Johnv

I have the wing "stubs or roots" assembled and installed on the fuselage. I got them to fit snugly with Tamiya thin cement and a little "holding pressure" from my fingers.---John

You are right, I meant ameiro NOT aotake, had a "senior moment". I used Tamiya TS-68 wooden deck tan for the tannish ameiro bottom color and Tamiya AS-21 dark green 2 IJN for the upper color. Aotake was called "the blue bamboo color" as I remember when I built my first Tamiya 1/48 A6M2 in the early 90s.---John

Wheels and gear doors on, engine installed and I just put the yellow leading edge wing decals on. I had some old 1/48 Tamiya A6M2 decals and they had leading edge yellow stripes so I decided to try them, too lazy to paint. They look pretty good, they were old so I had to do some patching but it looks acceptable to my eye.---John

The cockpit is installed and the fuselage closed up. I also have the engine painted up.---John

I just noticed the kit has 2 sprues for the cockpit, one for the 1A and one for the -1 or -2 birdcage and it also has the radome for the wing tip for the -2. Got me interested in doing a birdcage, last one I did was Tamiyas' 1/72 as Boyington's F4U-1 side number 83. Was that a beautiful kit like it's big brother!---John

Thanks, cockpit done.---John

I just received this yesterday and already have some cockpit detail painting done. I am going to do it as Gregg Boyington's 1A either side number 883 or the last plane he flew 915. I am hoping to get Fundekals but if not 915 will be easy as all I really need is some white numbers of the correct size and font. Easy to find and those planes did not have a lot of anything but the basic stars and bars and a few numbers. I don't think 915 had nose art or kill markings as the planes were usually shared by multiple pilots and squadrons.---John

Masks off.---John

Thanks, I just painted the topside dark green. Before I painted it I transferred some marks on the wings where the "wheels down" indicators rods will go. I took the dimensions and location off my old trusty Tamiya 1/48 A6M2 PH Zero. I often wondered why Hasegawa never gave these on their Zeros. When it's all dried up I will take off the masks and scratch build the fore mentioned indicator rods.---John

What gray color? The bottom is white and the top as of yet is gray plastic color. What are you calling gray, the white on the bottom or the gray unpainted plastic? Same paint scheme as this plane.---John

Here is the masking and painting for the bottom color and now the masking for the top color.---John

I started this back in March and set it aside. I am going to now finish it while I wait on my F-4B Phantom project now stalled out. This plane will be a 2 tone scheme, gray over green. The "gray" is actually more of an aotake color, a tannish color. I am using the kit decals and will leave the canopy open. I have the bottom painted and am now finishing up masking to do the upper dark green color. Here is how the kit evolved to now.---John

I attempted to mate the rear and front fuselages. My luck ran out and my patience is short! This is the 4th Hasegawa F-4 Phantom in 1/72 I have attempted. The first 3 got to this stage and ended up in the bin. I am trying my best to not loose interest in this because of the horrid fit. I keep going back and forth from side to side. One side lines up then the top goes out then the other side goes out. I keep trying to line up panel lines but then the contours don't match. I will be putting this aside for a few weeks and continue on with my most excellent Fujimi F-4J build and I have a good old 1/48 Tamiya F4U-1A Corsair for stress relief. Later for this.---John

The white is done, masks off. NMF for tail area next. I used Tamiya mini swabs to clean up some leakage under the masks.---John

More work, The cockpit is installed as is the rear fuselage. I need a bit of putty and sanding before things progress.---John