Mitsubishi A6M Zero – The Ultimate History & Modeling Guide
Historical Development & Versions
A6M1 (Prototype – 1939)
Engine: Mitsubishi Zuisei 13
First test model. Abandoned due to lack of power.
A6M2 Model 11 & 21 (1940–1941)
Engine: Nakajima Sakae 12
Participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Folding wingtips for naval use.
A6M3 Model 22 & 32 (1942–1943)
Improved Sakae 21 engine
Shorter wings on Model 32 – better speed, worse maneuverability.
A6M5 Model 52 (1943–1945)
Strengthened fuselage, thicker wings
Improved ventilation and exhaust
More combat-ready version against Hellcat & Corsair.
A6M7 & A6M8 (1944–1945)
Final versions for Kamikaze missions and improved power.
Camouflage & Color Relationships
3.1 Exterior Colors by Period:
Period Area of Operations Basic Color IJN Code Description
1940–1942 Pearl Harbor, Midway IJN Light Grey J3 Blue-gray with green tint
1942–1944 New Guinea, Solomons IJN Green / Grey D1 + J3 Green above, grey below
1944–1945 Kamikaze, Japanese defense IJN Dark Green D2 All green for air camouflage
3.2 Interior Colors (Cockpit – Undercarriage Bays):
Cockpit: Mitsubishi Interior Green (Kokuki Shōkaki Iro)
Similar to FS 34151 but with a slight brown tint
Wheel Covers / Piping: Aluminum or Mitsubishi Grey-Green
Modeling Color Matching
Japanese Navy Paint Mr. Hobby (C) Tamiya (XF) AK Real Colors Hataka Mission Models
IJN Grey (J3) C35 XF-76 RC330 HTK-041 MMP-123
IJN Green (D1) C124 XF-11 RC331 HTK-042 MMP-124
IJN Dark Green (D2) C15 XF-70 RC332 HTK-043 MMP-125
Interior Green (cockpit) C127 XF-71 RC336 HTK-044 MMP-105
Aluminum C8 XF-16 RC020 HTK-A192 MMP-003
Many companies such as AK, Ammo Mig, and Hataka offer “IJN Sets” with ready-made shades.
Zero Color Guide
Schemes
| Scheme | Description |
|---|---|
| M-01 (1939–early 1943) | Single-tone glossy pale olive‑grey overall (“ash green”), upper cowling & canopy deck painted glossy grey‑black |
| N-01 (Nakajima-built, before March 1943) | Single-tone medium grey (Munsell 5 GY 5/1 range) |
| Two-tone (from March 1943) | Light grey lower surfaces, pale olive‑grey upper surfaces (dual-tone) |
Analysis & FS Color References
Analysis of actual Zero pieces (e.g. Pearl Harbor relics, Nakajima wrecks) shows:
M-01 glossy pale olive-grey ≈ FS-24201 / FS-26350 / FS-16350
Cowling/canopy grey-black ≈ FS-25042 / FS-26081 / FS-14050
Weathered overall chalky grey ≈ FS-36357 / FS-36495
Nakajima grey (N-01) ≈ FS-16314–16251, Munsell 5GY5/1 ≈ FS-16160–24201
These values are from sources such as J-Aircraft research & James Lansdale
Sources with Authentic Photos
For authentic reference materials and photos:
Mitsubishi A6M Zero “Zeke”
https://airpages.ru/eng/jp/jp.shtml
http://www.aviationofjapan.com/ (Special site for Japanese WWII aircraft)
Zero Akagi-sen diorama by:Panagiotis Koubetsos