Yellow Hammer Decals

1/32 A6M2 Zero Type 21s decal sheet

Product # YHD32014 for $14.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Sept 5 2006 

 

 

 

This new decal sheet from Yellow Hammer Decals includes markings for 7 Zeros including 3 from Pearl Harbor and one in captured US markings.  The recommended kit for these decals is the 1/32 Tamiya A6M2 kit.

The first plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21 AI-154, flown by PO1c Takashi Hirano, Akagi, Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.  Hirano was Itaya's No. 1 wingman for the Pearl Harbor attack and was shot down at Fort Kamehameha while attacking the Hickman and Ewa airfields and died in the crash.

The second plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21 AII-105, flown by Lt Yoshio Shiga, Kaga fighter leader, Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.  Shiga was the Kaga fighter leader, 1st Squadron, 11th section, number one aircraft.  Shiga became a very famous IJN fighter leader and test pilot and survived the war as the highest ranking carrier aviator. 

The third plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21  53-102, flown by PO1c Tetsuzo Iwamoto, 253rd Air Group, Rabaul, late 1943; DI-108, PO1c Tadayoshi Koga, Ryujo, Dutch Harbor on 4 June 1942.  Iwamoto flew aircover over Zuikaku during the attack on Pearl.  He later fought in the air Battle of Coral Sea and  ended up as the highest scoring ace in both the Chinese and Pacific theaters and finished the war with 80 victories.  Sadly he died in 1955 at age 38 not being able to adjust to post war life after WW2. 

The fourth plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21 A6M2, flown by PO1c Tadayoshi Koga, Ryujo Fighter Squadron on June 4 1942.  Koga had a fuel line damged by enemy fire during an attack on Dutch Harbor and was not able to return to his ship.  He elected to do a wheels down landing in what appeared to be a level field ont he tiny island  of Akutan.  The field was a wet bog and his plane flipped breaking his neck.  Koga was a rabid American hater, so it is ironic that he delivered an intact aircraft to the Americans for badly needed evalution.    

The fifth plane is a captured A6M2 Zero Type 21 formerly Koga's aircraft, with a standard USN two-tone camouflage scheme (stencils only) in captued USN markings with the US Navy Test program at NAS North Island in the fall of 1942. 

The sixth plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21 AI-155, flown by LCDR Shigeru Itaya, first wave fighter leader, Akagi, Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941.  This is the first plane to take off for Pearl Harbor for the Dec 7 attack. 

The seventh plane is a A6M2 Zero Type 21 V-103, flown by PO1c Saburo Sakai, Tainan Air Group, Dutch East Indies, February 1942. 

INCLUDES BlackMagic(tm) precut painting masks! 

Click on image below to see larger image

The decals were flawlessly printed.  The colours look good and will cover very well.  The hinomarus aren't included because the ones in the Tamiya kit are very well done and of the correct size.  The masks are to assist you with doing the USN markings.

I'm a Pearl Harbor history buff and this sheet is of particular interest to me.

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford