Doug: Got you down and nice progress there!

Well I have started the paint on the Zero and got the canopy masked.

Doug

Like I said this kit is small but should be fun.

Doug

This is the paint scheme that I will be using. The decals that came with the kit match.

Hey Gamera,

Put me down with a Lindberg 1/48 Mitsubishi A6M Zero.

Small kit with very little parts but should be fun to get the paint right.

Doug

Yeah, the whole Zero color thing is a true mess. I was convinced to use the caramel color, but the Tamiya grey-green I had intended to use is surly out now. I'm leaning away from any greens, but the light color has me perplexed. I need to study some more B&W photos and try to get a sense of tone on this things. I'll just have to make a best guess and live with it. Spruesome definitely has the advantage of years of research on the matter. 

i don't have any 1/35 ww2 tank transporters. of course, you don't need room if you don't build them.

lmao... yea, I like that article, but was just wondering if  Spruesome saw it - he'd probably flame that one down too.

regards,

Jack

This whole early Zero paint scheme thing... whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to stay completely out of this, I've been reading Brandon, Spruesome, and the other posters evidence and it's got my head spinning! 

Brandon, very good start, and thanks for that link on the colours of early Zeros.  Any idea on the date the article was published?    When and if I have a Zero on the bench, I think I would also try a home brew mix to match.

regards,

Jack

Sounds great Bsyamato- wouldn't be a Japanese GB without you!

Cliff put me in with the tachikawa Ki-55 fujimi 1/72 for the badge, also will resume the kurogane staff car ,the rufe and the Kate just for the wip but IMHO don't count for the badge :)

Hey Brandon, you're off to a great start there!

I managed to get started on my A5M3 Zero today. I found a research paper that concluded the correct colors for the Zero's after all these years, it appears the grey green color is a myth and they were all either dark green camo or a medium tan color. I found the paper here.. http://modelingmadness.com/earlya6mcolors.htm  It is a fantastic read and wonderful resource with color photos of the real deal so there are no more questions or arguments about what color they were. 

In the light of this new information I will be honoring that color with an cocktail mix of my own to get it as close as I can. Fortunately the author gave Tamiya codes and ratios so I should be good. I also found that the "metallic blue" the Japanese used is not the same color Tamiya calls for and most people use. I mixed my own today using the reference photo and I am pleased with the result.

In this shot you can see my interior color metallic blue is quite a bit darker than you may have seen before. This, again, is due to the reference panel I listed earlier. Open that link to see the colors. The cockpit was painted similar to an interior green but I went with a black base with a cockpit green over that. I will detail it out and wash it with Flory wash and that will darken the whole thing up close to the photo of the Zero's cockpit I found.

I painted the engine Alclad Aluminum and I will be adding push rods and ignition harness as well to detail it out. More to come. Happy new year!!!  

Wow Wayne, I only have Tamiya's 1/35th Dragon Wagon but don't have anywhere to put it once built!

skies and poles. ok i see that now. yes a 1/35 tank transporter would be huge but, given i have a BDW, US, RUSSIAN, and PLA  in the stash, i would get it.

Hey Wayne, that transporter is awesome, as a 1/35th modeler I didn't even know it existed- but I can see why they did it in 1/72nd where it would be a little more manageable!

And lol I think what you're seeing as a tow bar on the front of the Type 74 is a pair of skis and poles. The winter version here comes with an extra sprue with the skis, winter dress figures and a couple of other neat extras. The cool thing is it has the regular parts and decals too so if you build 'er as the summer tank you can toss the bonus items in the spare parts box!  

i have never seen that version. i plan on getting the AOSHIMA JGSDF tank transporter and TYPE 74 in OTS when it comes out.interesting tow bar on the front. does it open up? if so you could tow something else. and it has rubber band track.

BTW FOR EVERYONE are there any 1/72 JASDF planes? i have an AOSHIMA fuel bowser in the stash.

Happy New Year's Day everyone and time to rip off the cellophane if you haven't already! Start date is today with a year to go if you're currently busy! 

I finally decided on a subject. This is a older Tamiya kit, the hull is printed copyright 1979. I'll have to fill in the battery and motor mounting holes etc but I don't plan on adding much else to an 'out-of-da-box' build. 

Sounds great! Looking forward to it.

Betty arrived  last night off evil bay, along with an office set of PE.  will be first attempt with PE, so I can learn before the RF4C build later in the spring.  Will put up pics after I get PB account set up and figure it out.

Cool Brandon, sounds like a winner!

Gamera,

I've decided to go with my 1/48 Tamiya A6M3 Zero for this one. It's just been one I really want to get done, so this is the motivation to get it going.

Yes sir, you got it!

Gamera,

Put e'r down.

Thanks

Wayne: Not an issue, you've still got plenty of time to make-up your mind. After all we're going a full year here again!

Steve: Actually considering the amount of work involved there on the Yamato I'm more than willing to let the rules slide in this case. Plus I've got so much half-finished stuff lying around I'd love to see you get her done. Don't worry about the photo, if you want to do her I'll put her down.

Hmmmm, what to do, what to do.

Should I build the 1/35 Type 1 75mm SP gun? or how about the 1/72 Kate, or one the 6 1/72 Zeros in my stash. The 1/48 Rufe, or one of the 2 1/72 Ki 84 Franks or the 1/72 J2M3 Raiden?

Hey, I know, although I need prior approval. I have a Tamiya 1/350 Yamato about 1/4 complete which has been setting around for about...well 15 years.

Gamera, If I send you a pic could you give me a decision?

not sure what i'm doing for this. i have a possible 4 crossover build in the stash. whatever i do will be JGSDF maybe 1/35 maybe OTS.

Thanks Goldhammer, you got it!

Plug me in for a G4M Surrender Betty, probably in 1/48 since I am all thumbs.  

Just slapped your names down guys, lemme know when you pick a model- no hurry.