1/48 A6M3 Mitsubishi Zero

[lowlife]

Hi Guys !

Once in a while i fancy a change from building cars, or i get fed up with building altogether so try something totally different...

Like most of us i imagine i started off building planes as a kid, not really tried one since.

So i built this last year, quite enjoyed it so may try another soon.

Not sure why i like Zeros but i do, after a bit of research i was suprised at how rough they were in real life..

Think this was a Tamiya kit but cant remember !    I added wiring etc inside, and p/e interior set and seatbelts too !

Hope you enjoy the pics, as always any questions etc just ask !

 

[lowlife]

[mustang1989]

With all the molded in details I'd say you're right about it being a Tamiya offering. Love the paint and weathering on this one Martin.

Have you got one of the newer Eduard Zero's in the stash yet??

[tcoat]

NICE! 
The land based Zeros were always rougher than the carrier ones since the conditions they operated in were so nasty. The later in the war the worse they got as they could no longer get primer so the paint just peeled right off.
You got a cool effect going on with that one since the chipping in the green seems to show the early war tan colour underneath. Like it was an early carrier A6M3/3a  repainted and used from a land base. This was actually pretty common after they lost most of their carriers later in the war.



You also nailed the bottom as the grey paint seemed to hold up much better than the green so it would be filthy with oil and grime but not as badly chipped. 

[garydavis]

That really looks good. Great job on the detail and weathering!

[robbo]

Very nice

[`Boots`]

Must admit i do like the Zero`s myself.........top job on this one and some great weathering.

Here`s one i`d like to replicate at some point

[`Boots`]

...........sorry for the hi-jack, feel free to remove as you wish

[lowlife]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated !

Boots, no problem at all, in fact you got me thinking about building something very similar to your pics above...
Id love to try recreating this kind of condition aircraft, you would have to research all the framework but it could be a very cool project !!
Thanks for the pics !

[tcoat]

Apr 18, 2023 16:12:09 GMT -5 `Boots` said:

...........sorry for the hi-jack, feel free to remove as you wish

The thing that I have come to like the most about this forum over many is that people do not seem to mind discussion on related topics in their build threads. A lot of cool conversations can be missed in forums where threads are held to the model being shown and NOTHING else. That is also how you end up with threads with here is my model", 10 or 20 responses of "Nice work"' and then disappear into the void forever. Or at least until somebody else comes on years later and says "Nice work". Discussion does not take away from showing a model but enhances it. Couple of years I was accused of trying to take "glory" away from people by showing my work as an example in a thread and have never been back. It really soured me on model forums for a while. The one model car forum I know some from here are on is almost as bad with a couple of self determined "Post Police" to make sure that only the OP may show stuff. 

That said.

It is funny you posted those pictures because they were my original plan for this link

But instead I made this (same idea): link

[Tobi]

I find this orange red color interesting. Is that primer?

[lowlife]

Wow tcoat I just looked at the links you left..
And I agree, I'm happy for people to add anything really, even constructive criticism is helpful... 

Your Zero is painted to perfection, I prefer your painting style to mine...

As for the crashed mustang, wow what a build ! Really accurate and convincing model, if any of you haven't seen it check the link above, amazing !

Did you send it to the museum ? And as was, or with a base ?

[mustang1989]

Apr 18, 2023 17:47:35 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Apr 18, 2023 16:12:09 GMT -5 `Boots` said:

...........sorry for the hi-jack, feel free to remove as you wish

The thing that I have come to like the most about this forum over many is that people do not seem to mind discussion on related topics in their build threads. A lot of cool conversations can be missed in forums where threads are held to the model being shown and NOTHING else. That is also how you end up with threads with here is my model", 10 or 20 responses of "Nice work"' and then disappear into the void forever. Or at least until somebody else comes on years later and says "Nice work". Discussion does not take away from showing a model but enhances it. Couple of years I was accused of trying to take "glory" away from people by showing my work as an example in a thread and have never been back. It really soured me on model forums for a while. The one model car forum I know some from here are on is almost as bad with a couple of self determined "Post Police" to make sure that only the OP may show stuff. 

That said.

