Scalemates Mitsubishi A6M Zero Group build 2021

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Not much to see yet. As usual I began with the cockpit.
As I had it partially assembled I decided to buy some cockpit PE, which arrived a few days ago.
I already glued the console with the throttle to the left cockpit wall, let's see how I can work with the PE there.

Here as well I am not sure if I can get the colours right as I need to mix with my Tamiya paints.
My biggest concern is the canopy, though. It's impossible for me to mask it with masking tape. I can barely see or feel the window frames under the tape to cut it at the right place. As it is more or less the same kit as my Shidenkai no Maki Zero, I feared this would come. I tried my luck with liquid mask this time, but that is messy at best, too. Should have ordered some canopy masks too...

Are there great differences with the windows of the different Zeros? Could I use, for example a Type 22 mask ond a Type 32?

Neil
👀

Simon Nagorsnik
you´ve got a godd looking cockpit there, could it be that your airbrush has caused you problems with pre shading?
if this kit comes with a figure or is it only printed acrylic?

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Made quite some progress today. The bird's been glued together and painted in its primary colours.
As I had almost none of the colours written in the instructions I had to mix or use substitutes. Pretty much everything is eyeballed.

For the landing gear bay I mixed Tamiya Chrome Silver with Clear Blue and Clear Green.
Her belly received some coats IJN Gray Green.
THe upper side was painted with a mix of White, a few drops Flat Black, some Linoleum Deck Brown, Hull Red and a few drops of Flat Red. I think I got pretty close to the colour of the aircraft, but I think as seen in the series it has some purple tones in it. Not quite sure.

At first I intended to use the chipping medium befroe applying the "red". That is why I used the gray-green on the top surface as well and drowned my pre-shading. Trying to apply the medium I only got splatters with my airbrush and I was not sure how or even if I can thin it without altering its properties as chipping medium.
Instead I will do it the old fashioned way with a fine brush, gray-green and silver/aluminium. I intend to have the Zero heavily chipped like it is seen on the box art.

Thanks Simon. 🙂
I think the seat is a bit too heavily chipped, there was too much paint on the brush. 😄
What exactly do you mean regarding the pre-shading?

There is no pilot figure in 1:48 scale shipped with this kit. The character Naomi is printed on an acrylic stand that can be display next to the Zero.

Simon Nagorsnik
i´ve seen there are a few spots which stand out quite a bit, don't know exactly how to describe it- looks like splashes with rings around 🤔
but don't be angry with me, maybe that's the only way I feel 😁😁
to your description: i know from our own experience it could be a hard thing to blend colors to match the original 😅

Sergej I
In, great progress! 👍

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Don't worry, Simon. I won't be angry at anyone for pointing out mishaps or speaking their mind.

Yes, looks like I got some drops or splatters while pre-shading. Sometimes there is a drop on the tip of the needle and when I start spraying again it spills on the model. I should check the airbrush more often to avoid that.
I even dropped a lot of paint on the aircraft while applying the primer coat. The airbrush was almost completely full with black because I primed the Mi-26 too and needed a lot of paint. Because I was moving the airbrush too fast the paint to spilled out and made a big splash on the Zero. Had to wipe some paint off with a paper towel. 😄

And welcome aboard, mates. 🙂

Robin (WhiteGlint)
First coats of Tamiya Clear and decals are done. Not so many for this aircraft, mostly the large snakes.
The ones abote the flaps, the red lines on the upper side of the wings, gave me some headache, though.
I had to cut them so that they would fit easier around these "bumps" and I gave them some wrinkles in the process of application...

Also, I have the strangest feeling that I forgot to paint the area behind the pilot with "interior colour". I will see after I removed the liquid mask from the canopy. Maybe I missed it in instructions...

Simon Nagorsnik
nice snakes!, like them 😁

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Display base is almost done. I did some heavy pre-shading on the cracks and then worked with different grey tones. First marbling and then some thin coats. The desert earth was done in a similar fashion.

Simon Nagorsnik
hi w.g.!
good results so far!
maybe i`ve got a good idea for the concrete for you: using pigments
make a wash of different light tones (white, light grey, sand etc)+ pigment fixer+ thinner
apply each color to individual plates, let them completely dry and then grind the surface to make higher parts of the base color visible- gives some really nice effects!

Robin (WhiteGlint)
That sounds interesting. What kind of thinner should I use? Enamel? Acrylics?

Simon Nagorsnik
you need a thinner that fits with the fixer
if you use a acrylic medium- acryl thinner or just water- or a enamel based product with odorless thinner/ white spirit
i prefer the enamel product and ak`s fast dry thinner

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Almost done. I am not so happy with the chipping. I think I went overboard and don't like it very much.
Same with the canopy but I expected something like that as I was not able to mask it properly.
I could not feel the window frames beneath the masking tape and the masking liquid was not the best solution either or simply not applied precise enough.

The base still does some weird stuff after I tried some washes. It's getting grey on several areas and they are "moving". I will wait, maybe tomorrow that strange stuff is over.
Final pics will follow soon.

James C
Looking good mate. Nice mottling effect on the underside 👍

Robin (WhiteGlint)
Thank you very much, James.
I had few splatters but all in all I like the underside very much.

Okay, she is done. 🙂
Not my best piece, but she looks good.
I had the same problem with canopy masking as I had with my last Zero, I am definitely not happy abouth the canopy.
Also the chipping is not as I hoped it to be. It is very easy to go overboard and next time I may need an even finer brush for the that part of the build.

But I slowly get a bit better with colour and clear coat application by airbrush. Clear coats, which always gave me a headach, are slowly getting smoother, which I could see how water drops formed on the surface while applying decals or the wash. 🙂

I will maybe do some more work on the base later. Painting the borders black and maybe some more pigments.
@Simon: I tried out what you told me about the base and I probaly did some things wrong, but I still achieved a nice, dirty and dusty look on the concrete. Thanks for the idea, I think I will use this some more in the future.

The photos are a little over exposed, I think.

Simon Nagorsnik
Congratulate!
a really nice finish, the chipping is nicly done!
i think the base looks good so far!
I hope I was able to help you a bit!
you can only give suggestions, refine and try them out yourself 😉