Awesome start as always.  I'm looking forward to more progress.

Toshi

Looking good Chris, off to a nicestart.

Its nice seeing all these japanese subects we have had lately.

Thank you gentlemen,

So far, it has been a very fun build.  I made an error with glue at a wing root, but it came out with some sanding.  Other than that, it's been a joy to build.  

Sounds as fantastic to work on as the Ki-61, Chris.

Fantastic work so far. That pit is beautiful!

Thank you Mr. Brindos, 

Tamiya's and Hasegawa's Ki-61 kits look nice.  I may have to do one someday.  I am happy with the pit.  It turned out well, and it's OOTB except for the belts.  

Thank you Silentbob, 

Tell Jay to stay away from my mother.  

Yeah, I decided to go straight to one of the $50 kits instead of one of the $15 kits.  It'll keep me busy long enough to justify the cost.     

Looking really good so far.  The pit is especially nice.  Excellent detail without adding AM parts.

Watching with interest,

D

Very nice work on the pit, I keep eyeing up Zero's on ebay but have had enough trouble getting time to work on my B17 lol

Your cockpit work looks nice!  I'll get around to building that kit some day.  Are you going to fold the wings?  I'm tempted to swap the wing onto an A6M2 instead, but don't know how well it would fit the Hasegawa fuselage.  If you're going to chip a lot, I'd just chip the field painted green.  The factory gray paint was pretty durable. If you're doing the box art plane, that is.

For markings, I'm going with a kit option.  However, it's not the option on the box-cover.  It'll be an aircraft from the 582nd Naval Air Group on Buin, Bougainville in June 1943.  

I will be chipping a little all over the bird.  Buin was a primative base with coral runways, and it endured daily air attacks.  I'm sure the environment was rough on the aircraft.  I don't want to overdo it, so I'll give it a first month treatment. 

The Zero got some more paint today, but there will be much more paint to travel through my airbrush.  Today was mostly about black.  I applied the Semi-gloss to the area around the cockpit, the cowl and the landing gear struts.  The canopy frames and the aft sides of the propellers got flat black.  The landing gear doors got some of a metalic blue mixture.  

IMG_2182 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr  

IMG_2185 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2188 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2190 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2191 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2183 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Very nice so far Chris. I've been swooning over this box art for the longest. I normally don't go with the box or offerings in it except in a few cases. But after that famous photograph I knew I had to paint it. It's good to see the cockpit is a little more ample than the A6M2 version Tamiya has. It builds well, but it sure is sparse on the inside. Can't wait to see more. =]

Are you going to chip the paint at all??

bvallot

 

Are you going to chip the paint at all??

 

Oh yeah!  But, I don't want to overdo it.  Maybe I'd be a little harsher to a 1945 A6M5 than a 1943 A6M3.  

You're doing a great job on her. 

Fantastic kit, one of the best I've ever built. Mine fell together- and then I used aftermarket decals that badly silvered and I couldn't figure out a good way to save them so it ended up back in the box.

^^ That does stink, but you should fix it!  I'm sure it'd be easier to fix than build a whole new zero.  

Thank you LawDog.  I took some knowledge and inspiration from your radial engine wiring tuturial.  

Today saw little progress.  I experimented with chipping on the cowl.  I started at the bottom of the cowl.  I was pleased with it, so I went ahead and did the whole cowl.  I don't think I overdid it.  What do you folks think?  Did I over do it?  

IMG_2196 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2195 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2194 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

That is definitely not overdone. That's perfect. I've seen them with almost half the black missing and I don't care for it.

that is just enough for your goals. :)

This is looking good!   I've got the A6m5 offering in the on deck circle...just need to finish my lancaster.

I have started painting the pilot figure, and did construct a carrier deck base for it to sit on when it's finished....

I'll be following along on this build!

Thank you Gentilemen, 

Justin, we look forward to seeing your A6M5.  It was a tough decision between the M3 and M5.  I chose the M3 because I find the Solomon Islands campaign interesting.  The M5 looks pretty cool with its multiple exhausts.

That office came out sweet,nicely detailed. The chipping on the cowl is not over done it looks spot on! This is building out nicely great job

ridleusmc

^^ That does stink, but you should fix it!  I'm sure it'd be easier to fix than build a whole new zero.  

Thank you LawDog.  I took some knowledge and inspiration from your radial engine wiring tuturial.  

Today saw little progress.  I experimented with chipping on the cowl.  I started at the bottom of the cowl.  I was pleased with it, so I went ahead and did the whole cowl.  I don't think I overdid it.  What do you folks think?  Did I over do it?  

IMG_2196 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2195 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2194 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr 

Well Done, fellow Devil Dog!! That is awesome weathering! Not over-done at all. I've got that very kit in the stash, and didn't realize how good it is until I saw this thread. Not sure when I'll get to it, though, as I have too many in the queue already. Might hafta make your build my "vicarious" build! Semper Fi, Marine!

Gary Mason

Thank you Gentlemen and Semper Fi, 

It is a great kit.  It looks like much of the sprues are common with the A6M5.  So, it's likely wonderful as well.   

I didn't get much done today.  I layed some Future on the model, and I constructed a pilot figure.  It's been a busy Saturday.  

Painting is going to be a long process on this one.   

IMG_2199 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

That's a dang nice looking pilot figure, Chris. He looks like he'll look great with paint on him!

Progress is progress no matter how small. At least you're more productive than I've been lately lol!

The kit came with 4 or 5 options for pilot figures.  One was seated in the pit, but I didn't want to cover the cockpit work.  It'll make a great airstrip display.  I just have to start working the base.  I'm not sure I'll go that route, but it's getting strong consideration.

OK, this may look weird.  I'm using a technique that I read about in Osprey Modelling's Modelling the Mitsubishi A6M Zero by Brian Criner (pp 10-13).  I added a slight variation.  He doesn't use chipping medium, but I've decided to add it between color layers.  So far, the model has been painted with Tamiya's TS-17 Gloss Aluminum spray, then Pledge Floor Care Finish (Future), then Vallejo Chipping Medium, then a thin mix of Tamiya XF-7 Red and XF-9 Hull Red.  The Red/Hull Red mix is intended to replicate the primer common to zeros.  I expect to have some primer showing through the paint chips.  Here's a red zero:

IMG_2203 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2207 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2206 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2205 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2204 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

And, I started the Hinomarus tonight.  I'll do the red tomorrow.  

IMG_2208 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2210 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

IMG_2211 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Looking spectacular, Chris! :D

How about that. I can't say I've researched the Zero nearly as much as American planes in the PTO but I've never come across hearing about what color primer they used. Thanks for the tip. Thinking back...just about every weathered Zero I've seen never seemed to show anything but metal underneath. Now you've got me itching to find one that does. =]

Your cowling is without a doubt appropriately weathered Chris. These planes did not fair well in the harsh environment of the Pacific. So if you're looking for something light, I'd say you nailed it.