Hobby Master Archive

1/48 scale pre-finished. Die-cast metal with a minimum of plastic. All markings pad applied for superb results. Canopy slides open. Comes with a pilot that can be removed. Comes with display stand. Landing gear is fully retractable and can be displayed up or down. Propeller is metal. Extremely sought after by collectors.

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA8804 Japan A6M2 “Captured Zero” US Navy, September 1942

The A6M entered service in 1940 and became known as the Zero because of the Japanese designation of Type 0 Carrier Fighter. The Zero technology was years ahead of any other fighter and had no problem clearing the skies of opposing aircraft. There were numerous variants of the Zero including the folding wing A6M2 Model 21 designed for carrier operations. The A6M2 was the most produced Japanese aircraft of WWII. As the war went on the Model 21 would be the Zero variant that most Allied pilots would encounter.

On June 4 1942 Japanese Zeros attacked the Aleutian Islands as a diversion for the attack on Midway Island. Zeros were launched from the carrier Ryujo to attack Dutch Harbor. The Japanese aircraft shot down a PBY-5A Catalina and bombed the harbor. During the attack ground fire hit Tadayoshi Koga’s Zero (4593) and it limped away and was discovered one month later crashed on Akutan Island almost intact. The aircraft was sent to the U.S., repaired and test flown to learn everything about the Zero but was destroyed in a 1945 crash.

Specifications A6M2 Model 21 Type 0 Role - Fighter Production Of All Zero Types - Almost 10, 500 Crew - 1 Pilot Dimensions Length - 29.72 ft (9.06 m) Wingspan - 39 ft 4.4 in (12 m) Height - 10 ft (3.05 m)

Weight Empty - 3,703.7 lb (1,680 kg)

Performance Power Plant - 1 X Nakajima Sakae 12 Producing 925 HP Speed - 331 mph (533 km/h) Ceiling - 33,792.5 ft (10,300 m) Range - 1,044 miles (1,680 km)

Armament 2 X 7.7 mm Type 97 Machine Guns On Upper Fuselage Firing Through A Synchronized Propeller 2 X 20 mm Type 99 Cannon Wing-Mounted 2 X External 132 lb (60 kg) Bombs