- Thread starter
- #41
parsifal
Colonel
No worries Wayne. Not in a mad rush at the moment.
**** DONE: GB-38 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M2B Zero - Axis A/C
- Thread starter parsifal
- Start date
Ad: This forum contains affiliate links to products on Amazon and eBay. More information in Terms and rules
le_steph40
Senior Master Sergeant
Good job Michael. 
I used Techmod decals several times and no problem for me when applying over a coat of Future or gloss varnish. For applying I use Microset and Microsol or either Future
I used Techmod decals several times and no problem for me when applying over a coat of Future or gloss varnish. For applying I use Microset and Microsol or either Future
A4K
Brigadier General
Nice work so far Mike, and great info Wayne.
No worries Michael.
also going to do some notes on your Tamiya Junyo which depicts the late 1944 period, to backdate it to match the time frame for your Zero, Oct.1942 Battle of Santa Cruz through to early 1943.
thanks also Evan.
also going to do some notes on your Tamiya Junyo which depicts the late 1944 period, to backdate it to match the time frame for your Zero, Oct.1942 Battle of Santa Cruz through to early 1943.
thanks also Evan.
- Thread starter
- #45
parsifal
Colonel
Junyo and her sister Hiyo were in my opinion one of the most successful and thorough mercantile conversions of the war.
don't disagree with that....
- Thread starter
- #47
parsifal
Colonel
First coats for the fuselage and wings are on. Had fit issues at the wing root. this was a very thin wash using my take on waynes recipe. That does not look right to me, I think I can recover using one more wash with a light grey (probably XF-76) . It needs that yellow tinge that you see, but not so yellow as ive done it.
Lovely work so far Micheal!
- Thread starter
- #50
parsifal
Colonel
So moving along from my last post in this build diary, I felt that whilst there was a lot to like about the colour, it was still too.....yellowish. My opinion and research suggests that the late '42, early 1943 scheme was more grey or off-white than that. There was a lot of merit in the starting colour that I had but it just didn't sit right with my understanding of the subject. (sorry Wayne, please forgive my impertinence)
So, whilst I didn't want to lose entirely what I had done I did want to apply some sort of overwash or colour alteration to the basic scheme.
what I have done in the following image is to make a mix of light sea grey and XF- 76 and thin it down to 25%. Then with a very light dusting applied that wash to the subject. Im happier with the colour rendition .
Hopefully I don't get crucified over this, but I have to go with what I believe is right...…
So, whilst I didn't want to lose entirely what I had done I did want to apply some sort of overwash or colour alteration to the basic scheme.
what I have done in the following image is to make a mix of light sea grey and XF- 76 and thin it down to 25%. Then with a very light dusting applied that wash to the subject. Im happier with the colour rendition .
Hopefully I don't get crucified over this, but I have to go with what I believe is right...…
Looks good so far!
Michael you can paint your model as you see fit....it's yours..!
Will get those decals away to you Mon/Tues been working on your Junyo mods sheets, hopefully easy to follow....
Will get those decals away to you Mon/Tues been working on your Junyo mods sheets, hopefully easy to follow....
- Thread starter
- #54
parsifal
Colonel
My colour interpretation are based (in part) on the following:
#48 - November 1st, 1942 to February 15, 1944
The link I found is excellent IMO. It discusses the Junyo CAG schemes in a lot of detail. You can see the differing colours of the control surfaces and the offwhite, almost grey colouration of the main body. Yellow IFF stripes also figure prominently in other photos contained in this link.
Its always difficult to ascertain colours from B&W photos, but in this case, take note of the shade differences with the tropical uniforms of the visible personnel
Comments on interpretations of the shading are welcome. I do not claim to be an expert in this topic.
#48 - November 1st, 1942 to February 15, 1944
The link I found is excellent IMO. It discusses the Junyo CAG schemes in a lot of detail. You can see the differing colours of the control surfaces and the offwhite, almost grey colouration of the main body. Yellow IFF stripes also figure prominently in other photos contained in this link.
Its always difficult to ascertain colours from B&W photos, but in this case, take note of the shade differences with the tropical uniforms of the visible personnel
Comments on interpretations of the shading are welcome. I do not claim to be an expert in this topic.
Michael, those Zero profile colours are not as accurately portrayed as they could be, i refer to that site myself and think it is a great reference point.
The attached photo is of a restored A6M2 Zero in the most accurate representation of the Zero colours of the period, reproduced from matching actual paint colours from Zero relics.
Source : Texas Flying Legends Museum A6M2 Model 21 Zero "Last Samurai" | EAA Warbirds QR Code Website
The attached photo is of a restored A6M2 Zero in the most accurate representation of the Zero colours of the period, reproduced from matching actual paint colours from Zero relics.
Source : Texas Flying Legends Museum A6M2 Model 21 Zero "Last Samurai" | EAA Warbirds QR Code Website
- Thread starter
- #57
parsifal
Colonel
thanks Wayne. That makes me more confident about the scheme that ive applied. I think I have a fairly good match. I would not have made it to the point I have without your very able advice, which I am very thankful for. .
