1/48 Tamiya A6M2 'okkōtai'

[MikeyKb]

hello boys and girls.
Here is my entry for The Rising Sun GB. My ode to the crazy S.O.Bs of the okkōtai, the Japanese term for 'special attack unit' - or, kamikaze pilots.

In Japanese, the formal term used for units carrying out suicide attacks during 1944–1945 is tokubetsu kōgeki tai (特別攻撃隊), which literally means "special attack unit". This is usually abbreviated to tokkōtai (特攻隊). More specifically, air suicide attack units from the Imperial Japanese Navy were officially called shinpū tokubetsu kōgeki tai (神風特別攻撃隊, "divine wind special attack units"). Shinpū is the on-reading (on'yomi or Chinese-derived pronunciation) of the same characters that form the word kamikaze in Japanese. During World War II, the pronunciation kamikaze was used in Japan only informally in relation to suicide attacks, but after the war this usage gained acceptance worldwide and was re-imported into Japan. As a result, the special attack units are sometimes known in Japan as kamikaze tokubetsu kōgeki tai.

I will be depicting a scene with kamizae pilots prepping to take off - with the Tamiya 1/34 A6M2, and a Legend kit which has yet to come in of the ceremony.



In this scheme.


I know the dates don't really line up - but I also don't really care. I've been thinking of possibly adding a 2nd aircraft to this diorama, but we shall see.

the Mitsubishi A6M was outdated by 1944, design delays and production difficulties of newer Japanese aircraft types meant that it continued to serve in a front line role until the end of the war. During the final years of the War in the Pacific, the Zero was also adapted for use in kamikaze operations. During the course of the war, Japan produced more Zeros than any other model of combat aircraft.




Here's a great uniform colour call reference I found


And now, the kit.





Instructions






Progress so far

Started with the office - I really love the Tamiya cockpit colour - the pieces went together quite well. the detail isn't the bad for an older kit. I'll be doing it OOB.




Ready for some primer - Badger black, for moi.



Isn't the green lovely?!



I'm going to let it all dry and start the detailing and chipping - this is a well used bird at this point in the war - so used, in fact, they've committed it so a kamikaze flight.

Hope you enjoyed. Got some good ideas for the base, hope it works out

[Aliktren]

good stuff, got my eye on more Japanese kits after doing this GB so this is on the list

[mincemeat]

I was thinking of picking up a Zero just today. Good luck, I'll be looking forward to it!

[eightfooticeman]

Give it Mikey, he likes it! Friendly reminder, we got 14 days left, shall you be completing your build sir?