**** DONE: GB-36 1/48 Mitsubishi J2M Raiden - Axis Manufactured Aircraft of WWII

[parsifal]

Username: Parsifal
Category: Intermediate
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Tamiya
Model Type: Mitsubishi Interceptor raiden
Aftermarket addons: None at this stage

About a month ago Wayne Little contacted me with an offer of some kits just for the cost of the postage. It was a very generous offer and immediately gave me a number of additional options for this group build. Needless to say, this is a very generous gesture from wayne, and much appreciated.

This kit is one of those.

Im going to approach this as a strictly OOB build.

The main thing I want to get out of this is is the correct colour matches in the Tamiya Acrylic range for that tricky green. I will probably have to pester you guys bit to get the colour portions right.

The thing that jumps out for me is the scaling differences. Up to now Ive been almost exclusively building in 1/72 scale. This is a 1/48 scale kit, and fairly large as well. If nothing else, everything is easier to see.

Anyway, the following are the initial images of the kit

 

[parsifal]

Images of the kit...

 

[fubar57]

Looking forward to it Michael....one in the stash. This site might be of some use to you. Historical Research

 

[parsifal]

well a starting point seems to be this link with a pretty good walk around of the type

Mitsubishi J2M3 Raiden (Jack) Photo Walk Around Image 19

The following are some shots of the interior, which is where I intend to start....

Ive marked the colours I'm leaning towards at this moment. The control panels are simplified in the kit and appear as raised details. ive found in the past the best way of bringing that detail out is by careful drybrushing

This is harder. still loads of that XF-26 and the bluish grey 'primer". in the kit there is a virtual bathtub as a major element of the interior. Almost certainly I will paint this before installation. This image is missing some of the equipment fitted into the console so I will need to research further as to finishes.

Control stick looks a different colour again which ive not yet worked out exactly.

IP looks like a very dark black green, with the dials themselves somewhat lighter, almost charcoal with of course the white dial markings. There is a decal in the kit which show the dial faces somewhat darker than appears in this image.

But the differences in tonality between what you see in the background and what shows up on the dials is important enough. if I'm going to use those kit supplied stencils, I will need to work out some way of contrasting the IP backround and the stencil colours.

 

[fubar57]

Another site Michael...Aviation of Japan 日本の航空史 In the book, "Japanese Aircraft Interiors 1940-1945", for the J2M3, ".....This could closely match the A/N.34 which is found in other Mitsubishi aircraft". This is a chip from the above site...

 

[Wayne Little]

The Primary interior colour is the medium green noted above not any of that bluish looking grey, the Ip panel is also the green with Black dials some of that painting is not the original colours.

You intend using tamiya acrylics Michael?

 

[rochie]

Nice one Michael, great little kit that, one of my favourites of my builds when i did mine

 

[Wurger]

A good subject to replicate. Concerning the cockpit colour I agree with Wayne. The base colour should be the Tamiya XF-71.

 

[Wurger]

The port side ..

The starboard ..

 

[Wurger]

And here the next set of the cockpit images found via the net that can come in handy ..
Also please have a look there .. 1:32 Hasegawa J2M3 Raiden - Works in Progress - LSP Forums

 

[parsifal]

The Primary interior colour is the medium green noted above not any of that bluish looking grey, the Ip panel is also the green with Black dials some of that painting is not the original colours.

You intend using tamiya acrylics Michael?

I would prefer to use Tamiya, yes. Paints that I'm familiar with really

 

[parsifal]

I had a look at the link you posted wurger. man that is phenomenal. If I can do one tenth as well I will be happy....

 

[Wurger]

My pleasure Michael.

 

[parsifal]

so before I start (probably tomorrow evening now), I need to get the details right in my head. No substitute for shameless emulation...

This is the prep work this guy in Wotjeks link undertook. The basecoat is the X-18 Flat black. He appears to have some parts like the control stick support in a stronger deeper shade of black. I'm suspecting some Vallejo paint on elements he wanted to retain. The IP backing board seems to be an altogether different colour, probably a dark grey. This shows up clearly in the next photo.

The author decribes how he finished this in the following terms....."Basecoated in 50:50 XF-2 Flat White and XF-71 Cockpit Green; postshaded with 50:50 XF-2 and XF-14 IJA Grey, then straight XF-71, and finally some 50:50 XF-57 Buff and Gunze Sangyo H66 RLM79 Sandy Brown. All "filtered" with Sin Industries P244 Green for Light Green. Details picked out with Vallejo acrylics".

Some of those paints ive never even heard of......but I will do my best to follow this guy. What he achieves is nothing short of stunning in my view....

 

[Crimea_River]

Good one Michael. Looking forward to following along. I will be zero help on Japanese subjects.

 

[Wayne Little]

Michael he's north of the border, a Queenslander named Ralph, does a great job.

 

[parsifal]

no work tonite. spent the night playing a scenario called "capture of vienna" from the old SPI "Next War" wargame with my nephew. He is learning really well, or maybe I'm just getting old and doddery.....

 

[parsifal]

Ive posted this link for my own benefit as a guide on how to paint the interiors....

Internet Modeler Painting Aircraft Cockpits

This is another "how to" bit of advice which I found and think is work trying....

Model Airplane Building - The Cockpit

 

[parsifal]

Michael he's north of the border, a Queenslander named Ralph, does a great job.

I will try not to hold the one flaw in his character (being a Queenslander) against him too much.......

 

[fubar57]

Good links Michael. What I use for washes are Citadel's version, they are acrylic. Used over a gloss coat as well. They build up slowly so you don't have to worry about putting too much on. I have all three but rarely use the black, it's pretty stark