Here are some wip photos of the Tamiya kit, all OOB. All in all it seems like a good fit (other than the usuall wing root issues), which I’m learning that some builders attach the top wings to fuselage prior to lower wing unit being attached to the fuselage. I must say it’s a little daunting knowing that the cousin kit (A6M5) is being assembled by a more skilled builder KFS in another thread but I’m learning a lot from his build so keep it up kamil [;)].
The office (there were a few changes since this pic, paint to the sighting mech and black (vs tan) on the yoke cover) not happy with the belts but it was better than the molded plastic.
Ready for paint, I’m not yet ready to try the pre-shading gig yet, heck I’m still trying to figure out how to weather worth a [cnsod]. (how I love taping the canopy) [8o|]
I had the [cnsod] thing all painted, loved the finish, thought I would try a coat of Future to seal it (first time mind you) and… [8o|] drips… and bumps… and…!!! Stripping it down and giving it another go… flipping Furture… [8o|]
I guess I should learn how to apply this stuff, help!
Use it on your tile floors (where it’s supposed to go), and buy a rattle-can of Testor’s MM Glosscoat…[;)] While I speak only for myself, that’s what I’ve used for the last 40 years, with no problems, no airbrushing, no airbrush cleaning ( I absolutely hate that job… It breaks the “rhythm” of my building-time), and no runs, drips, or bumps, and it takes about 5 seconds to apply it to a fighter-sized model… After I paint the final colors, I shoot a quick covering of Glosscoat on the model, then decal it… After they’re dry, I start weathering with sludge and pin-washes going on over the gloss(keeps the wash from “blooming” like it would over a flat finish), then shoot it with MM Dullcoat, let it dry, apply a second if needed, and finish up with dry-brushing and pastels…
I don’t even dip canopies in it (makes them too “clear-looking” for use on weathered aircraft), IMNSHO… Aircraft canopies on operational aircraft, while they were cleaned often, have myriad tiny scratches in them that gives them a “less-than-crystal-clear” look…
Generally on fighters, especially those based on forward airstrips in the PTO with crushed-coral runways, the only part of the canopy that’s highly polished is the windscreen panel in front of the gunsight… Even regularly washed, civilian aircraft, have scatched caopies and windscreens…If you go up close and look at that Cessna 172 at the local airpatch, you’ll see those scratches quite easily…
If you must use it though, make sure that you aren’t thinning it… Future doesn’t need thinning, and thinning usually wrecks it anyway… (Yeah, I tried it… I used it on a couple of models and that’s when I discovered the problems with it… Went back to using it on my barracks room floor and on my display boots, lol)
We all have different methods that work for us. I’ve found that by first lightlty polishing the paint with paper coffee filters which will get rid of most of the roughness and then brushing on Future will leave a smooth semi gloss even finish. I have tried to ab Future and have experimented with different pressures but I get a grainy finish.
Looking good. I just picked this kit up the other day from Amazon…just to fill out an order to get me over the price hump so I would not have to pay shipping. Looking forward to seeing how you tackle it.
I think the Tamiya A6M2 is actually a staple kit in everyones stash. Heck I own one too and only paid 6 bucks for it on Ebay even own a couple of A6M2N RUFE’s.
Well that one is not one of the high end Tamiya kits. I think I grabbed mine for around $10. This particular kit is still easily found priced about the same as Revellogram 1/48 offerings. I did mine in Akagi Dec 7th markings for Cdr Itaya and have it sitting next to my Hobbycraft P-36 in Harry Brown’s markings for a good air combat foes pair…
If you do Sakai’s mount, dont forget to saw off the radio mast where it protrudes from the canopy. IIRC his air group used to do that on their Zero’s because they removed the radios due to their less than perfect functionality and to cut back on weight.
Ditto stik, that’s who I’m doing too. I’ve decided to do a PH theme, Zero, Val & Kate (wish I could find the torpedo version) What did we throw up, some P-40’s and a Buffalo? And I took Hammers advice, bought the testors Glosscoat & Dullcoat, to [cnsod] with Future, I’ll figure it out another day! [:D] Pics of the decals
All that got airborne for active defense at Pearl Harbor were mainly P-36s and a few P-40s. At least during the attack. Some SBDs from Enterprise flew in during the attack and were mainly shot down and did not achieve any kills. Buffalos only saw combat in US hands against the Zero at Midway… and we all know how that turned out. The P-36 did better over Oahu.
Your Zero Sen is coming along very nicely Reasoned[Y]
Finally got the paint fiasco figured out, ended up removing the botched “Future” coat with Windex/alcohol, resprayed base and used Testors Glosscoat out of a rattle can, worked great. Anyway, this is the Tamiya A6M2 Model 21 Zero 1/48 completed, it was a great kit for less than $10 (as a side note, I now understand when they say Tamiya decals tend to be “thicker”). I built it as flown by Lt. Cdr. Shigeru Itaya, Akagi Carrier FG, 12/7/1941, so the weathering is very subtle due to lack of prior action. As always comments are desired and appreciated.
