Desk top Zero

After reading Nick Millmans essay on early Zero colours I tried mixing my own colours. I found that my mix was too light and looks even lighter under "flash".

When you have spent years going along with the blue/grey scheme its hard to get your head around the brownish green that has come to light.

Ill go darker on my next one.

 I had no markings for the model so seeing as it was a "Desk top" model I used various decals from the spares box to represent  the early  Zero 22

Hasegawa 1:48 Hien "Swallow"

First two photos are just finishing off

 The completed project.  I admit I forgot to fill in and fair over the cowling gun troughs. This aircraft was apparently fitted for ramming attacks on B-29s.

Turning Japanese coming to terms with the "new" colours

Having built quite a few WW2 Japanese subjects its quite disconcerting now all the original thoughts on paint and colour have been turned on their head with the latest research results. 

www.aviationofjapan.com

  None more so than "Zero" schemes ,especially the earlier grey/gray.

This was an attempt to show how the worn light grey over the red brown primer could be mistaken in certain light ,to appear as a lilac hue.

Original Tamiya Zero 22 in Tamiya recommended grey (1980s?)

WE now know that the cockpit was green not otake

Not too different from this one seen at the Orlando US Nationals

Hasegawas' Ki-61 Hien( Tony) in my version of the klate war brown/olive scheme

When Ive found out whether the finish was satin or matt (even gloss) Ill give the old girl a final coat.

Im thinking that the national insignia on my old Arri "George" are going to be wrong as well. They came from the old Aeromaster faded Hinamaru sheet. I was going to use them on the later  Hasegawa version

2015 Bolton bun fight. Great little show thanks to all

Another good "Bolton" only a small show but very well attended. A good selection on the "What If" display ranging from different markings to cancelled projects and with the odd touches of lunacy.

Heres a bit of What If that I sighted elsewhere in the show

Along with a V-1 launching E-boat

The WIF gallery projects old and new ,finished and abandoned. Some friends as well (in the same state)