ZERO - The Freeze Alternative - an A6M2b

[MIflyer]

I have a 21st Century 1/32 A6M2 and an A6M3, too. 20 years ago you could find them in WalMart for $10.50, along with the same company' s Mc202, Mc205, BF-109F, Bf-109G, F4U, and Ju87. I bought an Mc202 the first time I saw one, saying , "You can buy 1/32 Italian fighter planes at six o clock in the morning. What a country!"

Got up to 88F here yesterday, a new record for the date. But today will top out only in the upper 60's.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[Ralph Haus]

Painting PHASE 1. The Tamiya instructions call for their AS-29 Gray Green. I searched and found they have an equivalent in a bottle, XF-76 also called Gray Green. This is what I used. Obvious my camera is not processing the colors correctly but the color does not match the swatches nor the paint cap, too dark and not yellow enough.
I can try adding some white or yellow of both. But then again, the color is not bad, just not an 'official' one. Not sure is it's because I did not primer, I sprayed directy over the gray plastic? Although it looks the same on the masking tape!

Tamiya website capture AS-29

Tamiya website capture XF-76

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Although - should one trust the Box Art? Given the box is printed cardboard and the model is flat sprayed??? Not to far off. Maybe need to be grayed a bit?

 

[Gnomey]

Good work so far!

 

[Ralph Haus]

Me 97. Carpet 3. Those with sharp eyes, and knowledge of this one will spot the missing parts. These are the parts that are smaller than a grain of rice, rounder and slicker.

Tomorrow I hope to tidy up some of the decals, give it a semi-gloss coat, hang the propeller, and fuel tank, and take off the masking tape, and call it done. That is if these clumsy mitts don't knock some more pieces!!

I picked up my Vallejo RLM colors last night and can now continue the GB-49 effort.

 

[fubar57]

Good stuff Ralph

 

[Ralph Haus]

Finished. Some lessons learned. Some minor mistakes made. But all-in-all I am pleased with this build. If I can convince the wife, I will be changing the color of the carpet below the work area to something other than a 'grayish' blend. The current one survives on small bits of gray plastic.

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[fubar57]

Good stuff Ralph. If its any consolation, the official colour of the carpet in my model room is called "Sprue Grey"

 

[Ralph Haus]

Funny, all this delay working on the bf109 for GB-49, rain/ice/no power, and finally being able to pick up the Vallejo RLM colors. I have just applied the bottom color, RLM-65 (Hellblau). I had wanted to be as close as possible on this build, color wise. Well, to my eye anyway, if there is not a 1/4 shade differance between the Tamiya XF-23 (which I have two bottles of) and the Vallejo 71.255 I'll apply for a color blindness disability. The RLM-70 had better be a good choice over the Tamiya XF-27!! I have to admit that the Vallejo paint did apply as good as, or better than, the Tamiya.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[bdefen]

Here's one I did a year ago using the same kit. Hadn't tried canopy frame painting yet at the time. Fun build.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Here's one I did a year ago using the same kit. Hadn't tried canopy frame painting yet at the time. Fun build.View attachment 615058

On these builds, I just like the deviation from the color schemes that are typical of the IPJN. Cheery if you will. If you can call a killer dive bomber cheery? The masking of the canopy's took me awhile to accept as well. But after, it is surprising the differences it makes. I usually do them at the start now. I get it over with and enjoy the rest of the build instead of seeing the 'naked' ones staring from the box.

 

[fubar57]

I say that to myself at the start of every build Ralph, and in the end, its the last thing I always do

 

[Ralph Haus]

Nicely done so far!

Ummm! I maybe should have put a banner around ** finished **. Something standing out that I need to attend to? Glad to tidy it up for the group.

 

[Crimea_River]

Hi Ralph. Yes, you need a separate "Finished" thread showing the six mandatory pics. Take a look at the others posted already and use those as a go by.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Hi Ralph. Yes, you need a separate "Finished" thread showing the six mandatory pics. Take a look at the others posted already and use those as a go by.

As usual, not paying attention to the details of the forums. I know about GB finished but somehow (not surprising) I missed the Start-to Finish finale post. I'll add tomorrow but when I look at the Start-to-Finsh builds I really don't see any official photo set? This is not a GB effort.

 

[Crimea_River]

My bad. I thought it was a GB. No need to post a finished thread then as they are just for the GB judging.

 

[fubar57]

Ummm! I maybe should have put a banner around ** finished **. Something standing out that I need to attend to? Glad to tidy it up for the group.

Put it in the Your Completed Kits section

 

[Ralph Haus]

Put it in the Your Completed Kits section

Well, it seems I don't know how to do that? I thought all I had to do was EDIT my original and change the forum? Not obvious?

 

[Crimea_River]

No need to do anything in my opinion. The category is "Start to Finish" and that's what you did but there's nothing stopping you from starting a new post in the section that Geo linked to show your finished model if you want.