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

[Vic Balshaw]

I like it and have a good trip Alan.

 

[Crimea_River]

With Vic. Enjoy the fall colors.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[PlasticHero]

I have found a solution good enough for me for the "chipped paint" effect. I can use a combination of Tamiya tape that is cut into shape and wall-tack for small rough shapes.

The two squarish areas are tape and the others are blobs of tack. I'll use the tape along some panels and most of large areas with the tack to fill in some small details. If a decal overlaps, I'll fray the edge. Hope this works.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Fingers crossed.

 

[fubar57]

Cool

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far!

 

[PlasticHero]

I'm about to start the layers for flaking paint, gloss black, aluminum, clear, and finally base color. My question is, did the A6M5 have fabric or metal control surfaces? I did some searching but didn't find anything, so I'm sure someone here will "just know it". So thanks in advance. It will be a couple days till all the paint is down and dry. My feeling is fabric because the surface texture on the controls is smoother than the fuselage.

 

[Wurger]

The fabric skin on control surfaces.

the pic source: Pacific Wrecks

 

[PlasticHero]

Thanks Wurger , next problem; I just sprayed Vallejo Semi-matt aluminum and it was thin in the bottle but thickened and was unusable in the airbrush. This is a brand that I don't use much and the paint is less than 2 years old. Alcohol did not keep it from turning into oatmeal. At least I was able to get it on by doing a few drops at a time into the cup. The gloss black was fine; is this something metallic paints are prone to?

 

[fubar57]

Alcohol is bad for Vallejo. After a spraying session with Tamiya and cleaning with water and IPA, I sprayed some Vallejo and I gummed up the AB. Took a lot of cleaning and flushing to clear it up

 

[Wurger]

Thanks Wurger , next problem; I just sprayed Vallejo Semi-matt aluminum and it was thin in the bottle but thickened and was unusable in the airbrush. This is a brand that I don't use much and the paint is less than 2 years old. Alcohol did not keep it from turning into oatmeal. At least I was able to get it on by doing a few drops at a time into the cup. The gloss black was fine; is this something metallic paints are prone to?

Which Vallejo paint do you mean? The 71.062 or 77.716 ? Anyway the Vallejo paints should be thinned with the Vallejo Thinner with 1-2 drops of the Vallejo Flow Improver if using an airbrush. The non-dedicated thinners depend on the serie the Vallejo paint is of. Eventually it can be used the clean vodka instead of the IPA.

 

[A4K]

Sounds like a waste of good Vodka my friend

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Sounds like a waste of good Vodka my friend

I though he was saying the Vodka was to drink while working on the paint problem!

 

[Viking1066]

 

[Wurger]

Sounds like a waste of good Vodka my friend

Actually not it isn't. The less you drink the more money for model kits you save.

The problem with the Vallejo paints is the base these are made on. It is said that the paints are water based. So the clean water should be a good thinner. But it is not. For instance the Model Air series paints are the ready to use with an airbrush. So you don't need to dilute them actually. Contrary to the series, the Model Color ones can be applied with a brush basicly. For the reason, these are thick and have to be thinned when using for airbrushing. The VMC colours are the resin acrylic-vinyl paints with increased pigmentation. Therefore the pure IPA may cause the troubles as depicted above. As a non-standard thinner can be used the vodka because it is is an aqueous solution of ethyl alcohol C2H5OH. The percentage composition of vodka is 60% water and 40% alcohol. So the problem with the IPA is that many guys try to use it directly without mixing with the water. Therefore the IPA should be thinned with the water in 1/1 proportion or even more for the water.

 

[Wayne Little]

guess I will stick with my trusty Tamiya paints...

 

[Totalize]

Interesting approach with the tape.

 

[PlasticHero]

All the painting is done. This is where I start the weathering; I have a slight exhaust stain started and the decals go on next. I'm satisfied with the chipped effect and it used skills I already had.

For once I feel that I'm on time to finish. Some day I'll get the start the next GB during the overlap.