Mike:  I lighten in with a couple drops of XF-2 Flat White

Allen:  Thanka Allen.  Reference the IP decal, I put the whole decal over the dials and then soak it in Microsol.  Just monitor it as it melts to make sure the gauges stay in the dials. Once dry. I like to put a drop of 5 minute clear epoxy on each dial to simulate glass.  I must caution that some work better than others.  

Are you washing the plastic before paint?  If your having issues with Tamiya lifting than it may be surface prep.  I Always wipe my plastic down with Isoprophyl Alcohol to make sure all mold releasing agents, finger prints, or other oils are off of it. I've never had Tamiya tape lift Tamiya paint.  There tape is generally fantastic.  

Gamera:  Thanks for the kind words.  I will be buying some of that ASAP.  

Stuart:  Thanks.  I use the airbrush for just about everything.  The panel line application does not need to be perfect. It's going to be covered anyways.  Just make sure the lines is covered with the black.  I've seen a technique where modelers paint the whole plane black then go back and filter in the base color panel by panel.  That just seems like too much work for me though,  especially since my air compressor is on its last legs. Try getting in relatively close with low pressure.  

Joe

That is looking fantastic.  Very realistic.

Beautiful paint work. I realize that the use of pre/post shading, weathering, and all that are very subjective, but you have a distinctive style that just looks "right" to my eye. Good stuff.

Lawdog114,  I bought a bottle of the brown and black.  Unfortunately I really do not like the stuff  I have also read quite a few accounts of it peeling up with age.    If you would like, send me a PM with an address that way  I can send them to you.  Free of charge. 

Thanks folks.  I do believe I'm finished.  To recap, its the Hasegawa A6M2 Model 21 in the markings of Petty Officer 1st Class Shigenori Nishikaichi off the carrier Hiryu on the morning of December 7th 1941.  The scene is depicted just before take off, as if Nishikaiachi had posed for a quick picture before jumping into the cockpit.   At least that's what I was going for....

Reference the kit itself, its nice but has wing root issues.  My advice is to glue the upper wings to the wing roots first.  I used the controversial XF-76 Grey Green to represent the "Ame-hiro" color of the early Zeros.  These planes were fairly new so I kept weathering to a minimum.  I even left a slight sheen on the plane to depict this.  The plane received engine wiring and brake lines from fuse wire and the only aftermarket addition was an Ultracast seat.  The decals are a mixture of the kit's sheet and Berna.  The pilot is one of the four choices that came with the Tamiya A6M5 I built last year.   The "chunk" of Hiryu was taken from a illustration I found online.  I painted cardboard stock to replicate this particular section.  It's a tad one dimensional but it was much cheaper than those aftermarket bases.       

Notes regarding the pilot:  Figure painting is not my strong point.  As I said, it's one of the pilot figures in the new tooled Tamiya Zero series.  These are nicely detailed and I brush painted my example with Tamiya Paints using the side of the box as reference (glad I saved it).  It was then washed with a brown Detailer wash.  This may or may not be the same uniform the pilots wore at Pearl Harbor.  I doubt they changed much.  I had read that Japanese pilots carried ceremonial Samurai swords, so I chose to include this. 

The said Illustration of the Hiryu deck. I opted to replicate the area with the green circle

The "snapshot"..

Reality....

The rest...

Thanks for following  The D3A1 Val that George Welch shot down is coming soon too. 

Joe

Joe,

You rocked another one. Sweet built, it looks great. I see your grey green better now, I changed the setting on my monitor and that is nearly the exact color I will paint mine when completed. Again, fantastic build.

BrandonK

Outstanding Joe. Another beauty. I would have been surprised if it were otherwise.

Good stuff. The base is a very nice addition, too.

Thanks guys....

Well I still have no bleeping idea if that's the 'right' colour or not but as usual she looks terrific! If this isn't the right shade then it ought to be!

And really nice work on the deck, great idea there and the figure despite your questions looks pretty darn good to me too.  

Joe, thanks for the advice. 

It could very well be prep work, or incorrect prep work prior to painting that causes my peeling problem.  I do wash everything initially, so I'll try a wipe down with ISO prior to painting, to ensure all is spotless.

Allen

Yeah.  I think the color is just fine.  Fantastic build here Joe.  Makes me itch to start my Zeros! =D  I like how you've included a specific part of the deck.  I've been mulling over a similar idea with any grounded planes I do.  I wasn't sure how'd it come out, but after seeing you do it a few times...I think I know just what to do about it now.  =]

Thanks guys....yep, I like the color too.  Nobody really knows for sure what color those Zeros were.  Perhaps several shades...

Joe

Again I'm drooling over yet another build of yours Joe.  Your artisitic abilities never fail to amaze me.

We so do appreciate your willingness to share your techniques as well.

Thanks Silver and JJ.  I made a google search?.....wow!  

Nicely done, lawdog.  I'm soon going to build the same kit, thanks for the tips.

Very cool.  I hope to see it on here.

Joe

Man, your work is absolutely stunning.  It's incredibly real life like, great job sir!

Toshi