A6M2 1/72 Airfix

[RainierHooker]

I'd been meaning to try out the salt and hairspray chipping techniques for a while and needed a suitable guinea-pig. I found Airfix's A6M2b kit on sale at amazon for $9 USD with free shipping. That fit the bill perfectly.

 

The model was built over two weekend nights from the box but with Eduard seatbelts (which you can hardly see) and a decal set from H-Models representing aircraft of the 204. Kokutai based at Rabaul in 1943. I figured an early war Zero in mid-war New Guinea would allow me to go a little crazy with the chipping. Aircraft "101" from the decal set, with its striking cross-hatched green overspray spoke to me. I couldn't find an actual picture of this particular aircraft, but was able to find another profile of it via the web. The profile from the internet differed from H-Model's interpretation by having much heavier and thicker green lines making up the camouflage, so I went kind of between the two in the end.

 

The first time I started painting, things went horribly, horribly wrong and things turned into a soggy, salty, ugly mess about midway through the process. I tried to use some micro mask for some more directed chipping, only afterwards did I read on the bottle that it is only to be used on top of petroleum based paints. It didn't like acrylics, hairspray, and salt. So, lesson learned, I spent an afternoon sanding everything back to bare plastic and starting over.

For the second-try finish, I sprayed the entire exterior with Vallejo Air aluminum which was then sprayed with hairspray and sprinkled sparingly with salt, both fine and course. This was then sprayed with IJN Medium Grey and after drying I removed the salt and sanded with a 3200 grit pad. The medium gray was then sprinkled with hairspray and a heavier application of salt, attempting to go over the areas already lightly chipped to the aluminum. This layer was then sprayed upon with a cross-hatch of IJN black-green. This too had the salt then chipped away and the finish sanded with 3600 and 4000 grit pads. Everything else was per normal: gloss coat, decals, dull coat, a few different washes, and exhaust/muzzle staining.

 

Enough rambling, here's my Zeke and an original IJN Presentation Red-Lacquered Bowl...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by RainierHooker
grammar

[billn53]

That does look nice. I find the salt chipping technique to be hit or miss. You’ve scored a hit!

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Very nice, restrained finish!  I've seen other modelers go "over the top," and this weathering looks convincing.  My only suggestion, next time, is that you underlay the national markings with white decal circles first, because the underlying camo is showing through.  Pity that Airfix or H, with all their experience, wouldn't help you with better insignia. 

 

BTW, I am reminded of the first time I ever built the old Airfix Zero kit, back when I was 9, and my dad helped me airbrush it using Pactra paints.

[kapam]

I think your bravery with trying a new technique has been well rewarded!

Looks great!

[John Masters]

Nice!  Well done with the weathering.  Perhaps some should have happened on the cowling too?  Your choice, I think.  

[GREG DESTEC]

Great scheme on this Zero, with nice weathering👍👍 

 

Well done.

[RainierHooker]

14 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Very nice, restrained finish!  I've seen other modelers go "over the top," and this weathering looks convincing.  My only suggestion, next time, is that you underlay the national markings with white decal circles first, because the underlying camo is showing through.  Pity that Airfix or H, with all their experience, wouldn't help you with better insignia. 

 

BTW, I am reminded of the first time I ever built the old Airfix Zero kit, back when I was 9, and my dad helped me airbrush it using Pactra paints.

 

Thanks. The blotchiness on the national markings isn't bleed through its a bit of ham-fistedness with acrylic washes. I can hardly see it by eye, but of course it shows in photos.

 

10 hours ago, John Masters said:

Nice!  Well done with the weathering.  Perhaps some should have happened on the cowling too?  Your choice, I think.  

 

Funny you should mention the cowl. I had and have been going back and forth on that. For whatever reason, in wartime photos the black cowls always seem to be much better off than the rest of the aircraft far as chipping goes. Seems like a shinny black cowl crowned even the most weathered Zero. For that matter, the factory applied grey-green paints seem to have held up reasonably well too. With the field-applied camouflage however, the paint condition is really hit or miss. Thats why I tried to really restrain the chipping on the grey layer, leave the cowl alone, and go wild with the green.

All that rationalism aside, while my brain says an unweathered cowl is correct, my eyes agree that it looks off. I may go back and add some very light chipping on the leading edge and around the latches as a compromise between eye and brain.