Hi, all!
Just to prove that I've actually done something, here are photos, up to the current state, for my Zero.
If you remember, my last update showed the pilot installed in his office, and I was ready to close up the fuselage. That I did, and I attached the wings. Then I applied an aluminum undercoat, in preparation for using the salt weathering technique:
Next, shots of the salt applied:
We've already had a vigorous discussion on the merits of the salt technique, and on technical details. I can take or leave using salt to do the chipping, but if I use it again, I will mix the salt and water first, then apply it in small drops/blobs on the surface. If you apply the water by itself, the surface tension of such small amounts causes it to form droplets that are too large, at least in 1/48, and probably in 1/72. But if you mix a sludge of salt, you can control the application better.
Once I applied the salt, I masked the canopy, which is a task I don't relish too much. But actually, it's getting easier. Or rather, with this old kit, and the way the canopy is molded, it was relatively easy. Here it is:
Then I attached the canopy. I shot the model with some IJN dark green first, because I needed to get it on the turtledeck under the canopy:
I did have some seams to fill; the canopy doesn't fit too well on this kit (where's Gaston? He can write a tome about it):
You can also see where I removed some of the salt along the wing root. It looked OK, but it was later covered over in the next phase, which was to apply IJN dark green and gray:
Here's an shot of the starboard wing, with more of the chipping:
Some of the salt came up pretty easily; in other spots, it adhered so well that it's hard to remove it. I have some ideas of what I will do, once the final colors are on and touch-up is finished (yes, you can see, there are some areas where I have to fix some overspray, etc).
Here's a shot of the underside:
The kit has no cockpit floor, and I chose not to add one--trying to keep AMS at a minimum with this build. So, you can see, I stuffed wet tissue paper into the wheel wells, to kit from spraying the cockpit.
You can also see the mistake I made. Next step is to apply the yellow recognition markings to the wings. Duh. I should have applied the yellow first, then masked over and applied the other colors. Now, I have to go back and mask far more area, to apply the yellow. I could bag the markings, but I think I want to add them.
If this is a Mafia, I feel like Danny DeVito and Joe Piscopo in "Wise Guys"....