Tonight ive applied the modified colouring to the leading edges. inching forward very slowly at the moment.
Tonight ive applied the modified colouring to the leading edges. inching forward very slowly at the moment.
Compared to the restored zeke above, my fabric surfaces have come up more red-brown really. im perplexed really about that.
Next up will be the yellow IFF flashes for the leading edges
Next up will be the yellow IFF flashes for the leading edges
Last edited:
Nicely done so far Michael!
- Thread starter
- #59
parsifal
Colonel
I found this article via the following link
"Oh boy, the question of IJN color schemes is an incredibly complicated one for such an esoteric subject. On a basic level, the IJN's fighter arm started the war using an all grey scheme, but transitioned around 1943 to a dark green over grey scheme. But "dark green" and "grey" are pretty neutral descriptors that do not tell much about the actual shades used. For the early war period, the IJN used a grey-green shade, sometimes haphazardly called ame-iro (candy color) or hairyokushoku (ash-green). What the exact shade of grey this was is still something of a mystery. Although early war IJN aircraft had excellent finish, the grey paint reacted very badly to ultraviolet sunlight and exposure. The wrecked A6Ms, like this one often had an almost off-white appearance. For aviation researchers and modelers in the 1960s and 70s, color photographs of wrecked IJN aircraft taken by Allied soldiers were often the only hard evidence for IJN colors available, so it began to be a given that IJN grey was some sort of light shade. The Harvard conversions used for the film Tora, Tora, Tora further helped to cement the idea of light grey, almost white A6Ms. The problem with this was that most Japanese written accounts of the planes describe the aircraft as much darker. Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the A6M, describe the plane as a glossy hairyokushoku, for example. Moreover, surviving relics of A6M aircraft skin, such as these Pearl Harbor relics showed the grey to be much darker than the pale grey as seen in the Tora conversions.
While it is clear now that the very pale grey is inaccurate, there is still relatively little consensus as to the exact shade of grey used in the early war period. Ford Island Pacific Aviation Museum's A6M has a grey that is quite green. Texas Flying Legend's A6M is a bit darker. Plastic models of the A6M typically fall between these two standards. Adding to the confusion is that Mitsubishi-built A6Ms often had slightly different shades of grey than ones license-built by Nakajima.
As the Japan's air war became more defensive, the IJN in July 1943 decreed that A6M would receive a two-tone color scheme of dark green over grey. Of course many units in the field operating under increasing pressure from Allied air attacks, had already implemented their own field painting of A6Ms, such as this famous photo of Hiroyoshi Nishizawa's A6M. There is some speculation that the IJN field units also experimented with field camouflage of brown and green, as evidenced by these A6Ms captured on Saipan, but it is also possible that the apparent camouflage is just washing off dirt so the hinomaru (rising sun insignias) were clear for the photographer. As with the grey colors, the exact shade of green varied by manufacturer. This was also the period in which Japanese painting standards for their fighters declined precipitously, in some cases dispensing with primer altogether. IJN aircraft at postwar boneyards, such as Atsugi showed a degree of wear and tear exposing the metal underneath. How typical such shipping was though varied by unit though.
Even though the color red was a dangerous color for air combat, human eyes are drawn to red, the IJN roundels retained the hinomaru throughout the war, unlike the RAF. To about 1942, the hinomaru were plain red discs, but after this period, Nakajima-built aircraft began to superimpose the sun on a white circle and Mitsubishi soon followed suit. This as also the period in which the IJN began applying yellow IFF bands on the leading edge of their wings. Around 1944/45, the practice in the field was to paint over the conspicuous white outline with a darker green or blackish color, as seen in this famous photo of IJN ace Takeo Tanimizu's A6M. Aircraft assigned to Home Island defense, both of the IJN and IJA, had their hinomaru superimposed on white bands or squares to aid IFF for AA gunners. The practice dropped off as the Japanese lost air superiority over the Home Islands and camouflage on the ground became more important than evading friendly fire incidents. Training or test aircraft typically had an all-orange scheme applied, which later in the war saw a topcoat of dark green applied, but kept the orange undersides.
The one real consistency in IJN A6M markings were their use of blue-black cowlings and tail-codes for unit identification. The blue-black color was likely used because Japanese engines were notorious for oil leaks and other grime as well as for anti-glare purposes. Tail-code practices varied somewhat during the war, but the first portion of the code usually identified the plane's parent unit. Carrier-based A6Ms of the early war period used a alpha-numeric system that mirrored their assigned carrier division, thus code "AII" referred to the 1st Carrier Division's (A) second carrier (II). The reorganization of carrier air wings in 1943/44 led to a change in this system that mirrored USN carrier practice of assigned airwings rather than the aircraft being integral parts of the carriers' personnel. Flight leaders were distinguished by bands on the fuselage or tail.
The two best online sources for IJN color schemes are Aviation of Japan and j-aircraft.com. As the above indicates, not only were the IJN's somewhat haphazard painting standards to blame for this confusion, but also the language barrier posed a difficulty for researchers for those few surviving regulations that shine a light into this matter".
