Reviews : Airfix A6M2b Zero Aircraft

First off, this is an updated kit. If you see photos of the model with the green and grey paint job and the number 34 under the wing, that's the old style. The new version is IJN grey all over with red and beige fuselage stripes. I've built four of these kits, and I've used it for a beginning model class. It has the perfect mix of value, quality and detail. The sprues on all of the kits I've done were very clean. There was minimal flash, and the pieces fit together beautifully. There was very little sanding or puttying required. The detail is about as good as you can get without adding photo etch parts. One neat thing about the kit is the variety of options. The kit provides parts for landing gear either up or down, wingtips extended or folded, etc. Unfortunately the canopy doesn't open, but if you're super duper careful, you can cut it to the open position with a sharp hobby knife. This is a great kit for beginners (I had an 8 year old build one in my class) or experts given its forgiving nature and loads of detail and potential.

First off, please note this review is for the 2019 kit. The kit has since been updated in 2023 with new decals. Overall a nice little model. After graduating from the Airfix starter kits, I used this model as my launching point into the more advanced kits. The fit was good for the most part. I could not for the life of me get the pitot tube to adhere to the model so I just left it off. In hindsight I probably could have used a pin vise to help get it on, but it wasn't worth the headache. Additionally, I did have a little bit of trouble getting the fuselage into the wing roots but all in all it ended up getting pretty flush. Decals were good for the most part, but the flap decals were a pain to get right. If you're looking for a kit beyond starter kit level I would say this is a good model to get your toes wet. This kit lets you practice a number of different things with a limited amount of paints needed.

This is a very competent little Zero kit. I think its closest competitor would be the Hasegawa or Tamiya one, however I have not built the Tamiya one so I won't discuss it further. As far as the Hasegawa kit, overall, I believe that the airfix kit is better. For one, it is cheaper. Additionally, this Zero comes with really nice cartograph decals, which have good color, conform to virtually all contours. I think that the Hasegawa kit has better surface detail, forgoing the well-known 'trench' panel lines that Airfix uses. The biggest benefit of this kit is the interior. From all the 1/72 Zero cockpit's that I saw, I think that airfix has managed to capture the best shape, especially in the sloping floor. I would even go so far as to say that this kit, besides MAYBE the FineMolds Zero, has the best off-the-shelf Zero cockpit in this scale. Overall, it's a good kit. It's cheap. I'd buy it again.

The new range of Airfix kits are all detailed and rewarding builds, but they're also all a bit fiddly and tricky. The chief culprits on their new Zero are the landing gear hatches and the control column -- be sure you have some sharp side cutters or a razor saw handy when you're cutting the pieces from the sprues, as the attachment points tend to be very thick. Once you cross that hurdle (or not), you'll end up with a very decent replica of a Mitsubishi Zero, with a good clear canopy, plenty of detail in the cockpit and on the surface, and an excellent sheet of decals typical of Airfix quality. For the price -- about a third of the Tamiya version -- you can't go wrong.

I purchased this kit based on the reviews and am glad I did. I have not started it yet, but have test fit most of the pieces and am very happy with it. I am waiting on the arrival of a second kit so when I paint I can do both at the same time. This will allow me to mix enough paint for both kits. This also allows me to work longer. while the glue is setting on one I can go on to the other. For the price of this kit and quality I will most likely purchase more in the near future.

Airfix has really killed it with these new tool kits. This one is no exception. An excellent weekend build, or base for some super detailing with all the PE you can fit, the parts are clean and sharply molded. No flash was seen anywhere on my version. I had no fit issues and didnt need filler. Its worth noting that its the same kit that comes in the Zero/Wildcat double kit. This is a great kit for anyone at any skill level.

This was a nice cheap little kit. The parts are pretty small so they can be a little tough for some people. The instructions were very easy to follow, and all of the pieces fit together pretty well. There is very little flash on the parts that needs to be cleaned up. This is a great plane for beginners and experienced modelers. It is cheap, so not a lot of money will be lost if a mistake is made.

These new mould Airfix model kits are simply astonishing Everything fits, it almost doesn't need glue. The Zero was a great plane, even if it didn't had good armour... It was fast, agile, and no rival to the p-40, as it surpassed it without much effort. we have a nice view of the radial engine, good cockpit detail, landing gear wells... simply perfect

Another fun easy kit from Airfix. Clear details and instructions, no flash. I'd compare it's quality and value to the P-51D kit #A01004. Working on my second one now

This is probably one of the best zeros on the market and rivals the Asian kits. but even cooler being from the UK. And a quarter of the price.

So much potential with this kit. I plan on having it chased by a corsair in a dog fight scene I am building.

I love this kit. Was very enjoyable bought this one. Easy assembled also good finishes