Andrew's 1/48 Tamiya Raiden

[TJ]

Sept 17, 2023 1:46:41 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Sept 16, 2023 17:47:26 GMT -5 TJ said:

Nice paintwork. I have a blue black paint from Mr. Color which I think is spot on for IJN cowling and anti glare

Thanks TJ! I like the effect too!!!



However..........

Two issues......as well as forgetting to paint the exhausts, I have also forgot to paint the wing leading edges yellow.....so another post decal paint job!  

More importantly....I have almost certainly painted it the wrong shade of green.....

Anyone who has ever complained about German wartime Luftwaffe RLM colours and not done a Japanese plane.......DON'T!!! Really RLM colours are a walk in the park compared to the dark art of Japanese greens!!!

There are the D1 and D2 greens, there are the N1 and N2 greens......and shades in between.......that has you chasing your tail in endless circles!

PLUS...the Raiden green was apparently it's own special colour.......so whilst the colour I chose may have been an ok-ish match for the usual Mitsubishi green, it is seemingly wrong for the Raiden.

The Raiden green was apparently was a more muted green with a definite tinge of blue to it.

It is too late now to correct it and if any rivet counter complains I'll just put my hand up and agree with them....that said it is only a £14 kit and I still like it!!! My model my rules!!   

ATB



Andrew

Unless its going on a contest table who'll know. AK Real Color has a whole selection of Japanese colors. Still looks like a JACK

I've got a large stash of Japanese kits that really need to get built. A JACK is one of them

[handiabled]

I agree on the color argument on both the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japanese birds... it got old a very long time ago. This looks great so far!

[deafpanzer]

Looking real good now!!!

[adt70hk]

Sept 17, 2023 5:51:28 GMT -5 TJ said:

Unless its going on a contest table who'll know. AK Real Color has a whole selection of Japanese colors. Still looks like a JACK

I've got a large stash of Japanese kits that really need to get built. A JACK is one of them

Sept 17, 2023 6:43:20 GMT -5 handiabled said:

I agree on the color argument on both the Luftwaffe and Imperial Japanese birds... it got old a very long time ago. This looks great so far!

Sept 17, 2023 8:54:49 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Looking real good now!!!

Thanks guys for the support as always!

I can confirm it will not be going into any competition at any shows but it will be ok enough for our table at shows.  I d like the colour either way.  It looks even more pronounced under a gloss varnish now I'm doing the decals but I can tone it down a bit!

Thanks again.

Andrew

[M1Carbine]

Andrew - WOW, that looks so freaking good. Green that you have is just fine. Weathering, wear and tear and it will look just as it should. Beautiful so far.

-Bob

[adt70hk]

Sept 17, 2023 14:41:14 GMT -5 M1Carbine said:

Andrew - WOW, that looks so freaking good. Green that you have is just fine. Weathering, wear and tear and it will look just as it should. Beautiful so far.

-Bob

Thank you Bob!  Glad you're liking it!

[Joe Rix]

Excellent paint work Andrew. Your color selection looks perfectly fine to me. I am totally on board with the "my model. My rules" approach. What is important is how well your pre shading effect worked out. Looks great.

[adt70hk]

Sept 23, 2023 7:26:23 GMT -5 Joe Rix said:

Excellent paint work Andrew. Your color selection looks perfectly fine to me. I am totally on board with the "my model. My rules" approach. What is important is how well your pre shading effect worked out. Looks great.

Thanks Joe. Glad you're liking it.

The weathering will be fairly understated.

According to the instructions, the plane I have chosen dates from December 1943.

If....a big IF .....the information I have been reading is correct, then this version did not reach operational units until early '44 and I think it was with a development unit before that, so it's going to have been virtually brand new.

I have seen a couple of pictures of the plane from much later in the war and it is looking very ropey paint finish wise.

Thanks again.

[406 Silverado]

Man!! What an update this was! The color modulation on this birdie looks shuuwweeet and that's a great score on those Techmod decals as well Andrew.

[adt70hk]

Ok chaps....so moving this to the correct thread, rather than my qualification thread...DOH!   And repeat.....


Ok chaps. So we're nearing the finish line.  Good job too as the Group Build for which I am doing this finishes next Saturday!!

Some major and minor updates:

• Decals are on.  As I have another old Tamiya Japanese plane with the awful Tamiya decals, I treated myself to some Techmod Hinomaru decals as they were fairly cheap.  Whilst they are not quite up Airfix/Cartograph standards....they are soooooo much better than Tamiya ones.  There is almost no step, minimal carrier film and they can take a surprising about of force making placement very easy but they are very brittle when put over slightly larger surface details as you will see.  They also don't sit down as well as Cartograph on surfaces with compound curves...if you look closely at the fuselage ones, you will see what I mean.

