 2022
82212
item No.
Further development
The Nakajima company produced 254 A6M2 fighters in the float versi-
on from December 1941 to July 1943. Its prototype flew on December 8,
1941, and the design featured a pylon with a central float, a solution not
used in any country up to that time. The A6M2-N fighters were mainly
used to defend naval bases.
Mitsubishi began mass-producing Zeros in 1942 with the Sakae 21 en-
gine with a two-stage compressor and output 1,130 hp. The wingspan
was shortened, and the modified version was designated A6M3 Type
32. The speed limit was raised but the range was reduced, therefore
only 340 of this type were produced from June to December 1942. The
Allies at first believed that this was a new type of fighter. Therefore,
they gave it a separate codename „Hap“, later changed to „Hamp“.
After the Allied landings on Guadalcanal, the IJN fighter units came up
with a request for a Zero with the Sakae 21 engine, but with the range
comparable to A6M2.
Designers at Mitsubishi modified the wing including design of fuel
tanks. The wing looked similar to the one of Type 21, but the range was
even 100 miles longer. This version was designated A6M3 Type 22, the
extended gun barrels planes were designated Type 22a.
Another version was the Type 52 with shortened wing-span. Producti-
on began in early 1944 and Type 52 was very similar to the Type 22a.
Soon the exhaust system was modified to help increase the speed of
the aircraft. The Type 52a had enlarged cannons ammunition supply of
125 rounds per weapon. The Type 52b saw the installation of a 13.2 mm
machine gun on the right side of the fuselage. For the Type 52c, two
13.2 mm machine guns were fitted in the wing and the 7.7 mm machine
gun on the left side of the fuselage was deleted. Eight racks for small-
-calibre bombs or rockets were added to the wing. For night-fighting
purposes, a forward-firing cannon in the fuselage behind the cockpit
was installed in some Zeros, designated as A6M5-S. In total, Mitsubis-
hi and Nakajima produced more than 5,000 A6M5s.
The last combat-deployed variant of the Zero was an aircraft with
a reinforced structure for dive bomber purpose (Type 62). Later, the
A6M7 was equipped with the Sakae 31 engine producing 1,130 hp. This
fighter-bomber variant was designated as Type 63.
Several hundred aircraft were also modified from the A6M2 Zero Type
21 and A6M5 Type 52 to the two-seaters A6M2-K and A6M5-K, produ-
ced from January 1943 and May 1944 respectively.
The kit: A6M2 Zero Type 21
The Type 21 was direct development of the Type 11. There were several
changes, the most visible of them being folding wing tips to enable
easier handling on the deck of aircraft carriers. With the A6M2 Type 21
modified this way, Japan entered the war with the US and other Wes-
tern nations. Mitsubishi needed to produce other aircraft in addition
to the Zero, so the Nakajima company also began licensed production
in late 1941.
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 ATTENTION UPOZORNĚNÍ ACHTUNG ATTENTION

INSTRUCTION SIGNS INSTR. SYMBOLY INSTRUKTION SINNBILDEN SYMBOLES

OPTIONAL BEND SAND OPEN HOLE SYMETRICAL ASSEMBLY REMOVE REVERSE SIDE APPLY EDUARD MASK
VOLBA OHNOUT BROUSIT VYVRTAT OTVOR SYMETRICKÁ MONTÁŽ ODŘÍZNOUT OTOČIT AND PAINT
POUŽÍT EDUARD MASK
NABARVIT

