Thanks guys! I REALLY appreciate your compliments. It really makes a difference!
Well, I put the base colors on the other day along with a little bit of the weathering. After finishing the colors, I tried to put a coat of Gunze clear on it, but all that did was give it a very slight sheen and at the same time a really grainy finish. After giving it a couple of days, I decided to “flood” on the clear to give it a smooth surface- ended up using an ENTIRE bottle of clear before I was satisfied with it. This morning, after a couple of days of drying time, I put on the decals. The ones I used are from the kit, and most went down OK. The upper wing meatballs cover a small protrusion on the surface of the wing, and I had a heck of time with a scalpel blade and solvaset trying to get them down. They are not perfectly round anymore due to shrinkage from all of the solvents, but not much I can do about it now. Overall, it looks pretty good. Thanks for looking!
Looking pretty solid, Frank!
I really like the base color that you used for you Zero. I don’t see a lot of Japanese a/c, but that seems like a different color than usual. Is this from some of your studies over at Jaircraft.com?
Mike & Frank,
looking good guys [tup][8D]
Roy
Justin,
Thanks, it is an unusual color, isn’t it? Recognize it? It’s actually RLM02! I saw a real one up close at a museum last year, and read in a couple of places that the original color was very close to the RLM color. It looks very brown in the pic, think I might have to change my lighting!
Looks great, Frank! Man, you just keep banging out these awesome pieces! [tup]
…and I’m making a note of your use of RLM02 also. Great tip!
Roy and Mike,
Thanks guys! I tried taking a couple of pics with different lighting, think it might show off the color better:
and here’s a photo I took of a real A6M2 last year at the USAF Museum:
Huge difference in the lighting. That second looks pretty accurate.
I like the markings, Frank! Saburo Sakai’s airplane, in which he made the epic one-eyed flight home from Guadalcanal with shrapnel in his skull. I’m going to do that one one of these days, already have the decals. In one of the editions of Samurai there is a painting of V-103 from the top which would show the color in the top decking under the canopy, but I can’t find the book right now and it is time for Desperate Housewives, so I’m outta here!
Looking great, Frank! I’m glad I found this post, 'cause that’s the exact kit and the exact markings I plan on doing. Tell me, how’s that Tamy kit stacking up? I’ve heard it’s not quite as good as the Hasegawa kit (not as exspensive either). Did you do any rescribing or just go with it as is?
Sorry, one more question then I’ll pipe down and wait my turn…What did you use to get the base color?
Geoff-
Thanks for the compliments! The base color I used was Gunze Sangyo H-70, RLM 02. It’s a sort of greeninsh gray, and looks to be very close to the original color. Osprey’s “Building the A6M Zero” book has a lot of great photos and info on the original color. J-aircraft.com is another great source for info.
As for the kit itself, it definately is somewhat of a builders kit! I have never built the Hasegawa version, but have a couple of them in my stash. When I compared them side by side, the Hasegawa kit really looks better to me. The Tamiya kit has some fit issues around the wing, wing-fuse, and both raised and engraved panel lines. I rescribed some of the raised ones that were lost during assembly, but otherwise built it pretty much OOB. If you build it, take your time fitting the wing to the fuse, it will pay dividends later when it comes time to fill and sand! I had to put wedges in the bottom of the fuse to spread it, and 5 wedges between the upper and lower wing on the left side to get it to match up to the fuse. A lot of work compared to the current generation of Tamiya kits, but when you consider that it can be picked up for sometimes as low as $6.00, it’s hard to beat. Give one a try!
Looking good. I have this bird too, but mine doesn’t share the same fit problems as yours. Maybe it’s a random thing. Overall, I don’t mind the kit. I think it’s a wee ripper for the $$. You can often find the Rufe version from Tammy going cheap too.
Shaun,
I built one of these years ago, and don’t remember the fit problems at all. The joint between the rear of the wing assy and the fuse was a bit wide, but the joint between the wing roots and the fuse sides was fine. It could be me, or maybe just got a bad one.
Yeah, that’s what I mean, 'cause mine went together really well.
Well, after my glosscoat and flatcoat disaster, the only option was to completely strip down the kit and start over. I tried several additional light coats of flat, sanding, etc but no good. This morning, I started stripping it. Luckily, all of the coats were acrylic so I am using 91% isopropol alcohol. I put some on, gave it a few minutes, then started scrubbing it with a stiff bristled brush. Works a charm! Looks like it will work out, just gonna be longer road that I had originally thought. I am planning on painting on the markings this time, and am not sure exactly which aircraft. Guess we’ll see which one when the time comes! Here’s what she looks like right now. I have a little bit left to strip, but plan to finish it up later today or tomorrow.
Sorry for your grief on this one Frank, but I admire your tenacity. The first version will live on in photos, though, won’t it.
Thanks John. I am absolutely convinced that it will be better than before! Considering I only paid about six bucks for the kit, I have gained ten times that in experience. In the past, all of the other kits that I botched the paint job on ended up doing their boomerang impression right into the round file! [V]
Sorry to see you had paint trouble. But I gotta say, that engine looks very, very well done. I’m sure it will be a winner when finished.
Sorry to hear that the paintjob couldn’t be saved Frank, like you say…Live and Learn.[;)]
Glad to see you are not letting this setback deter you from completing the project, well done!