Canadian Zero!!!!

[K5054NZ]

Hey dudes.

Part IV of Project AFC is a bit of a surprise, but one I've been wanting to do for years and years and years.

Canadian Car and Foundry Harvard Mk.IV CCF4-153, aka Mitsubishi A6M Zero 288.

Yup, Zac has embarked on the (as far as I know) previously-unembarked-upon Tora, Tora, Tora Zero replicas. Based on Harvards, several of these were built/converted in 1967/68, most of which remain airworthy as "Zeroes" with the CAF in the States.

One was sold, eventually, to the late Ray and Mark Hanna's OFMC at Duxford, from where it was purchased by Tim Wallis in 1992. She made her Kiwi airshow debut later that year, piloted by Ray, and continued as a Warbirds Over Wanaka stalwart until ehr sale to Australia earlier this decade.

Now, she will make a (mini) return to Kiwiland, thanks to this latest project.


[size=8]Here's my work so far. Note the picture of the real ZK-ZRO "288" in the background. I'll get better pics for you all as and when.[/size]

Many many thanks to BdB for donating Academy's masterful T-6G kit. Unfortunately I can progress no further for the time being as the cockpit interior is green and black.

My green and black are out. Goshdarnitall.

BUT, the distinctive rounded wingtip extensions (scale 20" each side) have been sculpted from sheet styrene and added, and I'm trying toward the little scoppy-thing under the cowl. I won't do the pointy rudder end bit until the fuse is together. I've discovered Bf-109 undercarriage doors are almost exactly the same as those on ZK-ZRO, and I've salvaged an ex-Matchbox Corsair tailwheel to be fitted. The wingroot-outer section part needs to be filled in too.

Updates as and when. Comments?

[lancer]

Comments?

Yeah, I've got a comment..ABOUT BOODY TIME YOU WERE BACK IN THE FOLD!!!! There, I think I speak for all of the rest of our merry little band in saying that. Oh, and when do wee get to see your better halfs stunning little build>?

[Brian da Basher]

Woo hoo Zac's back and that's a fact! I'm really happy to see you starting on this project and pleased as punch I could help and that the package arrived safe and sound. I think you've made a really good start on it Zac-o-matic, and I'm anxiously awaiting more once you replenish your paint supply.

Brian da Basher

[B777LR]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8mshmYNmfc0

[Eddie M.]

Glad to see the spark is back! I will be going to see the rest of the Tora x3 in Houston on Oct.20. Thanks for the preview!
   Eddie

[cthulhu77]

Should be cool, knowing you, of course it will !

[The Rat]

Can't wait to see that one Zac! And I can't believe that nobody has thought to market a conversion kit for those Tora Tora Tora birds, they should sell.

A couple of weeks ago Toad, rally, kurly, and myself saw another TTT stand-in; a Vultee Valiant at the Sarnia Airshow. This one was original, but the pilot told me that there were more of the converted ones, mostly Vals I think, than originals.

[John Howling Mouse]

Would these be the same stand-in/conversions used during the filming of Baa Baa Black Sheep/Black Sheep Squadron?

I know they edited in bits from TTT, but I believe they had access to some Havards-turned-Zeros as well, no?

Cool, Zac.

Now, more importantly, what is LANA building today?   ^_^  

[K5054NZ]

Well Baz and Lance, Lana has just finished building a magnificent Spaghetti Bolognese, but she's still working on Corsair 648 (bleedin' white!). Her next project: the Thunder Corsair. Stay tuned........


Dave! Good to see ya! And that Valiant, whoa! Me likey! Most of the surviving BT-13s are indeed either Vals or Kates (really the Kates are half Valiant, half Harvard) and, like our dear Mr Miller, many thousands of airshowgoers get to see them at CAF-involved shows across the USA.

Whenever I look at the project or just pics of ZRO, I say to Lana that one day I'd love to bring her back to NZ. All I could think about when I *should* have been sleeping was sitting in the cockpit of the Zero replica at an airshow. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........


Ed - I DEMAND PICS!!!!! Specifically cowl, wingroot-rear fuse join, wingroot-nose join, cockpit and canopy.

Greg, much appreciated mate. It's great to be back.

B777LR - BRILLIANT! Lana and I saw The Final Countdown at a film night a coupla months back (before which we toured a hangar full of WW1 replicas) - it certainly was "different"!

[Eddie M.]

Here's what I could find before I go to work. More later.
   Eddie

[Ollie]

Rat, bollocks!

There are two or three Val replicas still around, while there are far more BT-13s droning about.

Zac, way to go!  Can't wait to see the results.

B)  

[The Rat]

Rat, bollocks!

There are two or three Val replicas still around, while there are far more BT-13s droning about.

Dunno, just going on what the pilot told me. Now, he may be referring to all remaining airframes, in flying condition or not, and I believe that they were not just converted into Vals, but other 1/1 whiffers as well. The aggregate numbrs of all such converted Valiants may be more than the number of originals still flying.

[famvburg]

Would these be the same stand-in/conversions used during the filming of Baa Baa Black Sheep/Black Sheep Squadron?

I know they edited in bits from TTT, but I believe they had access to some Havards-turned-Zeros as well, no?

Cool, Zac.

Now, more importantly, what is LANA building today?   ^_^

 Yes. Also, just about any movie or show featuring WWII Japanese a/c made between the early '70s & CGI era.

[Ollie]

They are all here :

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/bt13registr...13registry.html

B)  

[Brian da Basher]

I'm very curious to see Lana's "Thunder Corsair". That sounds like one intriguing project! I had a feeling she'd do something interesting with that RoG kit!

Brian da Basher