Tamiya 1:48 Mitsubishi A6M3 (Captured)

[fubar57]

With my GB now finis; the next one starting in two months, and my other StoF down to the final lil bits I thought I should start another distraction. It took a few hours searching but this is what I will be doing. All photos Public Domain.

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The aircraft was restored to flying condition by the joint USAAF/USN/Royal Australian Air Force Technical Air Intelligence Unit (TAIU) at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, Australia in late 1942 and early 1943. The aircraft was sent for evaluation at Wright Field in the US and wearing post-1943 style US insignia. Fate unknown. According to an article on the J-Aircraft site, a war-time report said the over-all colour was "dove grey". The kit..............

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I hope to get started on this shortly

 

[fubar57]

....and the fun begins. "What kind of fun?" you ask. "Well sir, the instructions are in Japanese." sez I.

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Off to see if I can find an English version in PDF form........................................

 

[fubar57]

.........and just like that...

 

[Crimea_River]

What's wrong with you? Everyone knows how to read Japanese.

 

[fubar57]

Lol. I was dreading the use of Google Translate for this...."When attaching the under-member *unreadable* to the happy fore piece, don't regret ペインティング "

 

[Crimea_River]

LMAO!

 

[fubar57]

Innards with seat before drilling out the lightning holes. The little rectangle attaches to the slot in the left console. Note the I.P. devoid of any detail, relying on a 42yr old decal. I took a close look at some of the other decals on the sheet and I don't think most would survive the hot bath to loosen them so I'll coat what I need with Microscale Decal Film

 

[rochie]

Interesting !

 

[Snautzer01]

Captured Japanese airplanes.

 

[Wurger]

 

[36feet10inches]

I hope those six wee chaps are going to be socially distanced. 2m at 1/72 is what, 28mm? Stay safe!

 

[fubar57]

Innards painted Tamiya XF-65 Field Grey.

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Engine...not worried about the mold lines as the will be in the back and invisible

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Painted XF-12 Titanium Silver

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With a wash of Citadel Black Ink to give it an oily look

 

[rochie]

Good start

 

[Wurger]

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Very nice. I like how that came out.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys. Attached the cockpit decals to their various parts and even though they were coated they still manage to break a little. I managed to salvage them but they will need a bit of clean-up, Done for now, bus in a few hours. Have a good week gents

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far George!

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Wayne and Hugh. In the end I couldn't live with the mold lines in the engines so removed them before the bus. I also manged to get the I.P. decal to settle down good enough for a closed canopy, pics shortly. I was looking over the photos while I was in camp and noticed, in the third photo, that the inner surface off the under carriage doors is quite dark, almost as dark as the semi-gloss black landing gear. Being a Mitsubishi aircraft, the colour should be the same as the aircraft under surface, Hairyokushoku, that illusive greyish-green colour. I wonder, if during the repaint, it was painted the same colour as the landing gear.

 

[rochie]

It does look like they are black, the front part doesn't seem to be in the shadows