• After huge masking efforts the yellow leading wing edges are done...why I forgot them in the first place I have no idea.  If you look dead on from the front you can see the green showing through very slightly but better that than flood the surface and get awful paint runs.  I will blame it on wear and tear and a bad paint job in the factory!  There is though a slight run on one wing despite my best efforts but you can only see it from below and at just the right angle, so it will almost never be seen...I'm just going to blame a bad in service tough up job!! 

• I also did the colour bands on the undercarriage 'covers'.  The instructions have themselves confused, as they give you two options and say both are common to all possible options....which of course is impossible...unless I am being very dim!!  I went for the easier option but didn't quite get the spacing right on the yellow orange but as they will never be side by side you won't the difference.

• The wheels have received their metal coats and of my own-brand of tyre black!

I just have to finish the exhausts, then a clear cloat, then some light weathering, and a final clear coat and course, final assembly!

ATB

Andrew




-----------------------------------

Decals

The Techmod decals call for slightly different size Hinomaru's from Tamiya.  I had to go with their suggestion due to the available options.  The good news is that I definitely have enough left for the Zero I have in the stash.

Not perfect but MUCH better than the Tamiya ones.













Yellow leading wing stripes.
Just a 'small' amount of masking before the paint flies...the underside was just as bad....and whilst they're not 'perfect' they will do.













Wheel and undercarriage 'covers'.
Conflicting instructions below, unless I have misread them!

[adt70hk]

Sept 23, 2023 14:53:39 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Man!! What an update this was! The color modulation on this birdie looks shuuwweeet and that's a great score on those Techmod decals as well Andrew.

Thanks Joe!  Glad you're liking the work.  The modulation has turned out pretty well to my eye....just a shame it doesn't show up under camera quite so well with the dark green!

The Techmod decals aren't bad.....not the best I've used but you get a lot for the price.

Thanks as always for stopping by!

[buddho]

Oh my gosh, what fantastic progress. Gorgeous finish.

[adt70hk]

Sept 24, 2023 13:11:29 GMT -5 buddho said:

Oh my gosh, what fantastic progress. Gorgeous finish.

Thanks Dan!  I'm glad you're liking it.  All things considered I am pleased with it so far.

ATB

Andrew

[deafpanzer]

Don't you love it when those big red dots make your wingy build POP out?!? It is looking real sharp now!

[stikpusher]

Sept 24, 2023 13:04:34 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Sept 23, 2023 14:53:39 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Man!! What an update this was! The color modulation on this birdie looks shuuwweeet and that's a great score on those Techmod decals as well Andrew.

Thanks Joe!  Glad you're liking the work.  The modulation has turned out pretty well to my eye....just a shame it doesn't show up under camera quite so well with the dark green!

The Techmod decals aren't bad.....not the best I've used but you get a lot for the price.

Thanks as always for stopping by!

I've heard lots of gripes from different folks regarding Techmod decals. Since then, Ive been kinda reluctant to pull the trigger on buying any. You had no problems with them on this build?

[kyledehart5]

That's some really great progress. It's really starting to look the part now!

[ogrejohn]

Looking very nice Andrew!

[adt70hk]

Sept 23, 2023 14:53:39 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Man!! What an update this was! The color modulation on this birdie looks shuuwweeet and that's a great score on those Techmod decals as well Andrew.

Thanks again Joe!  FYI I have worked out how to move this post as I put the original one in the wrong thread...hope that's ok.....should have done the same with the original post, rather copying it and deleting the old one....but you live and learn.

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Sept 24, 2023 20:38:31 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Don't you love it when those big red dots make your wingy build POP out?!? It is looking real sharp now!

Thanks Andy.

There is something about decals going on isn't there!

Sept 24, 2023 20:59:38 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Sept 24, 2023 13:04:34 GMT -5 adt70hk said:

Thanks Joe!  Glad you're liking the work.  The modulation has turned out pretty well to my eye....just a shame it doesn't show up under camera quite so well with the dark green!

The Techmod decals aren't bad.....not the best I've used but you get a lot for the price.

Thanks as always for stopping by!

I've heard lots of gripes from different folks regarding Techmod decals. Since then, Ive been kinda reluctant to pull the trigger on buying any. You had no problems with them on this build?

Hi Carlos

To be honest, I haven't used them before and I was looking for a bulk set of the red circles and these were reasonably priced.

As I said whilst they are not up to those done by Cartograph in Airfix kits and seem a bit thicker, resulting in less detail showing through, they are sooooo much better than the Tamiya offerings.  So there will be better out there but given that this is an old and cheap kit, I thought it worth giving them a go.

