Japanese Solid Model Archive

For the propeller, prepare a small amount of suitable tinplate.
Study photographs to understand the *Zero*’s propeller planform, then draw it on the tinplate. Since real propellers have pitch, if you simply cut out the exact 2-D outline from a drawing and then twist it to add pitch, it will look too narrow from the front. To compensate, add a little extra chord to your blade pattern before cutting out a single trial blade.
Twist this blade to give it pitch, compare with photos, and if the look is right, use it as the master to cut the remaining three blades.

For the portion that inserts into the spinner, cut the blade root longer (about 3 mm) as shown, and make a few small slits with tin snips; these notches help prevent the blade from pulling out of the spinner.
Next, mark the insertion points on the spinner. Using a sharp knife, open the slots at the correct angles, and—taking care not to bend the blade roots with pliers—insert the blades. Give the assembly a test spin, observe the running, and true any wobble.

When that is done, set the final pitch. This method shines because you can freely set the pitch—refer closely to photographs and shape a clean, graceful pitch.
With bamboo or wooden blades, one risks over-carving or pitch mismatch—especially on twins or four-engined aircraft. Tinplate blades let you redo the pitch until you are satisfied, which is a real advantage.

To impart thickness (airfoil camber), apply lacquer putty with your fingertip. Because the blade roots are heavier, build up in several thin coats, letting each dry; then allow about two days for full curing.
Once dry, knock down the roughness with sandpaper, then finish-shape with #280 wet-and-dry. Pay particular attention to the root fairing and tip thickness; it’s a highly visible area, so finish it cleanly.

Finally, apply lacquer surfacer overall 2–3 times, wet-sand, then paint to finish. I have built 20–30 prop-driven models using this “tinplate + putty” method and have never had putty separate from tinplate. (Do not try to change the pitch after shaping with putty.)

For production convenience, this *Zero* was built with the engine section separated from the fuselage. Here we finish the engine unit.

* Glue a paper bulkhead at the boundary between the engine and the air-intake section, and drill the gun ports using an awl.
* Because cowl flaps will be attached, recess the flap band about 1 mm deep.
* Apply 4–5 coats of lacquer surfacer (painting details appear later), then color the parts and proceed.

For the exhausts and cowl-flap band: determine exact exhaust locations from the drawings, bend suitable-gauge copper wire, drill pilot holes, and insert. Tubing would give hollow ends but collapses on tight hook-bends; copper wire is safer. File all tips to equal length.
Cut smooth black paper into a long strip equal to the cowl-flap width. With a razor, notch where the exhausts “bite in” (work from good references). Then cut into individual segments, apply a small amount of adhesive, and attach carefully with tweezers—slightly open the flaps for a lively appearance. Avoid glue squeeze-out.

Make the engine face from tinplate: cut a star-shaped plate and wind plated wire to represent fins; glue per the figure. Because the spinner is large, this simple representation suffices.
When the airframe is fully finished, glue on the engine unit.

Following last month’s steps, carve the main-gear and tail-wheel retraction wells on the wing undersides. With a 6 mm (≈1/4″) chisel, this goes quickly and finishes cleanly. Carve to 2–3 mm depth and paint the recesses black to suggest depth.
Carve the tail-wheel well per the drawings, the arresting-hook slot likewise, and open the 7.7 mm gun ports in front of the cockpit (at the engine/fuselage boundary) with knife and awl. With these tasks done, proceed to Painting.

Painting is the notorious “hard part,” but if you follow the sequence, even first-timers can succeed. We assume hand-brushing (no airbrush). The engine is painted the same way.

• A. Primer coats — lacquer surfacer; wet-sand with #320; 3–5 coats
  
• B. Color coats — 3–4 coats with inter-coat wet-sanding
  
• C. Panel-line scribing — then spot-tone inside the lines
  
• D. Final color coats — light finishing passes
  
• E. Fastener patterning — simulated rivets
  
• F. Compound rub-out — knock down brush marks
  
• G. Unicon polish — final gloss and protection
  

Use lacquer surfacer rather than clear lacquer: it wetsands easily and fills minor undulations.
Brush on evenly with a good non-shedding brush. After ~3 coats, dry thoroughly and wet-sand with #280–#320, using a little water. Apply 2–3 more coats, dry, and wet-sand again.
Avoid over-thickening thin parts (e.g., horizontal tail)—sand as needed.

Upper surfaces: dark green. Undersides: blue-gray. The engine: black. Commercial greens are often usable as is; for blue-gray, mix white + a trace of black (light gray), then add blue to taste.
On a clear day, use an awl as a handle. Paint undersides 2–3 coats; then paint upper green 2–3 coats. Minor unevenness is acceptable; use slightly thicker lacquer and apply generously.

Scribe now rather than in bare wood, so coats don’t fill the lines. After scribing, only two light finishing coats follow, so the lines won’t disappear.
Use a well-honed knife. Start on the underside (also best for practicing markings). Measure flaps and ailerons from the drawings; keep line width/depth consistent. After scribing, place a light coat of color inside the grooves so raw wood doesn’t peek through.

On two-tone schemes, paint the lighter color first. Thin your mixed paint roughly 2×. Inspect and fair any undulations, then apply 2–3 very light passes to undersides and uppers. Use lacquer tape along the leading edge to prevent runs and control the ridge.

About 20 minutes after painting (surface set, not fully cured), lightly indicate lap joints and panels per references. Wrapping tape around the fuselage as a guide helps (cowling too).
Dot in rivets with a sharp, round-tipped awl at about 1 mm spacing, adjusting size/spacing around wing-root fillets, etc. Work patiently to keep spacing and alignment.

Use automotive polishing compound sparingly. Beginners should dab with a finger, wipe with cloth, then buff with a clean cloth. Aim mainly to knock down brush marks. Residue in scribed lines and rivets will visually pop the detail. With a soft cloth and 20–30 minutes of patient rubbing, you’ll get a subdued deep sheen.

Apply Unicon (vinyl-type finisher) and buff with a very soft cloth. Because Unicon leaves a thin film that impedes lettering, do national markings and codes after the compound and before Unicon.
For hinomaru, a ruling pen (*karasuguchi*) works well: draw the outer white ring, fill 3–4 mm inward with white; after drying, draw the red ring and fill the center red. Practice on paper and tune lacquer viscosity (too thick won’t flow; too thin floods). Tail codes can be guided with paper lacquer-tape.

Work to your preferred detail level; the *Zero*’s cockpit is roomy. The seat is bare duralumin on the real aircraft—fabricate in tinplate, leave unpainted, and glue to the floor.
Fix a bullet-proof back plate; add a loop antenna from wire (see Fig. 4). Glue the canopy with vinyl-compatible adhesive if formed from vinyl, holding with lacquer tape while curing.
To suggest internal structure at the exhaust outlets, insert three small triangular tinplate pieces and touch in paint for a convincing hollow look.

Glue the engine unit to the completed fuselage. Attach the oil cooler bridging the fuselage underside to the engine section (paint blue-gray; see Fig. 6).
On thick wings you can bore sockets for gear legs, but thin sections give little purchase. A simple, strong method: drive two dressmaker’s pins into the wing to at least 1 cm depth and solder the legs to them—works even on very thin wings. Install the tailwheel similarly; add gun barrels and pitot.
On 1:30 scale, stretch a wire antenna from a small tinplate pad on the fin tip to the mast; it adds realism.
Fit drop tank(s) to complete the model—then celebrate with a bottle of ramune!