Well, I didn’t get to paint the airframe as soon as I expected. The canopy framing had to be painted black, so I decided to get all the items that would be black (trolly, cowl interior), as well as the blue-black items (cowl exterior, bombs) ready at the same time. I also did the gunsight (which you can’t see in the pics) by adding clear sheet for the “glass,” and the PE ringsight. This was to be painted Alcad II Steel, so I figured I’d do the engine as well. All of this, which involved adding lots of PE, took me a couple days. I finally got to paint it today.
For the color, I chose Model Master’s SAC Bomber Tan. This closely resembles the “caramel color” worn by these aircraft (they weren’t gray, as most often depicted on models). The blue-black cowl was a mix of Flat Black and a couple drops of True Blue.
Looks great, especially the engine. Did you paint the engine with steel or aluminum and then apply a dark wash, or the other way around? Or was it a completely different process?
Once you done with Future and have time can you write one more time about your process.
I’m not sure if you told us before you mix Future with water. I did 4-5 layers but my is not that shiney yet.
Rufe’s were not usually gray, eh? I have a Rufe kit that I am - someday - going to build and paint as operating out of the Aleutians.
The three reference books I have found color paintings of Rufes in all show them with a weird purplish color for Aleutian service, but all of the print references I have found to date indicate they were either IN gray or green. Now you’re saying dirty tan? Interesting. Is that for the South Pacific, home islands, or pretty much anywhere the Rufes served? Thanks in advance.
Brian - there are LOTS of tiny PE pieces to add to the engine (29). It took a while to add them !
kielers - the engine was primed with Future, then painted with Alcad II Steel. I then drybrushed the cylinders with Model Master Steel enamel (not Metalizer). The ring is MM Metalizer Steel. Three colors, all labeled as “Steel,” yet each is different.
Gumiflex - I spray Future straight from the bottle. The coats are sprayed about ten minutes apart. The first few sometimes leave a spotty look. I keep adding coats (10 minutes apart), until I have an even coverage (which may not be glossy). At this point, I spray heavier, wetter coats (but not so much that it runs). This leaves a glossy, mirror-like finish. I don’t count the number of coats, since it varies. I just keep adding coats until I get what I want.
mfsob - The j-aircraft site is the best reference for IJN/IJA aircraft. I would never trust an artist’s representation as a color reference. Here are some color pics of the aircraft’s skin:
Here’s a walkaround of an A6M2 Type 21 walkaround:
Nice, smooth paint job, Pix. The pictures magnify things, so, are you going to try to fill the gap under the windscreen? Or is that just a wartime production quirk? Are you planning to do anything to the panel lines?
Wayne - I had glued the windscreen with Krystal Kleer, and it came loose when I removed the drafting tape from the cockpit opening. I was hoping it would hold, since there are no frame lines on the bottom of the angled panels. I’ll reglue it with CA, putting tiny drops on the straight sides and front. These areas have frame lines. The canopy has been Futured, so there’s no risk of fogging. The panel lines will receive washes once the decals are applied. The airframe will get darkened SAC Bomber Tan, the Hinomarus darkened Red, and a light Gray on the white areas.
I’m still hung up on the paint color … why would two completely different reference books have the color of Aleutian Rufes as a weird purple? Photos of ANY Japanese planes in the Aleutians are few and far between, and the quality of the ones I’ve found on the net are so mediocre as to make them almost unuseable.