PARTS DÍLY TEILE PIECES

PLASTIC PARTS
82210 A 82210 B
A> B>

82210 C
C>
82210 D
D>

82210 E
E>

eduard

COLOURS BARVY FARBEN PEINTURE

GSi Creos (GUNZE) MISSION MODELS
AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR PAINTS GSi Creos (GUNZE) MISSION MODELS
H2 C2 MMP-047 BLACK AQUEOUS Mr.COLOR PAINTS
H6 C6 MMP-004 GREEN H93 C50 CLEAR BLUE
H8 C8 MMP-005 SILVER H327 C327 MMP-101 RED
H11 C62 MMP-001 FLAT WHITE H336 C336 MMP-003 HEMP
H12 C33 MMP-047 FLAT BLACK H340 C340 MMP-003 FIELD GREEN
H24 C58 MMP-047 ORANGE YELLOW H417 C117 MMP-051 RLM76 LIGHT BLUE
H25 C34 MMP-047 SKY BLUE C125 MMP-108 COWLING COLOR
H47 C41 MMP-012 RED BROWN C131 MMP-115 RED BROWN
H58 C351 MMP-059 INTERIOR GREEN Mr.METAL COLOR METALLICS
H59 C15 MMP-023 IJN GREEN MC214 MMM-001 DARK IRON
H63 C57 MMP-023 METALLIC BLUE GREEN MC218 MMM-003 ALUMINIUM
H70 C60 MMP-056 GRAY MC219 MMM-009 BRASS
H77 C137 MMP-040 TIRE BLACK Mr.COLOR SUPER METALLIC METALLICS
H90 C47 CLEAR RED SM201 MMC-001 SUPER FINE SILVER
2
 H58 MMP
C351 059 - MARKINGS A ;B
1
INT. GREEN
= H340
C340
FIELD GREEN
- MARKINGS C ;D;E

H63 MMP
C57 113
1 BLUE GREEN

1
B12

PE45
D25

PE24

PE31
MC218
1 MMM
PE43 003
ALUMINIUM
D9
PE63
D24 PE43 - MARKINGS A ;B
PE63 - MARKINGS C ;D; E

PE17 - OFTEN NOT USE

PE17

D27

1
D51 PE16 PE69

B11 1

PE38 D51

PE16, 19, 20 - MARKINGS A ;B

PE58, 59, 69 - MARKINGS C ;D; E
OPTIONAL: decal K6
H63 MMP
C57 113
PE19 PE59
BLUE GREEN

D4
OPTIONAL:
decal K9
PE20 PE58

D10 H25
C34
SKY BLUE

PE21

PE32 D59
D2

PE28

1
H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK
PE32 MC214
D49
MMM
001
DARK IRON

3
A B
PE6
D30
PE8 PE6
PE5

D40

D30
PE7
PE7
PE30 PE29 PE5
1

PE8
D30
H58 MMP
C351 059 - MARKINGS A ;B
2
INT. GREEN
= H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK
- MARKINGS C ;D;E
1

D35 H63 MMP

C57 113
BLUE GREEN

D12 D35
2

B 2
D1
1
PE10

D61
C PE49
PE50
1

PE49 H12 MMP

C33 047
A17 FLAT BLACK

PE50

D33 D61

H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

D33

D8
1

H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

step 2
D55 D
1
A D36
step 1 PE14, 15, 25, 40, 41 - MARKINGS A ;B
C
PE54, 55, 61, 62, 64 - MARKINGS C ;D; E
1
D36
D26
PE41 PE54
1

PE25 PE64
D33 1

OPTIONAL:
D55 D33
decal K8
PE15 PE62
PE40 PE55
PE14 PE51

4
 D34 1
OPTIONAL:
decal K10
D D59
H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

MC218
MMM H12 MMP
C33 047
OPTIONAL:
003
ALUMINIUM FLAT BLACK
decal K7

PE1, 18 - MARKINGS A ;B
PE56, 60 - MARKINGS C ;D; E
PE44 PE44

PE18 PE60 2 pcs.

