Tamiya 1/48 A6M5 Zero dead

[mz3]

Thanks. I'm moving faster this time around.

Some chips...






That damn aluminum paint is just not the way to go with this technique. The green is chipping off just like last time. I thought it was sealed, but apparently it's not. No big deal this time. No masking!!! No hairspary layer also helps. I don't have to worry about the water or set/softener reactivating it and having issues there.

I think I'm going to skip the camo on this one.

I still need to build the pe cowl flaps, rivet the cowl and build the landing gear. So a decent amount of work left to do. Just getting past this paint garbage will help me.

[dodgy]

I've just found this and read it through from the beginning and you sir have the patience of a saint! I am building the Eduard Type 23 and everything was going well, but then ........ Anyway, your work on this beastie is superb. Such detail, patience and skill. I awe. 

[mz3]

Thank you! I really want to build an eduard zero. But I'm holding out for an a6m5. I haven't check to see if there's any news about one for a while. I might just do one of the ones available now.


More chips...









I think that's as far as I want to go with chips on this one. I tried to copy the chips off of some pics of different zeros. I also lightly sanded the rivets again. I need to go back and spray a little green on some of them, but, again, I like the way it looks. Not really realistic, but with the amount of work I had to put in to them, I'm GOING TO MAKE them show a little bit!

I need to fix the grey green on the back under the wings. I'm going to make a paper/cardboard template so I can avoid tape.

[kyledehart5]

That’s looking great!!

[handiabled]

It's great to see this build back up and running again! I would imagine at this point you are skittish of even sticking a post-it on it from the issues you have had with peeling. Watching for more it's looking great with the chipping you've done

[TJ]

Feb 22, 2024 3:18:25 GMT -5 handiabled said:

It's great to see this build back up and running again! I would imagine at this point you are skittish of even sticking a post-it on it from the issues you have had with peeling. Watching for more it's looking great with the chipping you've done

Yea what handi said

[406 Silverado]

Good to see you back on this one MZ. Chipping process looks great man.

[Joe Rix]

The chipping looks like the real deal to me. Very nicely done. Glad to see you back at it on this.

[dodgy]

Agree with all the above. It's looking very realistic. If you build the Eduard kit, the etch and the surface detail is amazing. The fit not so much.

[mz3]

Blah...




Not the best, but after weathering it will be alright. I tried to freehand the line with my new airbrush, but it was bad. So I made a paper mask and just got it done. Next up is gloss coat for decals.

[mz3]

Meatballs....




I was hoping getting the decals started would help with me not wanting to work on this piece of....plastic. Yeah, didn't help. Decals are ... blah. Atleast they are thin and don't have a noticeable edge of film around them.

[thug626]

This is an impressive Zero you have presented! Bookmarked and enjoying catching up.

[handiabled]

With the markings going on you are getting near the finish line with this!

[TJ]

Really starting to come together.

[406 Silverado]

Feb 27, 2024 18:16:15 GMT -5 mz3 said:

I was hoping getting the decals started would help with me not wanting to work on this piece of....plastic. Yeah, didn't help. Decals are ... blah. Atleast they are thin and don't have a noticeable edge of film around them.

   I'm more than sure you're gonna pull this one off in good fashion after seeing your work to this stage. I hear you on decal quality though.....we can spot that kind of stuff from a mile away as modelers. lol 

[mz3]

Unfortunately I didn't really look at them until yesterday. 3 of them ripped. None of them came off the backing without using a brushbto separate them(which I've never had happen before). The mr mark softer stained all of them. I went over all of them last night with a 2000 grit sanding sponge trying to get them to look acceptable. Kinda worked. I have to incorporate a few bad spots into the weathering. Then I went back to rivets.

Here are the results this morning...







Needless to say the rest of these pieces of crap are in the trash.

[mz3]

Pressing on.








The yellow is the decals from the kit. They are pretty thick. But atleast they actually went on without any problems. Damaged them with a blade.

Then, to work out a little frustration, I wet sanded the whole surface with a piece of 2000 grit sanding sponge. That got rid of the staining from the mr mark fluids on the decals and made everything nice and smooth. There was some orange peel here and there from the gloss coat.

I did mess up the red markings on the wing above the flaps. Sooooooooo I will mask and paint them. Cringe! But at this point I know exactly how to fix any peeling I get, so whatever on that.

[mz3]

Cringe...

[mz3]

OK, that was incredibly nerve-racking! But success!








I did get some small peels. A largeish one on the wing root on the right and a couple smaller spots on the left. Totally fixable and ALOT less then I thought I would get.

Happy times!!!

[stikpusher]

Just a thought, but wouldn't the red striping be painted on over the green base color, and chip in the same places where the green did?

[mz3]

I haven't got to that chipping yet. I took those pics right after I removed the tape and was so happy I didn't ruin the paint again I just had to share😁 I'm letting it dry overnight and I'll hit it tomorrow morning with a needle.

[kyledehart5]

Nice work!!

[handiabled]

Fantastic work! I can imagine you were holding your breath while removing the tape.

[lyle]

Well done!

[mz3]

Mar 2, 2024 3:17:50 GMT -5 handiabled said:

Fantastic work! I can imagine you were holding your breath while removing the tape.

Holding my breath, making whimpering sounds, closing my eyes with each piece of tape removed.

[mz3]

Haha




Professional

[mz3]

Chips and dip...





Just scratched the paintbwith a needle for the aluminum chips and painted on the green since I made some to repair the big chips that came off with the tape.




Irl they look really nice. I'm going to try to incorporate it into some of the other chipping. It the 50/50 mix of xf-11 and xf-70 with a drop of retarder. I stippled it on then sanded it.

[kyledehart5]

I like it. Looking nice.

[cbaltrin]

May 1, 2023 17:31:15 GMT -5 mz3 said:

Honestly I don't think it will be too bad.

Here's a test fit shot...

Your cockpit looks spectacular. What color did you use for the cockpit green?

[406 Silverado]

Jeez.............your chipping effect methods and paint masking are top notch. Such inspirational work. I only hope that when the time comes for me to build my Zero that I do even half as good a job as you are doing with this. WOW!!!