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Zero help
Planning a scratchbuild of a Zero from 3-views and my own plans. Has anyone built this plane using the scale surface areas, decalage, etc. Have read in this forum that a 0-0 setup is essential, but was told the same thing about my scratch spitfire but it flies great even with the small tail. One person mentioned he had a 0 incidence wing and a neg 2 degree tail. actually this is 2 deg pos wing incidence. Any info will be appreciated, pro or con. Thanks in advance. I posted this in scale with no replies so far.
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RE: Zero help
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Hi...here is my Zero ..will measure up all the angles and post for you.cheers
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Where did you find the zero type spinner?
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RE: Zero help
Hi.. First off ..my Zero has 1.5 deg.pos for the wings , and 1.75 deg pos. for the tail plane. This in effect gives the engine a slight down thrust,and in fight a slight nose down attitude.The spinner is a marutaka aluminium spinner.bought it from a chap who no longer had a use for it.Yes it is the scale shape that is why I jumped at the opportunity to have it. I have a full documented book on the Zero with all the models and has been a real help with finer details. This has been a long drawn out build but nearly there now. Good to see a few Zeros being built. Cheers
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Thanks MINT.
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Scratchonly, what size Zero are you planning? The Platt kit has several of the tricky to make parts in quality fiberglass, including the spinner, exhaust stacks, etc....OR....looking at your user name, you may not be interested in any of that.. ;)
I have a Platt kit with all the works. I also have a book here on the Zero that is the most in-depth, intensive study of an individual plane I have ever seen. It is absolutely loaded with foldout engineering style drawings, foldout artist's renditions, clear archival photographs and full color three views of dozens and dozens of planes..Even the individual components of the plane, weaponry and engine are covered in minute detail with factory style drawings...and all large enough for a middle aged guy like me to see... Only one problem. There is not a word or English in it. Not even an Arabic alphabet. It's all in Japanese. [&o] I'll bet the decalage information you seek is in it but it will remain a mystery if it has to come from this book. |
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G.f. Reid....thats fine mate just get someone who can speak Japanese and get then to read it to you.....I am a bit more fortunate as mine is in English .cheers.
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RE: Zero help
Which book is it? I have several of them (JN version) and my son is fluent in Japanese. Reads writes AND speaks! He has helped me decipher a lot of my books.
I am in the middle of a Ziroli Zero and have changed the forward 5 formers as they are horribly wrong. I am using my Japanese docs as well as the Tamiya 1/32 scale A6m5 plastic model. It has a ton of detail and it is easy to scale the part sizes using a scale with 1/32" marks. 1/32" = 1" full scale, then scale back down. 4.76 is the constant for the Ziroli... Getting ready to start on the wing so I can get the tail mounted. Engine will be a G-62 with a Torquemaster drive from Mick Reeves and to keep the carb in the cowl I am using a Toni Clark carb elbow. Engine is getting CD mod by Ralph Cunningham in AZ. I am making my own spinner and cowl. Ziroli cowl is wrong shape. Glasswork is OK - just doesn't look right. Am thinking about a Solo prop too. If you have any questions let me know! Jeff Stultz |
RE: Zero help
I want to use my saito 91 so I'll start with the cowl diameter; should be about 64" span, about 1/7 scale. The canopy is the only thing I would like to purchase; I have no idea where.
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RE: Zero help
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mintie, that sounds fine. I think I'll do just that. ;) By the way, the Zeke looks fine!
jmodguy, I have no idea what the name of it is. I'm scanning the cover for you. I have a set of the Ziroli Zero plans. I never looked at them all that closely as he sent it by mistake when I ordered my 70" T-Bolt plans. I called him and he just congratulated me on a free set of Zero plans, then sent me the Jug plans. It's a bit large for me. I've got a lot of the Platt stuff. Two sets of the fiberglass parts, full kit, one or two sets of plans, retracts, full figure Japanese pilot, etc., etc...Been on hold for several years. Scratchonly, your plane sounds to be about the size of the Royal plane. If you can get hold of a canopy, it would probably work. |
RE: Zero help
Luke Zollner was offering a bunch of canopies from the Royal designs, though I'm not sure if the Zero was one of them. I don't think Luke is currently offering anything but if he has one in stock I'm sure he would sell it to you. All of Luke's stuff is top notch quality and it couldn't hurt to ask.
http://www.zollnermodels.com/ |
RE: Zero help
Hello Chad! How are 'ya?
