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World War II: Japan
Aircraft of Japan in WWII.
Hosted by Rowan Baylis
Tamiya 1/48 Zero A6M3/a
thegirl
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Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Tuesday, March 06, 2018 - 07:16 AM UTC
For my next build it will be Tamiya's excelcent Zero kit . This is their newer tooling from 2010 . and includes mask for the canopy and etch parts for the wing fold details . No seatbelts though so I will be using Ultra Cast Zero seat with belts . Other then that this will be out of the box .





Terri


PS , Richard made me do it .... Hiff Mir !
rdt1953
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New Jersey, United States
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Posted: Tuesday, March 06, 2018 - 07:39 AM UTC
Atta Girl !

Ms. Mustang gets swayed by Mr. Redcircles !
Willard79
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Wellington, New Zealand
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Posted: Tuesday, March 06, 2018 - 08:57 AM UTC
Awwwriaght, now we're talkin'. This is one I have done, so strapped in for the show. It goes together like a dream, let me know if you want me to try and dig out a color mix reference (tamiya) for the Tsuchi-iro, or google Greg Springer who came up with various mix recipes.

cheers.
russamotto
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Utah, United States
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Posted: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 - 05:53 AM UTC
I will watch this build with interest. Odd that they don't include the seatbelts with all the other extras.
thegirl
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Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 - 06:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Atta Girl !

Ms. Mustang gets swayed by Mr. Redcircles !




Ooooh , there is another Mustang in the works . Next one will be a Blue nose
thegirl
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Posted: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 - 07:01 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Awwwriaght, now we're talkin'. This is one I have done, so strapped in for the show. It goes together like a dream, let me know if you want me to try and dig out a color mix reference (tamiya) for the Tsuchi-iro, or google Greg Springer who came up with various mix recipes.

cheers.




Hi Spud , thanks for the offer . Very kind of you



Terri
thegirl
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Posted: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 - 07:04 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I will watch this build with interest. Odd that they don't include the seatbelts with all the other extras.




Hey Russ , I was going to do Hasegawa's new tool 32 scale kit . I have a fair bit of aftermarket for it . But I don't want to get bogged down with the build . With spring just around the corner it will be mountain biking again and won't be spending much time in front of the bench . So a nice qiuck build is perfect . I still want to get one more Mustang in ....



Terri
thegirl
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 06:42 AM UTC
It was time this weekend to get started with freeing parts and getting them cleaned up for paint . So far I have used the colour call out in the instructions using Tamiya paints through out . Once the base colours where on detail painting followed next with weathering decals and final sealant coat . So far this is just falling together like a dream . I had to pinch myself , just to make sure ! Since this photos the fuselage is closed up and I'm working on the wings now .











Terri
rdt1953
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New Jersey, United States
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Posted: Saturday, March 10, 2018 - 07:15 AM UTC
Terri - Love the seat & belts ! Beautiful !

Richard
Joel_W
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AUTOMODELER
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Posted: Sunday, March 11, 2018 - 05:44 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Atta Girl !

Ms. Mustang gets swayed by Mr. Redcircles !



Richard,
Well said. Very well said

Terri,
I'm pulling up my good ole' rocking chair, and I'll be right here throughout the build. The cockpit while all Tamiya, is painted and weathered to perfection. Love the Ultracast seat. I've just bought 4 more with seatbelts and Harnesses for the very same reason you opt to use them.

Joel
thegirl
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 06:32 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Terri - Love the seat & belts ! Beautiful !

Richard





Thanks Richard , glad that it gets the meatball stamp of approval





Terri
thegirl
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 06:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Atta Girl !

Ms. Mustang gets swayed by Mr. Redcircles !



Richard,
Well said. Very well said

Terri,
I'm pulling up my good ole' rocking chair, and I'll be right here throughout the build. The cockpit while all Tamiya, is painted and weathered to perfection. Love the Ultracast seat. I've just bought 4 more with seatbelts and Harnesses for the very same reason you opt to use them.

