Japanese A6M5 Zero

This is another of Monogram's reboxed '60s kit, produced during the transition from models with toy like features to the age of truly scale models. To tap into popular airplanes back in the day, Monogram turned out a Zero, Me-109, Fw-190, and Spitfire in the new 1/48 scale. The Zero was among their earliest attempts, and by more modern standards, it lacks detail when compared, say to a 1990s Tamiya Zero for about the same price... This kit is a quick, easy build that looks like a Zero, but is not at all competitive with more recent offerings. For a child's first model with minimum parts count that will likely be broken in a week, it is worthwhile. Otherwise, look elsewhere.

Circa 1963 Monogram introduced its Quarter-Inch series with this kit, plus their Spitfire 9 and Me-109E. None of the three are anybody's first choice to model those subjects anymore. Build a Tamiya Zeke, now plentiful and by today's standards inexpensive, and you'll discover what you've been missing in the way of basic outline shapes. Now that I think of it, my Spitfire and Me-109E are Tamiya models now, too. The possible attractions of this model today are a) you could use it to train a young modeler, and b) you could build it as a nostalgia trip to our adolescence half a century ago.

This is a simple, easy to assemble kit you can probably put together in very short order. A great choice for the beginning modeller. One caveat though: if you choose to build this kit with its landing gear down, you will have to modify the internal struts and pins inside the wing assemblies (e.g. Exacto work) so that the latter will fit tight correctly. All in all, this was a quick and fun build.