Group Build> Japan

[draken35]

Nice stripping, Scott!

[Second Air Force]

Nice stripping, Scott!

The green and grey came off really easily. The yellow will have to be sanded off and the flat black on the cowling is VERY stubborn. It is coming loose, but only after many applications of cleaner and much use of a stiff brush.

Oh, I spent some time trying to figure out the manufacturer of my A6M5 and finally decided it is an Arii kit. It's one of the few models in my collection that I just don't remember purchasing or building.

[No.1]

Dark blue grey painted inside...

[Sall]

Nice progress

[samuraj77]

Dark blue grey painted inside...

I would use interior color similar to Khaki

[No.1]

From mid war, before that dark blue or olive drab... but who knows

[samuraj77]

 
Found this on web

[Second Air Force]

Cockpit colors are really hard to pin down on some Japanese machines! Here is a great website with very large amounts of research work that has been done. http://www.j-aircraft.com/research/mainresearch.htm I've been using the material there for my later-war A6M and found that my airplane should have had an olive/khaki cockpit. I'd never really studied the "aotake" clear lacquer finish until I started planning this Group Build.

Incidentally, all the Japanese machines I built back in the seventies and eighties have the wrong color interiors regardless! I used a clear metallic blue that you can see in my "before" pictures and will be redoing that little error on these overhauls. It's great to move over to this subject matter--again I'm learning more warbird history!

[No.1]

Excellent image... but what time is this one? Well, airframe in dark blue, equipment in olive?

[Second Air Force]

Excellent image... but what time is this one? Well, airframe in dark blue, equipment in olive?

I'm guessing Samuraj's photo is the Toryu in the Smithsonian collection? The TAIC captured two, a Ki.45 KA1b and a Type II. The Type II is the survivor at the Smithsonian and their information says it was built in 1942. I would guess the airplane was actually built in the later part of the war but didn't find anything to back that up. The olive color is quite consistent with the color chips here: http://www.jpsmodell.de/katalog/jpsijaf_e.htm and here: http://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Colors/Japanese_Aircraft_Colors_WWII.htm

[samuraj77]

Re-found source of the photo
NASM/Garber
I've downloaded them some time ago, but forgot where from... this is the source
http://www.j-aircraft.com/walk/tim_hortman/timki45.htm

[Second Air Force]

Here are the major components after final stripping. I still must clean out the recessed panel lines and fix some seams and glue marks from my earlier attempt at building this kit.

Group Build> Japan

Since I'm building a NMF machine I tried a bit of scrap BareMetal foil on the vertical fin just to see how it'll work.

Group Build> Japan

Here's the embarrasing color I used to use for Japanese interiors......... Yes, I'll be redoing this area quite surely!

Group Build> Japan

[Sall]

Goes well.

[samuraj77]

We all used this color for the cockpit (I used it for the landing gear bay too) back in old days
Very nice work with BMF, this is new for me, I have never seen Zero in NMF 

[No.1]

I have never seen Zero in NMF

Just ask