My new a/c build.............

[AJay]

View attachment 50934

I will post some WIP photos soon. There are not very many parts in this kit, so it shouldn't take me more than say......4 months! lol

Just working on the cockpit right now, and very well detailed it is too, especially since it's only 1/72! Impressed so far.

I'm already aware there will be fit issues where the wings fit the fuselage underneath, and also where the wind-shield joins the airframe, so I'm ready for action with the filler and sand paper

More soon.............

View attachment 53549

 

[mossiepilot]

A pretty looking plane Ajay, and thought I recognised it. Did a search on it and it's the same plane, less the floats, that was in those Japanese aircraft carrier submarines in a previous thread.

Looking forward to seeing it come together.

Tony.

 

[Polux]

Really nice choice Alex!!

Looking forward how is going it.

You will do the red or green one?

Cheers. Polux

 

[AJay]

Thanks, Tony. I have the Seiran with floats in my stash too, so that will look good next to this one I have a few old photos of the one I'm building now, and at least one looks like it survived until the end of the war. I expect it was scrapped soon afterwards... As you probably already know, a float version did survive and is in an American museum. I've often wondered if the Japanese would want it back..........

Polux, it's a good kit for the price and was reduced to the same price as Academy kits, so I had to buy it! I plan to build the trainer orange type, and if it looks too orange, I'll put green on the upper surfaces and chip it very subtly so some orange shows through. Once the orange coat goes on, I'll know if I like it, and hopefully you guys will give me some feedback when the time comes, too

 

[colin m]

Orange is a bit different, I'll vote for that scheme.

 

[AJay]

Thanks, Colin.

The orange will certainly be a challenge as there's the risk it might look too bright and toy-like. As it was not a front-line combat aircraft, I assume it would be kept in good, clean condition (a little boring for me).

I guess I can give it some nice dark exhaust stains that will show up good on the orange paint, and maybe matt the paint to make it look as though the sun has faded it (the French sun has faded the paint on my car this summer, so it would certainly fade the paint of 60+ years ago in the Pacific). Maybe a few tiny chips where the crew climb in and out, and that's about it.

 

[flyjoe180]

Orange will be a very unique topic, look forward to seeing it done Alex.

 

[AJay]

It's been a while so thought I'd post a little progress..........

View attachment 54642

Here's a view of the cockpit before it was sealed up in the fuselage.

As far as my research is concerned, the darker green is authentic for this particular aircraft. I decided to use the decal seatbelts that came with the kit, because once the canopy is on you'll see nothing inside in this scale anyway. Sadly, there is not an open canopy option.

Oh, I also did some miniature 'dry sponge with tweezers' weathering. too!

View attachment 54646

In the photo above I've explained the re-scribing needed. The fit of the two fuselage halves was not good - the panel line on my kit didn't line up. Maybe my fault....but who knows. The fit of the windscreen was very bad with a large gap between the canopy frame and fuselage. I was expecting this as I know others had the same problem. I used white glue to plug the gap and once it's fettled and painted, it will look fine..............I hope

View attachment 54645

The aluminium paint shows up imperfections and luckily for me, there are none to speak of I may or may not have some silver chipping showing through my orange paint, but at least I have the choice now this silver coat is down.

View attachment 56845

View attachment 56846

View attachment 56847

View attachment 56848

View attachment 56849

 

[aaron]

Alex i really like the office the detail look great and wow 1:72. Seatbelts look Amazing as do your photos

 

[mobear]

you are certifiable my friend all that detail in the office and its tiny,well played

mobear

 

[AJay]

Thanks Aaron and Mobear! And just to think, I was worried the detail wasn't good enough in the office!

And you're right about certifiable, especially since I won't even see the interior when the canopy frame is painted (looking forward to painting that...............NOT!)

 

[treyzx10r]

Wow Alex that office would be impressive in 1/48 ,much less 72! Enjoy masking that canopy cheers Trey

 

[AJay]

Thanks, Trey! I'm glad you like it

 

[AJay]

Okay, after much research about the correct colour for IJN training orange, I mixed my colour and began.

It was a disaster!

First of all my airbrush kept blocking. I spent hours disassembling, cleaning and so on, and still the spray came out so small I had to hold it a couple of mm from the model. After about two hours it suddenly came out like a fountain I couldn't control. The paint dried with reaction too. I had the window open so maybe the cold air didn't help..........

So, I had a bad paint job, but how was my minimal weathering? I had decided to try salt weathering this time but found it can't be controlled precisely enough (not by me anyway). I thought I'd done minimal weathering but when the salt came off, despite looking very realistic, it also looked like it had been in the 100 years war!

With a heavy heart and lots of curse words, yesterday was spent cleaning off the orange, the pre-shading, the silver coat and the primer.

What have I learned? I didn't like the colour I'd mixed, my airbrush is a bast*rd, but I did really like my pre-shading

Here's a couple of photos of one model that got away from me!

View attachment 55551View attachment 55552

View attachment 57702

View attachment 57703

 

[mobear]

Aj they didnt load up

mobear

 

[AJay]

Can you see them now, Mobear?

 

[mobear]

yehaaaa yes

mobear

 

[mobear]

yup that paint went madly wrong

mobear

 

[colin m]

Oh dear, but at least the chipping worked really well...

 

[AJay]

When I look at the photos on here it doesn't look too bad. The colour is pretty accurate to my eyes, it's just a shame the paint reacted and the salting was overdone (on the fuselage - the wing roots look nice to me). Oh well, I'll try again