John(Jeaton): The Raiden looks fantastic!!! Just posted her on the top page. Beautiful work!!! 

Gary(GAF): If you ever need to someone to talk to send me a message. Not that I can help but you know sometimes it helps just to talk to someone. 

Edit: Sorry Gary, didn't mean to call you John- that's what I get from trying to post fifty things at work on the boss's computer before he gets back from lunch... 

Thanks, guys!  I know Gamera lost his father not long ago.  It's just a part of life that we deal with.  My only regret is that because of the lockdown we didn't get to see her before she passed.

John> That is an outstanding build!  Both models look great.

Gary

Gary, the main connection is they were both used against the B-29, but there was no design connection.

The Raiden is completed, here are some photos, the last with an A6M2 Zero built as a Pearl Harbor attacker.  A pleasant build, though I wish there was an open canopy option, neither the Tamiya or the Hasegawa kits offer that.  This is a J2M6, which has the enlarged canopy of the J2M5 but the same engine as the J2M3, owing to a shortage of the higher horsepower engines of the J2M5.  Gunze enamels for most of the colors.

Yeah, so sorry to hear about your sister and your health issues Gary. You're in my prayers now. And we're here for you if you want to vent.

My condolences Gary. I'm so sorry about your sister.  

Just checking in.  I've been dealing with a lot of things.  Quarantine, my sister's death, and what is (I hope) an ulcer.  Haven't touched anything for awhile.

ZIggy>  Good luck with the airbrush!  I'm sure there's a learning curve, especially on getting the mixture right.

Piers> That's a neat little tractor!  Would fit nicely into a diorama.

John> Is that aircraft related to the Shiden?

Gamera> It looks "war-weary".  As for the bottom, some dings and mud should take care of that. 

Take care, everyone!

Gary

Thanks PJ! The chipping from junk kicked up makes perfect sense! 

And I never thought about sanding down the areas where the decals go, I'll give that a try! 

I like it! The chipping looks very good but will you paint the meat balls or use decals? The chipping line may show up under the decals or paint so I would lightly sand the cipped areas to feather the edges and even shoot some touchups where the markings and hinomarus will go. From what I have seen Japanese planes had very little chipping on the hinomarus and read somewhere that due to pride they touched up most of the chipiing in those areas.

As far as the underside chipping, I would do some along the LE and just behind the main gear area as rocks would be kicked up and nick the paint. Also chipping along the bottom fuselage from rocks and junk kicked up.

Well, here's where the Zero is. I'm not totally happy with the chipping- I ended accidently  concentrating most of the scrubbing toward the center of the wings and tail so I ended up taking most of the paint off there. Not sure I should try putting some back or not... 

And I haven't found many photos of the undersides of Japanese aircraft of that era so I'm not totally sure how to chip it. I mean it is out of the sun, but it's going to whacked by all kinds of rocks and dust kicked up by the landing gear. 

Piers: I don't know what you did but I can see your photo fine now! Nice work! Cool looking tractor and she's coming right along. 

John: That cockpit looks friggin' perfect- great job! And I have to like the c-clamp on there- if all else fails break out the giant hammer!!! 

Here's my first post on the Raiden.  It's the last version, the J2M6 which had some canopy changes to improve pilot vision.  The only addition to the kit is Eduard seat belts.  The instrument panel decal yielded well to Mr Mark Softer, and due to unusual luck the decal detail lined up very well with the raised detal on the molding.  Construction is going very rapidly due to really good fits.  Sometimes I wonder why I build anything but Tamiya and Hasegawa kits.

The insert in front of the cockpit was a tad narrow, this was my fix.

Sigep Ziggy

PJ> Fantasic Job on the Oscar, I love the finish/paint.

Still working out the interior of my Zero and trying to get up the nerve to try out my airbrush, never used one before!?!

 

Thanks Zig. Best advice I can give you is to watch several tutorials on youtube and practice on a piece of cardboard or plastic to get the hang of it first. Which AB do you have? 

lostagain

Excellent work on the Oscar there PJ, very impressive.

The tractor is building pretty quickly:

 

Thanks lost. Hey that's a really nice model and a prime candidate for some dirty and grimey  weathering.

PJ> Fantasic Job on the Oscar, I love the finish/paint.

Still working out the interior of my Zero and trying to get up the nerve to try out my airbrush, never used one before!?!

Piers: I'm back to not being to see your photos again.

Excellent work on the Oscar there PJ, very impressive.

The tractor is building pretty quickly:

jeaton01

Ckiff, can you add another for me?  It's the Hasegawa 1/48 J2M6 Raiden.

 

Sure John, just put you down. 

waikong

SUPERB finish, PJ!

 

Ckiff, can you add another for me?  It's the Hasegawa 1/48 J2M6 Raiden.

jeaton01

Outstanding, PJ.

 

Thanks John

Outstanding, PJ.

Gamera

PJ: Just put you up and thanks for joining us!!! 

 

Thanks for hosting and having me here.

PJ: Just put you up and thanks for joining us!!! 

Thaks guys!

PJ> Wonderful work!  She does look good.

Gary

OH WOW!!! That looks superb PJ!!! Talk about making a silk purse out of a sow's ear! 

I'll get you posted ASAP!!! 

The Oscar is finally done. Here are what went into the build:

Eduard pe set used for the pit.

Brake lines made from wire. 

Copper wire used to wire the radial engine.

Cockpit detail enhanced with scratched built parts made from stretched sprue.

Landing light lens made from stretched sprue, and chrome chip bag punched out disc for the reflector.

Brass tubes used for 12.7 nose guns.

All markings were masked and sprayed, no decals used.

EZ line used for radio wire and stretched hollow QTip handle used for wire insulators.

Paints used were Floquil and MM enamels. Flory dark grime washes used and oil paints for streaks and exhaust staining.

PJ: Ouch! Good to hear that alls well that ends well.

Piers and Dan: Just put you guys down!