Witty Sky Guardians (Series 2) WTW72013-06
Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero-Sen/Zeke Diecast Model
IJNAS Zuikaku Flying Group, EII-178, IJN Carrier Zuikaku, Pearl Harbor, December 7th 1941 |
| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Mitsubishi A6M3 Zero-Sen/Zeke | | 5" | | 6" |
On December 7th, 1941 at 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian Time, the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor was pre-emptively attacked by the Empire of Japan to prevent the US Pacific Fleet from interfering with planned Japanese military actions in Southeast Asia. The attack was carried out by 353 fighters, bombers and torpedo planes, launched in two waves from a task force of six aircraft carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku, and Zuikaku) northwest of Hawaii. The damage inflicted was massive. All eight U.S. Navy battleships were damaged, with four being sunk, in addition to damaging or sinking three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed; 2,402 Americans were killed and 1,282 wounded. Japanese losses were light: 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 65 servicemen killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was captured. The attack came as a profound shock to the American people and led directly to the American entry into World War II in both the Pacific and European theaters. The following day (December 8), the United States declared war on Japan. There were numerous historical precedents for unannounced military action by Japan. However, the lack of any formal warning, particularly while negotiations were still apparently ongoing, led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to proclaim December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy".
First flown in April, 1939, the A6M Zero-Sen was the Allies' main opponent in the Pacific and the most famous symbol of Japanese air power during World War II. This carrier-based fighter, designed with a low-monoplane wing and armed with a formidable array of two 20mm cannons and two 7.7mm machine guns, proved capable of handling any of the Allies' aircraft. It wasn't until the Allies studied a captured Zero that they were able to identify and exploit weaknesses such as minimal pilot and fuel tank protection. Zeros became infamous for Kamikaze attacks, in which pilots would intentionally crash explosion-laden aircraft into Allied ships. © Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Witty's 1:72 scale Zero is constructed almost entirely of solid diecast metal and features rarely-seen subtle panel line details. The solid metal wing has 20mm cannon ports on the leading edge, fixed landing gear and a center mounted drop tank. Each model in the series has a beautifully replicated birdcage canopy and machine gun ports on the engine cowling. The models in this series include the early A6M2, the supercharged A6M3 with redesigned engine cowl (a clipped-wing variant is also available) and the iconic A6M5 with exhaust stacks notably projected along each side of the forward fuselage.
© Copyright 2003-2014 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The Witty "Wings" range presents detailed, ready-made diecast models of military aircraft. Witty have earned a reputation for producing high-quality models that can be displayed right out of the box.
Witty "Wings" (Series 2) diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels.
- Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
- Selected moving parts such as canopies, control surfaces and swing-wings.
- Detailed, hand-painted pilot and crew member figures.
- Many limited editions with numbered certificate of authenticity.
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
