Mitsubishi Zero models · Compare UK prices
Mitsubishi Zero Models & Kits
Choose a Mitsubishi A6M Zero by variant, scale and construction difficulty. Compare Airfix, Tamiya, Hasegawa and Eduard plastic model kits, from compact 1:72 fighters to detailed 1:48 builds.
The range also includes a traditional Guillow’s balsa build and ready-built diecast aircraft. Our history and variant guide explains the A6M2, A6M3 and A6M5 families and their Model 21, 22, 32 and 52 designations.
Featured build · Tamiya A6M3/3a Model 22, 1:48
Featured Mitsubishi Zero models
Three different ways to enjoy the Zero: an Easy traditional plastic kit, a larger Challenging balsa project and a ready-built diecast collector’s aircraft.
Best for an Easy plastic Zero kit
Easy · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · 47 parts · Glue and paint separate
Best for a traditional balsa project
Challenging · Balsa Wood · 1:16
1:16 · Laser-cut balsa · 70.5 cm wingspan
Best for a ready-built collector’s Zero
Ready-built · Diecast · 1:72
1:72 · Diecast · Jeffman Island, 1944 finish
Intermediate Zero model kits
These Tamiya kits suit modellers ready for careful cockpit work, alignment and painted finishing. Compare the A6M3 Model 22 with the later A6M5 family in 1:72 and 1:48. Their shared Intermediate label describes the construction demands, not identical aircraft details.
Best for a compact Model 52 build
Intermediate · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · Intermediate · Conventional plastic kit
Tamiya’s A6M5 offers the later Model 52 subject in a compact scale. The cockpit, engine-cowling and airframe stages suit an Intermediate builder comfortable with careful fitting and paintwork. Compare its shorter wing and exhaust arrangement with the earlier A6M3 subjects.
Best for a 1:72 Model 22
Intermediate · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · Intermediate · Model 22 subject
The A6M3/3a Model 22 keeps the longer rounded-wing appearance rather than the clipped tips of the Model 32. Tamiya’s Intermediate plastic kit provides a compact way to compare Zero versions, with the exact parts and markings selected before assembly.
Best for an Intermediate 1:48 Zero
Intermediate · Plastic · 1:48
1:48 · Flap options · Three marking choices
Tamiya’s larger Model 52 combines cockpit construction, flap choices and a pilot figure with an Intermediate rating. Choose the A6M5 or A6M5a configuration using the supplied instructions and markings. The aircraft is a glued plastic project requiring painted finishing.
Choosing a Zero scale
Choose between compact 1:72 models, larger 1:48 plastic kits and the substantial 1:16 balsa project. The same scale can cover a kit or a finished aircraft, so compare the format as well as the ratio.
| Scale | Subject | What to consider | Catalogue examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:72 | Plastic Zero kits and finished diecast aircraft | A compact collection scale with Easy and Intermediate kit choices. Ready-built models use the same ratio but involve a different buying decision. | Airfix A6M2b / Tamiya A6M5 / Corgi diecast |
| 1:48 | Snap-together and conventional plastic kits | Compare assembly method as well as size. The Pegasus model is Easy; detailed Eduard and Tamiya Model 22 kits are Challenging. | Pegasus snap-together / Eduard ProfiPACK / Tamiya Model 22 |
| 1:16 | Traditional balsa Zero | Guillow’s 404 LC spans 27¾ inches, about 70.5 cm. Allow room for the structure and covering process as well as the completed model. | Guillow’s 404 LC |
1:72 Mitsubishi Zero models
Airfix, Hasegawa and Tamiya cover A6M2, A6M3 and A6M5 subjects in this compact collection scale. Airfix’s A6M2b is Easy; the two other kits are Intermediate. Check the exact version, wing options and marking guide before starting.
Best for an Easy plastic Zero kit
Easy · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · 47 parts · Glue and paint separate
Airfix’s compact A6M2b introduces traditional plastic assembly with an Easy rating. Its 47 parts, decals and paint guide create a focused fighter project. This basic boxing needs separate glue and finishing supplies; it is not a starter set with paints included.
Best for comparing A6M3 versions
Intermediate · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · Type 22/32 options · Intermediate
Hasegawa’s D26 boxing offers Type 22 and Type 32 Zero subjects in 1:72 scale. Read the instructions before choosing the wing and marking combination. The Intermediate rating suits a modeller ready for more planned assembly and finishing than a basic first kit.
Best for a compact Model 52 build
Intermediate · Plastic · 1:72
1:72 · Intermediate · Conventional plastic kit
Tamiya’s A6M5 offers the later Model 52 subject in a compact scale. The cockpit, engine-cowling and airframe stages suit an Intermediate builder comfortable with careful fitting and paintwork. Compare its shorter wing and exhaust arrangement with the earlier A6M3 subjects.