I confess that I under estimated the controversy that surrounds Japanese camo schemes.
"Oh boy, the question of IJN color schemes is an incredibly complicated one for such an esoteric subject. On a basic level, the IJN's fighter arm started the war using an all grey scheme, but transitioned around 1943 to a dark green over grey scheme. But "dark green" and "grey" are pretty neutral descriptors that do not tell much about the actual shades used. For the early war period, the IJN used a grey-green shade, sometimes haphazardly called ame-iro (candy color) or hairyokushoku (ash-green). What the exact shade of grey this was is still something of a mystery. Although early war IJN aircraft had excellent finish, the grey paint reacted very badly to ultraviolet sunlight and exposure. The wrecked A6Ms, like this one often had an almost off-white appearance. For aviation researchers and modelers in the 1960s and 70s, color photographs of wrecked IJN aircraft taken by Allied soldiers were often the only hard evidence for IJN colors available, so it began to be a given that IJN grey was some sort of light shade. The Harvard conversions used for the film Tora, Tora, Tora further helped to cement the idea of light grey, almost white A6Ms. The problem with this was that most Japanese written accounts of the planes describe the aircraft as much darker. Jiro Horikoshi, the designer of the A6M, describe the plane as a glossy hairyokushoku, for example. Moreover, surviving relics of A6M aircraft skin, such as these Pearl Harbor relics showed the grey to be much darker than the pale grey as seen in the Tora conversions.
While it is clear now that the very pale grey is inaccurate, there is still relatively little consensus as to the exact shade of grey used in the early war period. Ford Island Pacific Aviation Museum's A6M has a grey that is quite green. Texas Flying Legend's A6M is a bit darker. Plastic models of the A6M typically fall between these two standards. Adding to the confusion is that Mitsubishi-built A6Ms often had slightly different shades of grey than ones license-built by Nakajima.
As the Japan's air war became more defensive, the IJN in July 1943 decreed that A6M would receive a two-tone color scheme of dark green over grey. Of course many units in the field operating under increasing pressure from Allied air attacks, had already implemented their own field painting of A6Ms, such as this famous photo of Hiroyoshi Nishizawa's A6M. There is some speculation that the IJN field units also experimented with field camouflage of brown and green, as evidenced by these A6Ms captured on Saipan, but it is also possible that the apparent camouflage is just washing off dirt so the hinomaru (rising sun insignias) were clear for the photographer. As with the grey colors, the exact shade of green varied by manufacturer. This was also the period in which Japanese painting standards for their fighters declined precipitously, in some cases dispensing with primer altogether. IJN aircraft at postwar boneyards, such as Atsugi showed a degree of wear and tear exposing the metal underneath. How typical such shipping was though varied by unit though.
Even though the color red was a dangerous color for air combat, human eyes are drawn to red, the IJN roundels retained the hinomaru throughout the war, unlike the RAF. To about 1942, the hinomaru were plain red discs, but after this period, Nakajima-built aircraft began to superimpose the sun on a white circle and Mitsubishi soon followed suit. This as also the period in which the IJN began applying yellow IFF bands on the leading edge of their wings. Around 1944/45, the practice in the field was to paint over the conspicuous white outline with a darker green or blackish color, as seen in this famous photo of IJN ace Takeo Tanimizu's A6M. Aircraft assigned to Home Island defense, both of the IJN and IJA, had their hinomaru superimposed on white bands or squares to aid IFF for AA gunners. The practice dropped off as the Japanese lost air superiority over the Home Islands and camouflage on the ground became more important than evading friendly fire incidents. Training or test aircraft typically had an all-orange scheme applied, which later in the war saw a topcoat of dark green applied, but kept the orange undersides.
The one real consistency in IJN A6M markings were their use of blue-black cowlings and tail-codes for unit identification. The blue-black color was likely used because Japanese engines were notorious for oil leaks and other grime as well as for anti-glare purposes. Tail-code practices varied somewhat during the war, but the first portion of the code usually identified the plane's parent unit. Carrier-based A6Ms of the early war period used a alpha-numeric system that mirrored their assigned carrier division, thus code "AII" referred to the 1st Carrier Division's (A) second carrier (II). The reorganization of carrier air wings in 1943/44 led to a change in this system that mirrored USN carrier practice of assigned airwings rather than the aircraft being integral parts of the carriers' personnel. Flight leaders were distinguished by bands on the fuselage or tail.
The two best online sources for IJN color schemes are Aviation of Japan and j-aircraft.com. As the above indicates, not only were the IJN's somewhat haphazard painting standards to blame for this confusion, but also the language barrier posed a difficulty for researchers for those few surviving regulations that shine a light into this matter".
I confess that I under estimated the controversy that surrounds Japanese camo schemes.
Decals sent today Michael, including the broad yellow IFF stripes for the wings, so that will make that job a little easier for you.
Plus details on backdating your Junyo.
Plus details on backdating your Junyo.
Users who are viewing this thread
Similar threads
