Pearl Harbor 2015...Thank You All

I dug up my 1/72 SBD kit and found its a 5.  But I do have a Tamiya 1/48 Zero in the stash so I might build that instead.

Scott got you covered.

Joe

Well I have begun the process.

So far not a lot of time but I did get through steps 1 and 2a as well as part of 2b.  These are constructing the cockpit and all the little details provided.  i added the detail to the port and starboard as well as most to the floor.  There are some things that I will not add until after I get some paint on this.  

Does not seem like much but on the last few this would have taken about four to six weeks.

All comments, critiques, and criticism are encouraged.

Joe

Looking good Joe,

  I am just waiting on some PE to arrive so I can start my build.

Did some work today.  Sprayed some interior parts Nakajima interior green, with a middle coat preshade of RLM 66 followed by a light coat of the base color to give some tonal variation.  I dismantled the wings using a JLC saw and I like the result.  I have just a bit more clean up to do, couldn't see it until I took a close-up.  Hasegawa was nice enough to have a thin guide groove inside the wing and very little material was lost with the very thin JLC saw blade.

Looks like a great start from here.  

Joe

I'm moving right along on this one, typical modern Hasegawa.  As in no worries, mate.

I have the interior together and the fuselage buttoned up.  I was not looking forward to masking the cockpit openings and cleaning up the seams around them to do the upper deck painting under the canopy with the finished interior installed because I always get specks and junk in there no matter what I do.  I looked at how the fuselage comes together up front, and I realized that I could probably do all the fuselage assembly before putting in the interior "module".  There is indeed enough flex in the forward fuselage to do that, and it really simplified assembly.  Gotta love that kind of kit "engineering".  The module just snaps in and no glue is required.

That looks outstanding.  Very very nice.

Joe

Just a brief update from me.

After a few comments from folks who know a whole lot more about these than I do and just a bit of research from me, the interior got a different color.  Interior Green.  I have seen a site that shows a SBD-1 with original paint.  It shows Interior Green.  So there I go.


Repainted.



Added a couple of the interior parts but for the most part just the color change.  


All comments, critiques, and criticism are encouraged.


Joe

It is looking good, Joe.

Many thanks.

Well I am choosing to move forward on this one.

Detail painting as well as some chipping.  I know it might be overdone a bit but I did try to keep it light.

Next will be to close up the fuselage.

All comments, critiques, and criticism are encouraged.

Joe

Here is another progress report on the Hasegawa B5N.  I spent about 6 hours today on the canopy framing.  What a nice kit!

Very very nice.  Neat paint work.

A quick update showing the fuselage together, the wings on, and the tail feathers attached.

I am really impressed with the fit and the clean attachment of the wings and tail feathers.  



Not much for seams at all.  Now to sand them out and get the little bits on.



All comments, critiques, and criticism are encouraged.



Joe

Progress has been slow on this build due to researching the Pennsylvania and other group builds I am involved in. Since this kit is pretty much an enlarged Revell kit, there is going to be alot of work involved to convert her to the pennsylvania. But here is where I am at so far.

I got my gold medal models photo etch set to help me convert her since it includes Pennstlvania specific items.

I removed the gun shields on the top and opened up the casemates and re-worked the portholes to match the scale of the rest of them on the hull.

I am removing the Aztec type stairs and smoothing out the area so I can replcae them with PE.

I'll never be educated enough boatwise to understand much of what you said, but I'll enjoy the tour anyway.  Press on!

You and me both jeaton. I learned boat terms from fellow modelers.  I am more of an aircraft guy but I do dable in boats every now and then 

The B5N has a few warts I need to go back and fix, but it's good enough to call done.  Got a little silvering on the left fuselage hinomaru, and the windscreen needs to be faired in to the fuselage a little better.  There was a little paint that crawled between two of the aft nested canopies that is visible in one of the photos but that has already been remedied.  I can also see that I need to put some paint on the ends of the flaps that show.  Darn details the pictures show!

B1 the devil they say is in the details but I think for us it is in the research.  

John that looks awesome.  Really a nice job on it.

Joe

Really nice work John. 

I've been working on a Hasegawa A6M2b for a few days.  These things just fly together, so here is a progress report.  It will be in the box art markings.  One note, I have found a paint that looks nice to me on tires, I've been mixing batches for that color for some time but Vallejo makes a black grey that is just right to my eye and works real nice as long as you thin it severely.  I completely goofed up a small decal with three instruments on it on the left cockpit sidewall, they went every way wrong a decal can go and finally died from over handling.  Luckily the instrument panel went together fine.  Eduard seat belts, pre-painted style.  I cut loose the elevators and posed them in the down position to give it a little life.

Like I said, these things just fall together..It's done.  The last couple photos are with the A6M1 prototype Zero, also a Hasegawa kit.  I normally use Tamiya and Model Master enamel paints, but I stocked up on some new stuff for my Japanese subjects.  The exterior color is White Ensign Mitsubishi Zero Grey-Green.  The interior colors are Gunze Mr. Color enamels, Mitsubishi Cockpit Color, Cowling Color, and Metallic Blue Green for the wheel wells.  The prop is Floquil Old Silver with SNJ aluminum powder rubbed in.  I clear coated before decals with Alclad Clear Gloss and after decals I put on a matt coat of Future/Tamiya Flat Base mix.

John another beauty.  Crisp and clean work.  

Joe

As for me folks I have hit a period of very very low energy.  Not only hobby related but in general.  Not sure the cause but it is taking a toll across the board on me.  Hopefully with cooler nights and clearer (less smoke) days I can get back to making progress.  For now it is just not much at all.

Joe

I feel your pain, Joe.  I go there sometimes too.  Luckily at the moment I am in the other direction and the Val is almost ready for decals.  Where is the smoke coming from?

I am well along on this one.  Once again nobody seems to agree on what color these airplanes were, I did some research and finally concluded that I might as well just go with the mixture in the instructions, most of which is Khaki.  The proper Japanese name is hai-ryoku-shoku.  Apparently it was glossy at first but weathered rapidly to more of a lighter grey.  And that's all I have to say on that.  Another great Hasegawa kit.  Another 4 hours masking and painting canopy segments.

Here's a picture of the finished interior.  A few parts are not installed as they can be installed later after final assembly and most painting.

Wow John, I don't know if that's a 1/23 or 1/48, but the IP look fantastic sir.

Thanks, Modelcrazy.  1/48.  It is a decal that rests on a raised detail part, the decal responds to Microsol very well so as long as you get it aligned well it works pretty good.

OK, it's done.  This completes my Pearl Harbor attacker binge for now.  I hope to also do a Nichimo Jake but I will wait until an aftermarket interior is available.  A few bits to note.  When you install the part that supports the compass, which rests behind the pilot cockpit aft bulkhead and must be installed after the fuselage sides are joined, be sure it rests level with the top of the canopy sill or when you fit the canopies they will not set as low as they should.  If you do the closed canopy this is not critical.  The method for holding the wheels in the spats is not very positive, the pins are too small.  The propeller shaft is a bit too long, and a shade too large in diameter for the little plastic keeper, better to get a good fit on that before assembling the engine.  Other than that and a little frustration installing the gunner's trapeze and seat, it's pretty much a walk in the park.