1:48 Mitsubishi Zero models
These larger kits offer three different build demands: Easy snap-together Pegasus assembly, Eduard’s Challenging ProfiPACK with small photo-etched details, and Tamiya’s Challenging Model 22. Choose the construction method and supplied detail level alongside the aircraft version.
Best for a 1:48 snap-together Zero
Easy · Plastic · 1:48
1:48 · Easy · Snap-together plastic
Pegasus offers an Easy snap-together A6M2 Model 21 in 1:48. The joining method provides an alternative to a conventional glued kit, while retaining a stated scale. Check the instructions and finish you want: snap assembly does not mean the model arrives painted.
Best for a detailed ProfiPACK project
Challenging · Plastic · 1:48
1:48 · Photo-etched details · Masks included
Eduard’s Challenging ProfiPACK includes pre-painted photo-etched details, painting masks and five marking choices for Type 22/22a subjects. The small metal parts and detailed assembly reward precision. Pre-painted detail parts do not mean the whole aircraft is supplied with a finished paint scheme.
Best for a detailed Model 22
Challenging · Plastic · 1:48
1:48 · Wingtip options · Photo-etched hinges
Tamiya’s Model 22 includes wingtip presentation options and photo-etched hinge details. Its Challenging rating suits a modeller comfortable handling small metal and plastic components alongside cockpit and airframe work. Choose the required version and display configuration before assembly.
Ready-built Mitsubishi Zero models
Corgi, DeAgostini and Richmond offer finished 1:72 aircraft for a shelf or cabinet. None carries a construction difficulty rating. Compare A6M2 and A6M3 subjects, the supplied paint scheme and display contents when matching them to a collection.
Best for a ready-built collector’s Zero
Ready-built · Diecast · 1:72
1:72 · Diecast · Jeffman Island, 1944 finish
Corgi’s finished Aviation Archive Zero depicts an A6M2-21 associated with Jeffman Island in 1944. It includes a display stand and a painted finish. Choose it for a collection without a construction or painting project; no kit difficulty is assigned.
Best for a compact finished A6M2
Ready-built · Diecast · 1:72
1:72 · Diecast · Stand included
DeAgostini’s Zero is a finished diecast A6M2 supplied with a display stand. It provides a compact painted aircraft without kit construction. Check the supplied scheme and photographs when matching it to an existing collection; minor display setup is not a build difficulty.
Best for a ready-built A6M3
Ready-built · Diecast · 1:72
1:72 · Diecast · Stand included
This finished Richmond A6M3 offers another Zero variant in 1:72 scale, with a stand for display. It needs no kit assembly or painting project. Compare the supplied airframe details and markings in the listing photographs rather than assuming every A6M3 display model is identical.
How to choose a Zero model
Choose the format before the difficulty label. Airfix’s A6M2b is an Easy traditional glued kit; Pegasus 8409 uses Easy snap-together assembly. Tamiya’s Intermediate models involve more fitting and finishing, while Eduard ProfiPACK and Tamiya 61108 are Challenging. The Guillow’s balsa kit is also Challenging, but uses framework and covering skills. Read our construction-rating guide when comparing these different methods.
Match the version and display to the intended aircraft. Check the A6M designation, Model or Type number, wing shape and supplied markings. The A6M3 Model 22 and clipped-wing Model 32 are different configurations. A finished diecast Zero avoids construction and painting; a plastic kit lets you choose the supplied build and marking options. Check which finishing supplies are included in the exact boxing.
Compare the recommended Zero models
Compare the recommended Zero models by variant, format, scale and difficulty. Ready-built diecast models have no construction rating.