PE46

PE1 PE56
PE2

D34
E 1 OPTIONAL: decal K3
D44
1
1

H12 MMP
C33 047
OPTIONAL:
FLAT BLACK H12 MMP
C33 047
decal K1 MC218
MMM D59
D19 FLAT BLACK 003
ALUMINIUM 1
OPTIONAL:
decal K2, K4, K5

PE22 PE67 1 D44

PE12

PE13

D18

PE26 PE65 PE23 PE68

PE9 E
1

PE27 PE66
PE3 PE53
PE4
PE3, 22, 23, 26, 27 - MARKINGS A ;B
PE53, 65, 66, 67, 68 - MARKINGS C ;D; E

MC214
MMM
001
DARK IRON
D14 MC219
MMM D42
D17 009
BRASS

H63 MMP D42

C57 113
MC214
MMM
BLUE GREEN
D58
001 H12 MMP
DARK IRON
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

H63 MMP
C57 113
1 BLUE GREEN

D29

MC219
MMM
009
D58
BRASS

H63 MMP
C57 113
BLUE GREEN

H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

H63 MMP
C57 113
BLUE GREEN

5
 F D22

B21
H63 MMP
C57 113
BLUE GREEN

D5

B1

B12

B11

D32

C13

C12

- 0,6 mm
MARKING D ONLY - 0,6 mm MARKING D ONLY

C4

6
 D11

D16
D20

D21

C6

C4

D38
C5

D39

H63 MMP
C57 113
BLUE GREEN

H63 MMP
C57 113
D57
BLUE GREEN

H47 MMP
C41 012
RED BROWN

MC219
MMM
009
BRASS

D57

A15 C1 - MARKINGS B , C ,D , E ONLY H12 MMP

C33 047
C11 - MARKING A ONLY FLAT BLACK D3
H93 H63 MMP
C50 C57 113
H63 MMP
CLEAR BLUE
C1 C11 C57 113
BLUE GREEN

D60 BLUE GREEN

C4

C2 - MARKINGS B , C ,D , E ONLY
C10 - MARKING A ONLY
C2 C10

H90
A16
C47
CLEAR RED

7
G H
B17 B16

B3
B2

C7
C3

G
D23

H47 MMP
C41 012
RED BROWN
MMP
C125 108 H
COWLING COLOR

D48

D23

H63 MMP
C57 113
BLUE GREEN

PE33

8
 D41
I
D37
H417 MMP
C117 051 H2 MMP
LIGHT BLUE
C2 047
BLACK

MC218
MMM
003
ALUMINIUM

D43
D28

H2 MMP
C2 047
BLACK

D31

H2 MMP
C2 047
BLACK decal S21

H2 MMP
C2 047
D37 BLACK

D45

J MARKING E ONLY
E2
K MARKING D ONLY

PE57

E24
E1

E23
PE57
E5
E25 E27
PE57
E26

E10
9
L
DO NOT GLUE!
B9 B13 DO NOT GLUE!

B10

B14

step 2 step 1
B15 B9
B19 B20
MC214
MMM
001 MC214
B4 DARK IRON MMM
001
DARK IRON

DO NOT GLUE! B6 B5

L
MMP
C125 108
COWLING COLOR

10
 E13 E31 E8 E11A
E29 ? E29 ?
E28 E28
MC218 MC218 MC218 MC218
MC218 MMM MC218 MMM MC218 MMM MC218 MMM
MMM 003 MMM 003 MMM 003 MMM 003
003 ALUMINIUM 003 ALUMINIUM 003 ALUMINIUM 003 ALUMINIUM
ALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM ALUMINIUM

H77 MMP H77 MMP H77 MMP H77 MMP

C137 040 C137 040 C137 040 C137 040
TIRE BLACK
E6
TIRE BLACK
E11B
TIRE BLACK
E13 TIRE BLACK
E31

M CAMOUFLAGE
N PE36
PE35 COLOR

PE51
SM201
MMC
001
E20 FINE SILVER

PE48 H12 MMP

C33 047
FLAT BLACK
CAMOUFLAGE
SM201 COLOR

MMC
001
MC218
MMM
E30
MC218 PE51 FINE SILVER 003
ALUMINIUM E18
MMM
003
ALUMINIUM

H12 MMP
E33
C33 047
FLAT BLACK
PE48

FRONT VIEW
3 =
CAMOUFLAGE
COLOR - MARKINGS A ;B O H77 MMP
C137 040
H63 MMP
C57 059 - MARKINGS C ;D;E CAMOUFLAGE
TIRE BLACK