Joel




Joel , Thanks for the very kind comments .

Ultracast has very nice resin details which don't break the bank and being in Canada it doesn't me a lot for shipping . So I also look their first .



Terri
thegirl
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 06:50 AM UTC
Would have these pic's up yesterday , but I had company show up .
Made a fair bit of progress over the weekend . I got the cockpit closed up in the fuselage , wings together and fixed in place ( will be doing folded up wing tips ) Tail parts are in place . Engine is assebled and painted along with the start on the exhaust . Cowling parts are painted as well as the prop and spinner , landing door covers , landing gears legs and a few other bits waiting for the alum coat .














Terri
Joel_W
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Posted: Monday, March 12, 2018 - 07:58 PM UTC
Terri
Your progress is amazing. And here I thought I was flying through my Hurricane build. I can only imagine just how much further you'd have gotten if your company didn't show up.

I'm lucky, I can get Ultracast parts from Sprue Brothers so I don't have to pay the across the border shipping costs.

Joel
thegirl
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Posted: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 - 04:41 AM UTC
I do have my moments Joel which even surprize me at times .
If I building out of the box I can in must case finish a project in in a orderly time . Also helps when not fighting the kit either ...



Terri
thegirl
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Posted: Friday, March 16, 2018 - 06:24 PM UTC
Past few days has been spent airbrushing and getting the canopy mask up and fixed in place .
For that weird blue greenish colour I didn't have the colour need for the mix Tamiya calls for in the instructions . So I first sprayed the parts with Tamiya semi gloss black letting this dry for 24 hours . Vallejo metal coat alum was sprayed and letting this dry for 24 hours . I mixed up some Tamiya clear blue and green spraying the areas with a few coats building up the layers . While this was drying the engine got weathered up and the exhaust finished . Still have the very tips but these will get done on final weathering .
The cowl is ready to go now as well as the prop for clear coat and decals .

I'm ready for per-shading and paint ...





















Terri
Joel_W
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Posted: Friday, March 16, 2018 - 07:01 PM UTC
Terri
As usual, you not only making excellent progress, but all those sub assemblies look perfect from where I seat. As for the homemade Japanese interior color, your layering method looks pretty good to me, but I'm not very familiar with Japanese aircraft. I'm sure that Rickard will let you know one way or the other.

Joel
thegirl
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Posted: Saturday, March 17, 2018 - 05:21 PM UTC
Thank you Joel for your continuing support

I have started the decaling and should have it done some time today and might even be able to start a bit of weathering .

To be honest Joel . I spent a bit of time online checking out refs on that colour and it all became very confusing and like you I know nothing about japan's aviation history of WW 2



Terri

Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, March 17, 2018 - 09:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Thank you Joel for your continuing support

I have started the decaling and should have it done some time today and might even be able to start a bit of weathering .

To be honest Joel . I spent a bit of time online checking out refs on that colour and it all became very confusing and like you I know nothing about japan's aviation history of WW 2



Terri




Terri
Impressive build time for sure. I'd blame Richard for this increase in Japanese WWII aircraft interest.

Joel
rdt1953
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Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 01:33 AM UTC
Terri - Looking very good as we all have come to expect from your talented hands !
The mysterious blue/green color is Aotake - I think you have done a great job of it - you have tackled it essentially in the same manor as I would.
I like to lay down a base of some flat aluminum ( silver) shade and then dust over it with a highly thinned mix of flat blue/flat green. I have moved away from the ready mixed metallic blue shades offered by many as the metallic bit looks out of scale to me.
Amongst the experts ( which I make no claim to be ! ) this color is still the subject of some debate among even the most knowledgeable - it is my understanding that extant samples taken from areas of airframes that were reasonably protected vary greatly in hue from bluish to greenish. What is known is that Japan's aviation industry relied heavily on outsourcing of components from many sources , including small "mom & pop" cottage industries. This became more widespread as the war raged on and Japan's centralized factories were being devastated by allied bombing. Adjacent components on the same air craft have been found to be completely different hues. There is even some contention as to Aotake's purpose. While most believe it served as protection against corrosion , some think it may have been decorative or part of cultural superstition - it has also been suggested that it served as a markout fluid in the same way as metal workers use purple/blue die to layout workpieces today.
All these uncertainties are part of the appeal of Japanese aviation to me - fun and challenging to explore.