It is funny you posted those pictures because they were my original plan for this link

But instead I made this (same idea): link

The way I've always looked at responses is like this: 

If Martin here ,for instance, was right in front of us the conversation would probably wind up something like what's going on in this thread. I HIGHLY doubt that we would look a him in the eye, say "Nice job" and walk away. The atmosphere that's promoted here at this forum is one of involvement with one another. Egos and pride are out.....and friendship and helping each other out are IN. Disagreements on techniques and methods will be had BUT a respect for one another overshadows any "ego bomb explosion" that I've seen in other places. 

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 4:33:46 GMT -5 lowlife said:

Wow tcoat I just looked at the links you left..
And I agree, I'm happy for people to add anything really, even constructive criticism is helpful... 

Your Zero is painted to perfection, I prefer your painting style to mine...

As for the crashed mustang, wow what a build ! Really accurate and convincing model, if any of you haven't seen it check the link above, amazing !

Did you send it to the museum ? And as was, or with a base ?

I have not sent it to the museum yet. I need to sort out what I am doing for the base first. The current one has received mixed reviews but I have an idea of how to finish it. 

I like your version of the Zero better than mine. Showing the bare metal is easy and done to death but your underlying paint is different. 

I have reached a point with aircraft where just building them "normal" no longer entertains me. Moving forward there will be more folded wings, wrecks, damaged or just beat up aircraft. 

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 5:23:18 GMT -5 mustang1989 said:

Apr 18, 2023 17:47:35 GMT -5 tcoat said:

If Martin here ,for instance, was right in front of us the conversation would probably wind up something like what's going on in this thread. I HIGHLY doubt that we would look a him in the eye, say "Nice job" and walk away. The atmosphere that's promoted here at this forum is one of involvement with one another. Egos and pride are out.....and friendship and helping each other out are IN. Disagreements on techniques and methods will be had BUT a respect for one another overshadows any "ego bomb explosion" that I've seen in other places. 

Let's put the Social in the Social Club!

I have found that with the internet in general that many people take everything with the perspective of what they would do. If you say "look at how I did this model" in somebody's thread they immediately interpret that as "LOOK AT ME" since that is what they would be doing. The whole concept of a two way conversation can be lost. 
Even this current post would be frowned upon by many as a "derailment" but the reality is that this is what has come up in this thread so why stifle it? Is it better to let the thread get lost until somebody else pops in to say "nice work"?

[Tojo72]

Nice work,you really nailed the weathering.

[Joe Rix]

Wonderfully done Martin. That is indeed some really sharp weathering you have done. How did you achieve that effect? Hairspray? Your cockpit is also very well done and definitely looks the part. Thanks for sharing.

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 0:12:53 GMT -5 Tobi said:

I find this orange red color interesting. Is that primer?

Yes. The Japanese navy aircraft got red oxide primer on all exterior surfaces for most of the war. They had some serious issues early on with the salt water creating brittleness in the aluminum skins on untreated panels. Building a weathered IJN aircraft should never show bare aluminum and very little chipping as the paint stuck very well to the primer. The wreck pictures above are a testament as to how good the primer itself was! Even much of the Navy beige topcoat remains on that wreck and it sat in the jungle exposed to the elements for 50 years or so.
The Army aircraft or those that were to be land based only were rarely primered at all even early in the war and most certainly not later as resources dried up. These are the ones with large swaths of paint peeled off and substantial chipping in all leading edges, access panels and walkways. When modeling the Japanese aircraft it is really important to know exactly how and where the subject was used since there was no one "standard" that applied to everything.

[Tobi]

Apr 19, 2023 9:01:09 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Apr 19, 2023 0:12:53 GMT -5 Tobi said:

I find this orange red color interesting. Is that primer?

Yes. The Japanese navy aircraft got red oxide primer on all exterior surfaces for most of the war. They had some serious issues early on with the salt water creating brittleness in the aluminum skins on untreated panels. Building a weathered IJN aircraft should never show bare aluminum and very little chipping as the paint stuck very well to the primer. The wreck pictures above are a testament as to how good the primer itself was! Even much of the Navy beige topcoat remains on that wreck and it sat in the jungle exposed to the elements for 50 years or so.
The Army aircraft or those that were to be land based only were rarely primered at all even early in the war and most certainly not later as resources dried up. These are the ones with large swaths of paint peeled off and substantial chipping in all leading edges, access panels and walkways. When modeling the Japanese aircraft it is really important to know exactly how and where the subject was used since there was no one "standard" that applied to everything.