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Doin' good Greg, and you? Good to see you hanging out here again. Did you ever get your RC Scalebuilder woes worked out?
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It is a Maru Mechanic book. here was a whole series of them in the 70s and 80s. You can find them on Ebay occasionally. I get mine from JN online bookstores. Lots cheaper. I have the hardcopy of this book and the 1977 softcover version. Guess there were updates! I am using the hardback Maru for the Zero along with the Tamiya Zero model for my build.
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Love that book. Any chance one of you could post a link to the online bookstore and the ISBN number for the book. Dissapointed to hear about the scale differences in the Ziroli plans as I have just ordered a set. Initially looked at the Meister version as I really want to build a long wing A6M3 ( historicly a more interesting time in the war air combat wise) but no one sells his plans over here in Europe and the zirolis sound easier to build although I know each have their followers.
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RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: wizardprang Love that book. Any chance one of you could post a link to the online bookstore and the ISBN number for the book. Dissapointed to hear about the scale differences in the Ziroli plans as I have just ordered a set. Initially looked at the Meister version as I really want to build a long wing A6M3 ( historicly a more interesting time in the war air combat wise) but no one sells his plans over here in Europe and the zirolis sound easier to build although I know each have their followers. I can provide the outlines I made for the 5 forward formers if you are interested. They go in the same location and use the stock Ziroli assembly crutch for alignment. I am in process of making a cowl that looks more like a Zero cowl. I have never done this before so I am not rushing into it. Don't want to do it twice. When I get it I will try to make a mold so I can make more than one. As for the rest of the Ziroli Zero it is pretty close. The canopy is good too. The wing is obviously for the A6M5. The horiz stab needs to move about 1/2" forward because the rear of the elevator should be in line with the front of the rudder. There are mods that need to be made to the control surfaces to make them more scale, but I'm sure they work quite well as designed as Nick is one of the great designers. The nose is a bit short and should be about an inch longer behind the cowl. The ISBN number for the hardcover Maru Mechanic book is 4-7698-0635-3. The online store I got these from will only deal with Japanese. I have in-laws in Japan that they can ship to so I guess I am cheating. You may be able to find them on e-bay. Jeff |
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G.F. is that a book or a mag?i mean WOW! can it be bought as we speak? pls tell me more. (i need one one of those;))
Thanks, Vasek |
RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: vasek G.F. is that a book or a mag?i mean WOW! can it be bought as we speak? pls tell me more. (i need one one of those;)) Thanks, Vasek You can still get them on Ebay. They have been out of print for some time now. Some are books and some are mags. They were published as a series and cover more than the JN aircraft. I have one for the Corsair that shows the main spar dimensions and radii! There are several for the Zero - both magazine series and hardcover books. The books have the same info as the magazine plus a whole lot more. Another series from Japan is the Famous Airplanes of the World series printed by Bunrindo Co LTD. No5 (don't have ISBN) covers Zero carrier fighters models 11-21 and has photos of actual aircraft drawings. It also has dimensions for the instrument panel so you can make it right! Even shows the main landing gear mechanism! No56 (ISBN 4-89319-053-9) covers models 22-63. I think you can still get these. Jeff |
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ORIGINAL: Chad Veich Doin' good Greg, and you? Good to see you hanging out here again. Did you ever get your RC Scalebuilder woes worked out? Great! Good to be back Chad, thanks. The flying bug has bitten me again big time. I've been away from it too long....Over three years. My former burnout is just a distant memory now. I still don't have a club or a proper field to fly at but I recently bought a Parkzone Mustang just to sooth the itch a little until I can get back in the way I want to. The first thing on the list will be to finish that little Ziroli Jug. I never did get the aileron/flap problem ironed out but..... that's a subject for another thread. As for hte RC Scalebuilder problem I had...NO! I never did get it fixed and the guys that were helping me gave up on it I guess. They never responded again after my last communication on the subject. I'm a member but I can't post or even view the site. Have to get my scale fix right here I guess. ;) |
RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: vasek G.F. is that a book or a mag?i mean WOW! can it be bought as we speak? pls tell me more. (i need one one of those;)) Thanks, Vasek Mine is a softcover book and not a magazine. To expand on what jmodguy was saying, the book seems designed in such a way that a person with the knowledge, tools and funds could actually restore or even build a full sized plane from the information inside. It even breaks down the carburetor, the engine, the individual guns, etc. For instance, it shows things like one of the guns with ammunition lying on a workbench with dimensions of each individual part. There are diagrams ot the carburetor float bowl showing the position of the float as the plane is in different flight attitudes, inverted, etc., shows the plumbing for the auxilary fuel tank, etc. etc, etc, Incredible book. |
RE: Zero help
thanks jm & jf !!!;)
V. |
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Thanks for the info Jeff. I might take you up on the formers when Iget started building in those ling winter nights.
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RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: jmodguy I can provide the outlines I made for the 5 forward formers if you are interested. They go in the same location and use the stock Ziroli assembly crutch for alignment. I am in process of making a cowl that looks more like a Zero cowl. I have never done this before so I am not rushing into it. Don't want to do it twice. When I get it I will try to make a mold so I can make more than one. As for the rest of the Ziroli Zero it is pretty close. The canopy is good too. The wing is obviously for the A6M5. The horiz stab needs to move about 1/2" forward because the rear of the elevator should be in line with the front of the rudder. There are mods that need to be made to the control surfaces to make them more scale, but I'm sure they work quite well as designed as Nick is one of the great designers. The nose is a bit short and should be about an inch longer behind the cowl. The ISBN number for the hardcover Maru Mechanic book is 4-7698-0635-3. The online store I got these from will only deal with Japanese. I have in-laws in Japan that they can ship to so I guess I am cheating. You may be able to find them on e-bay. Jeff Thank you veryu much. Raviv. |
RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: Ravivos Hi Jeff, i started building my ziroli zero and finished cutting all the fusalage formers, can you desribe the changes you made to the front formers ? and, if you can, post the outlines of these formers. Thank you veryu much. Raviv. I do not currently have them in a digital format. I can try to get it done this weekend. The changes are pretty big. The top of the forward formers has been raised some, and allowances made for the gun humps. I also located notches for the scale locations of the stringers that go through the cockpit. I used 1/8" by 1/8" spruce for these stringers. F-4 (I think) is almost eliminated except for the lower part. This is to allow for a cockpit floor in a close to correct location. Using the plastic model I marked where the holes in the formers are and their appropriate sizes. The forward 6 formers are modified, not 5 like I mentioned previously. Jeff |
RE: Zero help
ORIGINAL: jmodguy ORIGINAL: Ravivos Hi Jeff, i started building my ziroli zero and finished cutting all the fusalage formers, can you desribe the changes you made to the front formers ? and, if you can, post the outlines of these formers. Thank you veryu much. Raviv. I do not currently have them in a digital format. I can try to get it done this weekend. The changes are pretty big. The top of the forward formers has been raised some, and allowances made for the gun humps. I also located notches for the scale locations of the stringers that go through the cockpit. I used 1/8" by 1/8" spruce for these stringers. F-4 (I think) is almost eliminated except for the lower part. This is to allow for a cockpit floor in a close to correct location. Using the plastic model I marked where the holes in the formers are and their appropriate sizes. The forward 6 formers are modified, not 5 like I mentioned previously. Jeff the gun humps can be formed after the balsa sheeting is glued to place, using a block of wood. I guess i have to see the changes you made in the formers in order to be able to visualise it. Thank you for your input... please post some pictures of your build... Raviv. |
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