Keep up the great work - I always enjoy following your blogs .

Richard
Joel_W
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Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 03:12 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Terri - Looking very good as we all have come to expect from your talented hands !
The mysterious blue/green color is Aotake - I think you have done a great job of it - you have tackled it essentially in the same manor as I would.
I like to lay down a base of some flat aluminum ( silver) shade and then dust over it with a highly thinned mix of flat blue/flat green. I have moved away from the ready mixed metallic blue shades offered by many as the metallic bit looks out of scale to me.
Amongst the experts ( which I make no claim to be ! ) this color is still the subject of some debate among even the most knowledgeable - it is my understanding that extant samples taken from areas of airframes that were reasonably protected vary greatly in hue from bluish to greenish. What is known is that Japan's aviation industry relied heavily on outsourcing of components from many sources , including small "mom & pop" cottage industries. This became more widespread as the war raged on and Japan's centralized factories were being devastated by allied bombing. Adjacent components on the same air craft have been found to be completely different hues. There is even some contention as to Aotake's purpose. While most believe it served as protection against corrosion , some think it may have been decorative or part of cultural superstition - it has also been suggested that it served as a markout fluid in the same way as metal workers use purple/blue die to layout workpieces today.
All these uncertainties are part of the appeal of Japanese aviation to me - fun and challenging to explore.

Keep up the great work - I always enjoy following your blogs .

Richard



Richard,

that's a great tutorial for sure. Seems that all of the main players in WWII had paint issues, including the good old USA.

Interior corrosion coatings must have changed nearly a half dozen times during the war, and Grumman's even went their own way with Grumman Gray. No one really knows what color it really was, as it changed all the time.

Joel

thegirl
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Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 04:29 AM UTC
Hi Richard , thanks for chiming in about the colour and the clarification towards it . My thinking on it was if this was a clear coat over bare alum would it really have a metal flake tone to it . Nope I said and went forward and started spraying . I'm pleased with the hue but maybe just a tad more clear green for next time .

An up-date on the currant progress . So far the airframe has been painted , decalled and the start of the weathering . I used Flory's dark dirt for both top and bottom . Cowl and prop got the same wash as well . Landing gear and other bits are ready to go as well . Just a bit of pastel work and the final assembly and seal coat and this one will be done .



















Terri
Willard79
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Wellington, New Zealand
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Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 02:16 PM UTC
Hi Terri, what to say.
Once again, really sharp detail in the pit and impressive speed without giving up quality. What mix did you end up going for with the base colour (exterior)?
I had read somewhere that the fabric control surfaces were a different shade, but can't recall where, maybe Richard could elaborate?
It's quite nice Tamiya provide masks, even if you have to cut them out yourself.

cheers
Joel_W
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Posted: Sunday, March 18, 2018 - 08:24 PM UTC
Terri,
your build is really looking quite spectacular. On light colors the flory wash does indeed look most realistic, but I've moved away from it as my main weathering resource for darker colors. The end results always are just to uniform. Black basing really takes a beating from dark washes.

Joel
thegirl
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Posted: Monday, March 19, 2018 - 02:35 AM UTC
Thank you Spud For the base colour I used Tamiya XF-76 gary green ( IJN ) straight out of the bottle . This was applied over pershading of the panel lines using nato black with a few drops of red brown using the tamiya paints .


Joel , I never did care for using black for a panel wash , it's just to dark . So I will use either a dark dirt or dark brown with a bit of black mixed in .


Stick a fork in it , she is done .!























Terri
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