| Model / brand | Variant / format | Scale | Difficulty | Price | Buy now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airfix A01005B A6M2b Zero | A6M2b · Glued plastic | 1:72 | Easy | £8.99 | |
| Guillow’s 404 LC Mitsubishi Zero | Zero · balsa build · Balsa framework | 1:16 | Challenging | £64.90 | |
| Corgi AA33110 A6M2-21 Zero | A6M2 Model 21 · Finished diecast | 1:72 | Ready-built | £57.99 | |
| Tamiya 60779 A6M5 Zero | A6M5 Model 52 · Glued plastic | 1:72 | Intermediate | £18.56 | |
| Tamiya 60785 A6M3/3a Zero | A6M3/3a Model 22 · Glued plastic | 1:72 | Intermediate | £20.70 | |
| Tamiya 61103 A6M5/5a Zero | A6M5/5a Model 52 · Glued plastic | 1:48 | Intermediate | £36.00 | |
| Hasegawa D26 A6M3 Zero | A6M3 Type 22/32 · Glued plastic | 1:72 | Intermediate | £15.71 | |
| Pegasus 8409 A6M2 Model 21 | A6M2 Model 21 · Snap-together plastic | 1:48 | Easy | £41.52 | |
| Eduard 82214 A6M3 Zero ProfiPACK | A6M3 Type 22/22a · Glued plastic | 1:48 | Challenging | £29.44 | |
| Tamiya 61108 A6M3/3a Zero | A6M3/3a Model 22 · Glued plastic | 1:48 | Challenging | £37.80 | |
| DeAgostini A6M2 Zero display model | A6M2 · Finished diecast | 1:72 | Ready-built | £17.99 | |
| Richmond A6M3 Zero display model | A6M3 · Finished diecast | 1:72 | Ready-built | £17.99 |
Mitsubishi Zero history and variants
The Mitsubishi A6M was developed as a Japanese naval fighter, first flying in April 1939 and entering combat in 1940. Its familiar Zero name came from the Navy Type Zero Carrier-Based Fighter designation; Allied reporting used the name Zeke. The National Museum of the US Air Force explains the aircraft’s development and its early emphasis on light weight, manoeuvrability and range.
The Zero changed through successive airframe, engine, wing and armament developments. That makes the full designation useful when comparing kits: A6M3 alone does not tell you whether the subject has Model 22 or Model 32 wings. Tamiya’s Model 22 history explains the development from the clipped-wing Model 32.
A6M numbers and Model numbers
A6M2, A6M3 and A6M5 identify major versions. Model or Type numbers such as 21, 22, 32 and 52 provide another part of the aircraft designation; they are not a kit scale or difficulty rating. Follow the instructions and markings for the chosen boxing.
| Variant | Model / Type | What differs | Catalogue examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| A6M2 | Model 21 | An early carrier-fighter version with folding wingtips. Check the kit’s representation and marking options; an early variant can still depict a later wartime aircraft. | Pegasus Model 21 / Corgi A6M2-21 |
| A6M3 | Model 32 | The clipped-wing A6M3 configuration. Do not treat a Model 22 wing as interchangeable without checking the supplied parts. | Hasegawa Type 22/32 |
| A6M3 / A6M3a | Model 22 / 22a | A longer rounded-wing development after the Model 32. Kits vary in the supplied wing, armament and detail options. | Tamiya 1:72 Model 22 / Eduard Type 22 |
| A6M5 / A6M5a | Model 52 | Shorter rounded wings and revised exhaust arrangements distinguish this later family. Match the exact subvariant’s parts to its markings. | Tamiya 1:72 A6M5 / Tamiya 1:48 A6M5/5a |
Browse all Mitsubishi Zero models
Browse Zero kits and finished models by scale or Intermediate construction rating. The full range includes plastic, balsa and diecast choices. Use the numbered pages to see the complete selection.
Mitsubishi Zero model FAQs
Which Zero kit is suitable for an easier build?
The Airfix A01005B A6M2b is an Easy glued plastic kit with paint and adhesive supplied separately. The Pegasus 8409 Model 21 is an Easy snap-together alternative in 1:48. Check the assembly method and desired finish rather than assuming both kits use the same process.
What is the difference between A6M2, A6M3 and A6M5?
They identify different Zero versions. Model numbers narrow the subject further: Model 21 belongs to the A6M2 family, while Model 22 and Model 32 are A6M3 developments. The A6M5 Model 52 has later wing and exhaust features. Compare the full designation before choosing parts or markings.
Should I choose a 1:72 or 1:48 Zero?
For the same aircraft version, 1:48 is 1.5 times as large in each linear dimension as 1:72. Compare Tamiya’s 1:72 Model 22 with its 1:48 Model 22. Both scale and kit design matter: the former is Intermediate, while the larger kit is Challenging.
Does ProfiPACK mean the Zero is already painted?
The Eduard 82214 ProfiPACK includes pre-painted photo-etched details and painting masks, but the plastic aircraft still needs construction and painted finishing. Five marking options are supplied. Its Challenging rating reflects the precision involved, including small metal components.
How is the balsa Zero different from a plastic kit?
The Guillow’s 404 LC uses laser-cut balsa framework and covering rather than moulded fuselage and wing shells. Its 1:16 airframe has a wingspan of about 70.5 cm and needs accurate alignment. This Challenging project requires different skills and working space from the plastic kits.
Do the ready-built Zero models have a difficulty rating?
No. The Corgi, DeAgostini and Richmond examples are finished diecast display models, all in 1:72. Minor stand setup is not kit construction. Compare the variant, supplied scheme and display contents instead.
Related categories
Explore related model subjects, building formats and gift guides.