The only thing I would say is that they seem quite brittle.  Whilst I could push them around the wing with a surprising amount of force....anything other than Tamiya would snap or crumple....as soon as I put them over a slightly raised part on the wing and gently pushed down, the they split.

Hope that helps?

Sept 25, 2023 5:10:16 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

That's some really great progress. It's really starting to look the part now!

Thanks Kyle.  As I said to Andy, decals do bring a plane to life!

Sept 25, 2023 5:19:20 GMT -5 ogrejohn said:

Looking very nice Andrew!

Thanks John.  Not 'perfect' but considering it's my first 1/48 wingy thing, I am pleased with how it is looking!



Thanks again chaps!

[stikpusher]

Andrew, that's a good explanation of the drawback of the Techmod decals. Thank you. I had heard stories of them breaking. Perhaps some decal film would be a good idea based upon your explanation if I ever buy some for use.

[handiabled]

This is really pulling together quick now! The colors and markings look excellent

[adt70hk]

Sept 25, 2023 17:10:27 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Andrew, that's a good explanation of the drawback of the Techmod decals. Thank you. I had read the fries of them breaking. Perhaps some decal film would be a good idea based upon your explanation if I ever buy some for use.

You're welcome Carlos.

I also had a slight problem in dealing with the compound curve on the fuselage as it curved both top to bottom and narrowed front to back, although I think I might be to blame for that!

It makes it sound like they're awful but they're not that bad.  It's more of a question of you get what you pay for.  They're not out and out awful, just not as good as some but then you get what you pay for and I wasn't going to spend a fortune on decals for a 50 year old kit that cost me less than £14 delivered.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Sept 26, 2023 2:13:54 GMT -5 handiabled said:

This is really pulling together quick now! The colors and markings look excellent

Thanks Brent!  Coming on nicely isn't it!

[Joe Rix]

Andrew, You Raiden is coming along splendidly. You did a fine job of painting the yellow leading edges. Looks like the real deal with the decals on. I've used Techmod decals before and I was fairly happy with them. Appears you are nearing the finish line. Wonderful effort so far.

[adt70hk]

Sept 27, 2023 7:23:54 GMT -5 Joe Rix said:

Andrew, You Raiden is coming along splendidly. You did a fine job of painting the yellow leading edges. Looks like the real deal with the decals on. I've used Techmod decals before and I was fairly happy with them. Appears you are nearing the finish line. Wonderful effort so far.

Thanks Joe.  It coming on nicely in my opinion too!


stikpusher, Joe - I've probably come across as a bit harsh on Techmod.  Having looked at them again, they have settled down pretty well and the detail was fairly subtle in any case, and yet it does come through the decal.  Also as I run my thumb nail over the decal were it meets the paint, I can't feel a discernible step.  TBH, the split over the raised part may actually be my fault


Thanks again both.

Andrew

[stikpusher]

Andrew thanks for the honest firsthand experience review of the Techmod decals. The good and the bad need to be put out there clearly. Some people just gripe about flaws, never acknowledge any strengths of a product, and won't admit if anything went wrong on their part.

[adt70hk]

Sept 28, 2023 13:27:07 GMT -5 stikpusher said:

Andrew thanks for the honest firsthand experience review of the Techmod decals. The good and the bad need to be put out there clearly. Some people just gripe about flaws, never acknowledge any strengths of a product, and won't admit if anything went wrong on their part.

Your welcome Carlos....I have to be fair....it's in my nature!

By way of example, if there is one thing I can't stand it people picking a kit apart, without putting some context too it......the classic example is someone taking a cheaper kit and then finding all kinds of faults when compared to something much more expensive...there's a reason one kit is more expensive than the other.....

Now of course if you've paid a lot of money for a brand new kit designed with the latest technology that claims to be state of the art and there are problems, that's a whole different story!

[adt70hk]

Ok chaps, so we're nearly there....good job too as the GB I'm doing it for finishes tomorrow!

So first off I have done some hopefully subtle exhaust stains, these were done use a few light coats Vallejo Game Wash Umber 73.203.

Not sure if it's the 'right' colour but it will do to my eyes.  I kept it fairly subtle given that this will represent a relatively new plane.  It looks more obvious in the picture below than in real life.

Then I applied a clear coat.

Then a coat of Flory Wash's Dark dirt, wiped off to a fairly clean finish.  It's obviously much more apparent against the light grey, although a lot of the panel lines were fairly shallow.

All the undercarriage bits and pieces also got a coat, albeit pin wash style (sorry no pics).

So by this time tomorrow I am hoping to have it all done!


ATB

Andrew

-------------------------------------------------


Exhaust







Flory Wash

Now you see it.......









Now you don't!!

[M1Carbine]

BEAUTIFUL!

-Bob

[buddho]

Gorgeous...the weathering is fantabulous.