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 HA8805 Japan A6M2 Zero Type 21 V-173, Rabaul, June to July 1942 “Saburo Sakai”

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.

Sakai became a pilot in 1937. In 1938 Sakai flew an A5M Navy Type 96 fighter, scoring one victory over a DB-3 bomber. In 1940 he was chosen to test the new A6M Zero against the Chinese and in late 1941 joined the Tainan Air Group on Taiwan. He used A6M2 Zero V-173 while based on Rabaul in June and July 1942. Ordered to shoot down any Allied aircraft, military or civil Sakai refused to shoot down a C-47 when he saw a woman and a child onboard. Sakai is credited with 64 victories.

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