My wife went on a shopping trip to the states and picked me up a Tamiya 1/32 A6M5 kit#60318 released 2007. My wife does not know alot about aircraft but knew I wanted a Zero kit in this scale but I really wanted the A6M2 kit.

I am not an expert on the zero and was wondering if there was a huge difference between the A6M2 and the A6M5 as I really want to build the overall IJN grey paint scheme.

I hate to bear bad news, but there is a lot of difference between the two, and the A6M5 would always have been green/grey. It's a shame, because both of the Tamiya kits are excellent kits out of the box. I would suggest you go to www.j-aircraft.com for more details, but in a nutshell, the engine/cowl/exhaust, wings, and armament are all different.
You might reconsider, as the kit is sure a keeper.
Norm Samuelson

Thanks, I figured as much. I have heard that the A6M5 has been seen in reference books with the all over IJN Grey paint scheme.....would anyone know if this is true? I have tried searching on the Internet to try and find decals for the A6M5 that are available in 1/32 but no luck. I did read a in box review where the reviewer said it is a beautiful kit but was dissappointed there was no other paint schemes with IJN Grey overall, this would lead me to believe that this paint scheme is an option on the A6M5????

The references that I have come across indicate that A6M5 was factory-believer in green over gray. IIRC, the Zeke 52 was in action in very late 1943, but by then IJNAF was camouflaging everything with a green topside.

IMHO, the overall gray A6M5 you found was not gray, but the overall white surrender scheme.

I have learned to never say never, because somewhere, someone may find a prototype, but I will say that there were no overall gray A6M5.

I agree. I do not recall ever seeing any A6M5 in an overall grey scheme. The surrender scheme (white, with green crosses) could appear in photos as being overall grey.

If it is a good kit, go ahead and build it. Paint it as in your references. A well built kit is a great satisfaction, even if the original airplane isn't in the camo you prefer.

Aloha Michael,
Here is Japan's top URL on Japanese WWII aviation and their BBS is English friendly, too:
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/index2.htm basic index

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/sub202.htm aircraft illustrations in color

http://www.plays.jp/bbs/zero22/index.html message board (English friendly)

Zero data: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/index2.htm

Note all the A6M2 varients at: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/sub47.htm

Note the markings at: http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/sub202.htm

http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/sub108.htm

More Zero URLs (let me know whether any URLs are now 'bad'):

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ku3n-kym/heiki6/eisen/eisen.html

http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~a6m232/index.html

http://www.zero-fighter.com/bilingual/index.htm

http://www.hubuki.jp/museum/kawaguti2004/a6m2004.html

http://goinkyox.web.infoseek.co.jp/Gunji/Warplane/TypeZero4.htm

http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~yamato/zeke.htm

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~la3k-kmt/

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~la3k-kmt/kanoya/kanoya.html


PEARL HARBOR (Japanese side) BBS: http://www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard312a/ikonboard.cgi?s=e96c1c2bb278b6d3129ce1f3ee1a8204;act=SF;f=11

Pearl Harbor Japanese aircraft research source: http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/replicajan1990.msnw

Japanese aircraft markings artwork in color: http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/pearlharboraircraft.msnw

COLOR CHIP INFO:
Japanese COLOR CHIPS and FS595 equivilants by a Japanese researcher (English translation): http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cocoro/subw117-2.htm

COLOR CHIPS and relics of Japanese aircraft: http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/colorsamples.msnw

MITSUO FUCHIDA's B5N AI-301:
http://www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard312a/ikonboard.cgi?s=f716d383bdc9b2bef9284ab1a8e67c6a;act=ST;f=11;t=310

Command stripe data:
http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/replicajan1990.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=46

under wing numbers:
http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/replicajan1990.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=60

cowling stencil:
http://www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard312a/ikonboard.cgi?s=f716d383bdc9b2bef9284ab1a8e67c6a;act=ST;f=11;t=308

red tail patterns:
http://groups.msn.com/japanesemodelaircraft/replicajan1990.msnw?Page=4

lower fuselage color:
http://www.pearlharborattacked.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard312a/ikonboard.cgi?s=f716d383bdc9b2bef9284ab1a8e67c6a;act=ST;f=11;t=342

I listen and would love to learn from you!
Cheers,
David Aiken, a Director: Pearl Harbor History Associates, Inc. http://www.pearlharbor-history.org/ [largest URL on WWII on internet]