**** DONE: GB-59 1/72 Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero - WW2 PTO V

[PlasticHero]

Username: PlasticHero
First Name: Alan
Category: Intermediate
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Tamiya A6M5 Zero
Extras: Eduard canopy mask, Yahu 7257 Insturment panel, ROP Decals 72013 "Defence of Japan"

Ordered decals and detail bits on Saturday, so it's time to start the build thread. This is near the end of the Zero development cycle and will contrast with my GB-48 Zero attacking Pearl Harbor. I am considering doing a heavily weathered example to further contrast the differences.

 

[Crimea_River]

Don't forget the GB intro format Alan.

 

[fubar57]

Good choice Alan. I built its 1:48 brother a while ago

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice choice and look forward to the weathering part.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

This is a real nice kit....

 

[PlasticHero]

I put together and painted the cockpit parts and they are drying behind me. The Tamiya instructions called out for XF-71 which is what I've been using for US and RAF and the Yahu panel is a darker "greener" color. To help me mix a closer color, I put images of Japanese cockpit color, RAF color (the narrow bar over XF-71), the panel from Yahu and XF-71 in PhotoShop. I then looked at the PS image with the dropper tool to see how the color moved from one to another.

The color N33 is more yellow and darker so I mixed a batch of about 60% XF-71, 30% XF-49 Khaki and 10% XF-5 Green. It is small complicated shapes and with some shadow wash and viewed through the canopy, should be fine. I have been trying a chip effect with 2 old engine cowls. First flat aluminum, then hair spray, clear, and blue-black. Tried a q-tip and water and a small paint brush, but it was too smudged. Tried a dishpan scrubbie and that cut right to the plastic. It's aluminum again while I think of something else.

 

[Wurger]

 

[A4K]

Great choice Alan.
Got this kit in the stash myself, so looking forward to seeing how she goes together.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good analysis.

 

[destrozas]

I put together and painted the cockpit parts and they are drying behind me. The Tamiya instructions called out for XF-71 which is what I've been using for US and RAF and the Yahu panel is a darker "greener" color. To help me mix a closer color, I put images of Japanese cockpit color, RAF color (the narrow bar over XF-71), the panel from Yahu and XF-71 in PhotoShop. I then looked at the PS image with the dropper tool to see how the color moved from one to another.
View attachment 736584
The color N33 is more yellow and darker so I mixed a batch of about 60% XF-71, 30% XF-49 Khaki and 10% XF-5 Green. It is small complicated shapes and with some shadow wash and viewed through the canopy, should be fine. I have been trying a chip effect with 2 old engine cowls. First flat aluminum, then hair spray, clear, and blue-black. Tried a q-tip and water and a small paint brush, but it was too smudged. Tried a dishpan scrubbie and that cut right to the plastic. It's aluminum again while I think of something else.

First of all, forgive my English, it's about Spanish expressions...
I will tell you what I think I have understood from this post, you are doing the lacquer technique to make the chips, the problem with this technique is the lacquer itself has a curing time which is the time it takes to chip after Its curing no longer fades. But there are also reports that lacquers that are also useless react at the same point that the paint touches and never come off. Another piece of information, if the water is warm, it works even better. Since my wife gave me the ak-interactive chipping, I don't use another one.

 

[PlasticHero]

Got the cockpit area finished and in my euphoria of not doing anything wrong, I glued the fuselage together before taking any pictures. Trust me, it looks fine.... I did get the seat though. As far as Yuha panels from now on, I am not going to fuss too much with any painted photoetch that goes on particularly if there is any bending to be done. The paint chips off and the gluing is too risky. I had one panel glued onto the bottom of the instrument panel but it fell off. The plastic panel replacement is well worth the few dollars it costs.

I don't have the rear bulkhead, floor or front panel glued together yet, I wanted to make sure it would conform to shape when I put it in from the bottom. To destrozas , I got some liquid mask and will try using that for the chipping.

 

[fubar57]

Looking good

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice.

 

[destrozas]

Well, practice before doing it on the model, take an old airplane and a piece of plastic or something like that and practice, practice is the best way to obtain the result you are looking for.

 

[PlasticHero]

I have the wheel wells painted in the aotake color, maybe a little bluer then it should be, but I've seen many different samples. It is Tamiya X-13 Metallic Blue and about 25% X-25 Clear Green over XF-16 Flat Aluminum. Don't expect any more from me on this page for a while because I'm going to be in Maine for almost two weeks. As usual, I'll put something in "Things that Cheered You Up". Cya soon!

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

One of those odd colours where no one is happy with it

 

[A4K]

The up-side is no-one can prove if it's right or wrong, so what you like goes