Thanks a lot. What type of color is the green-blue "Aotake"? I've put this somehow under primer as well, something to cover bare aluminum?

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 9:44:59 GMT -5 Tobi said:

Apr 19, 2023 9:01:09 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Yes. The Japanese navy aircraft got red oxide primer on all exterior surfaces for most of the war. They had some serious issues early on with the salt water creating brittleness in the aluminum skins on untreated panels. Building a weathered IJN aircraft should never show bare aluminum and very little chipping as the paint stuck very well to the primer. The wreck pictures above are a testament as to how good the primer itself was! Even much of the Navy beige topcoat remains on that wreck and it sat in the jungle exposed to the elements for 50 years or so.
The Army aircraft or those that were to be land based only were rarely primered at all even early in the war and most certainly not later as resources dried up. These are the ones with large swaths of paint peeled off and substantial chipping in all leading edges, access panels and walkways. When modeling the Japanese aircraft it is really important to know exactly how and where the subject was used since there was no one "standard" that applied to everything.

Thanks a lot. What type of color is the green-blue "Aotake"? I've put this somehow under primer as well, something to cover bare aluminum?

There are literally whole books on that subject. It is for the interior parts.
Anywhere from green to blue and all shades in between.

link

[`Boots`]

Joe and tcoat......totally agree with you both and well put across .....to be honest i knew Martin probably wouldn`t have minded, it was more of a courtesy thing really......just gave the option to remove if required ...........in fact i think it`s had the opposite effect!!.....we`ll look forward to that wrecked Zero then Martin

tcoat....`I have reached a point with aircraft where just building them "normal" no longer entertains me. Moving forward there will be more folded wings, wrecks, damaged or just beat up aircraft`

......your talking my kinda language now .....and spookily enough somat like that is on the cards........i`ve got a rather large Hind sitting in the stash that really needs to be built minus the rotors.....so it`ll fit somewhere

I`m orfe to go look at those links

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 14:52:55 GMT -5 `Boots` said:

Joe and tcoat......totally agree with you both and well put across .....to be honest i knew Martin probably wouldn`t have minded, it was more of a courtesy thing really......just gave the option to remove if required ...........in fact i think it`s had the opposite effect!!.....we`ll look forward to that wrecked Zero then Martin

tcoat....`I have reached a point with aircraft where just building them "normal" no longer entertains me. Moving forward there will be more folded wings, wrecks, damaged or just beat up aircraft`

......your talking my kinda language now .....and spookily enough somat like that is on the cards........i`ve got a rather large Hind sitting in the stash that really needs to be built minus the rotors.....so it`ll fit somewhere

I`m orfe to go look at those links

Not a Hind bu I have been hanging onto these pictures waiting to stumble across the right kits for a couple of years now.

[`Boots`]

That would be a big dio if ya find them all

Great pics

[lowlife]

Joerix... thanks for the reply, the effect is achieved with a ripped piece of sponge, then `dry brushed lightly` with the torn sponge, so you get small dots and patches.

Thanks Tobi, as for the blue/green colour i used this....

[lowlife]

Hey Boots and Tcoat, anyone fancy a Damaged / Destroyed plane build off ?  

[tcoat]

Apr 19, 2023 17:00:26 GMT -5 lowlife said:

Hey Boots and Tcoat, anyone fancy a Damaged / Destroyed plane build off ?  

Sure!
I even have had one in the planning stages for a while.

[Joe Rix]

Apr 19, 2023 16:58:49 GMT -5 lowlife said:

Joerix... thanks for the reply, the effect is achieved with a ripped piece of sponge, then `dry brushed lightly` with the torn sponge, so you get small dots and patches.

Thanks Tobi, as for the blue/green colour i used this....

You're welcome Martin. Your sponge technique worked extremely well. That and a prisma pencil are my go to for chipping effects.