BLUE GREEN
COLOR
D50
CAMOUFLAGE

D46 COLOR

M D6

D47
H2 MMP
C2 047
BLACK O

D7
N
3
E14
E16
H2 MMP
C2 047
BLACK 3
H2 MMP
C2 047
BLACK

3
decal S25

11
 3

E4 - starboard E3 - port side

P MARKINGS A ;B;C

E22

E12
FRONT VIEW J
E21
K

D56 - MARKING A ONLY

D56 P
E32

MARKING D ONLY
PE34

MARKING D ONLY E32

D56 - MARKING A ONLY

PE11 D56

R
E15 E17
E19
SM201
MMC
001
FINE SILVER

H8
C8
SILVER
FRONT VIEW
H12 MMP
C131 115
RED BROWN

H12 MMP
C131 115
RED BROWN

H8
E7, E17, E19 - MARKINGS A ;B
C8
SILVER E9, E15, E19 - MARKINGS C ;D; E
E7 E9
H12 MMP
H12 MMP
C131 115
C131 115
RED BROWN
- MARKING E ONLY
RED BROWN

12
 PE52
A5 H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK

H12 MMP
C33 047
FLAT BLACK
A5

S A12 A14

CLOSED
CANOPY D53 D54 D54 - MARKINGS D;E ONLY
MMP
C125 108

PE47
COWLING COLOR A14 S

PE39 A10

A1
A4 H11 MMP
H93 C62 001
C50
CLEAR BLUE
FLAT WHITE A19
MMP
C125 108
COWLING COLOR

A1 D62
H93
C50
CLEAR BLUE
PE37

MC218
MMM
MMP 003
C125 108 ALUMINIUM
COWLING COLOR

PE42 A1
H90
C47
CLEAR RED

D15 MC214
MMM
A1
001
DARK IRON
H90
C47
CLEAR RED

MC214
MMM
PE42 001
DARK IRON

D15

MC218
D52 MMM
003
ALUMINIUM

13
OPEN
CANOPY A12 S
A
B
C
D
E

36 ? 37
4 25 27
H24 MMP H59
C58 C125 108 C15 28
31

50% 50% FRONT VIEW

MMP H336 H70
C131 115 C336 + C60

35
H6 MMP H2 MMP H6 MMP
C6 004 C2 047 39 C6 004

ČESKOU VERZI TEXTU NALEZNETE NA MMP

www.eduard.com C131 115
POD KATALOGOVÝM ČÍSLEM 82212

H24 H24
C58 C58
35

50% 50%
H336 H70
C336 + C60

3 3

H59
C15

2 2
H59 H24 H24 H59
C15 C58 C58 C15

36 ? 37
29 4 38
30
32

H24 H59 H6 MMP H2 MMP

ORANGE GREEN GREEN BLACK
C58 C15 C6 004 C2 047
40
H336 H70 COWLING MMP RED MMP
HEMP GRAY
C336 C60 COLOR C125 108 BROWN C131 115 eduard
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 A6M2 Zero Type 21 STENCILING POSITIONS
* - STENCILS SIGNED WITH * ARE FOR MARKINGS C D E (NAKAJIMA BUILT AIRCRAFT)
S36
?
S41 S35* S38 S38 S41 S7 ? S6*

S15 ? S31
?
S20* ? S34*
INNER SIDE S24
PORT SIDE STARBOARD
S37 S37

S11 S11
S43 S44
? ?
S45* S46* S47 S18 S16 S17 S18 S47 S11

S37

S30 S30 S30 S30 S22

? ? ? ? ?
S19* S19* S19* S19* S23
S8 S1 S2 S39 S4 S3 S8
? ? ?
S9 S40* S9
? ?
S10* S10*

S42

S12 S12 S30 S38 S38 S30

? ?
S13 S13
PORT SIDE STARBOARD

S42 S42
S14 S28 S38 S38 S28 S14
? ?
S27 S27
SPINNER - DETAIL
? ?
S29 S29
S32
?
S33

S41 S41 S38 S38 S41

S30
?
S19*

S15 ? S31
S32
?
?
S20* ? S34*
S33
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