1:48 A6M5C Type 52 Zero Fighter
Item #61027

Product Description

About the A6M5c Type 52 Zero Fighter
In April 1939, shortly after the first Japanese Zero began test
trials, modification drawings were already taking place on the
zero in the Mitsubishi design room, to keep pace with the
anticipated long air war in the Pacific. After the initial
superiority of the Zero over allied aircraft began to wane, due
to new U.S. types being introduced, Mitsubishi was hard pressed
to maintain a superiority. The introduction of the Grumman F6F
and Chance Vought F4U, provided a need for more firepower, armor
protection and capability led the combined companies of Nakajima
and Mitsubishi to produce the A6M5 series of aircraft.
Total production of the Type 52 series consisted of 10,449
aircraft of which Nakajima produced 6,570. It first entered
combat in August 1943 at a time when the Japanese forces were
withdrawing from previously held islands in the South Pacific.
The type 52c was the last of the A6M5 series, and the most
effective against Allied aircraft due to its armament
configuration three of 13mm machine guns and two 20mm cannons. A
total of 93 Type 52 and 52b zeros were field modified to "c"
weapons configuration. The 7.7mm machine guns, housed in the
cowling of the Zero since its first introduction, proved to be
less effective during the latter stages of the conflict, due to
the heavier armor protection of allied aircraft, and their self
sealing fuel tanks. The 13mm weapon was greatly more effective;
however, due to its increased weight, only one of them could be
housed in the cowling and one in each wing. The 7.7 machine guns
were removed from the cowling and one 13mm gun was mounted on the
right hand side. This installation also made necessary the
enlarging of the right hand projectile exit and cowling tube
input, of the cowling, giving it an unbalanced look when viewed
from the top.

Code named "Zeke" by the Allies, the Type 52c was powered by a 14
cylinder twin row NK1F Sakae 21 engine of 1,130hp, of which
later versions were alcohol injected. In addition to the machine
guns and cannons, the 52c could also carry four air to air
rockets or four 30kg air to air bombs or two 60kg air to ground
conventional bombs. The air to air systems were initiated in an
attempt to disrupt B-29 operations by firing the rockets or
dropping the small bombs on the formations. The bombs were timed
to air-burst a certain number of seconds after release from the
fighters.

Suggested Paint Colors

X-1 - Black
X-10 - Gun Metal
X-11 - Chrome Silver
X-12 - Gold Leaf
X-13 - Metallic Blue
X-18 - Semi Gloss Black
X-2 - White
X-20 - Enamel Thinner
X-5 - Green
X-7 - Red
X-8 - Lemon Yellow
XF-1 - Flat Black
XF-10 - Flat Brown
XF-11 - J.N. Green
XF-12 - J.N. Grey
XF-15 - Flat Flesh
XF-16 - Flat Aluminum
XF-20 - Medium Grey
XF-4 - Yellow Green
XF-5 - Flat Green
XF-52 - Flat Earth
XF-56 - Metallic Grey
XF-57 - Buff
XF-64 - Red Brown