+Finished+ Fujimi 1/72, Aichi D3-A1 Val

[Lanmi]

 

Hi everyone. I am jumping in with Fujimi's Val, probably one of the first kits in my stash. I am planing straight forward build without any upgrade or scratch building interior. I will only use Eduard Masks and tamiya tape seatbelts.

 

 

 

 

[helios16v]

Nothing wrong with applying the KISS theory.  

[PeterB]

I hope yours is better than the one I did a few years ago. As the fuselage is apparently moulded so that either the D3A1 or D3A2 boxings can both use it, it comes with an insert for the cockpit, and mine was a terrible fit. Perhaps some internal stiffeners would solve the problem, but I just used a lot of filler and sanding. Got there in the end and it looks pretty good. Here it is with my Irving.

 

Good luck.

 

Pete

[Lanmi]

@PeterB Thanks for the head-up, looking at that cockpit insert, indeed it looks poorly molded it will require a lot of dry fitting before it goes together. Also, I'm not fond of two halves cowlings and molded wheels with main gear skirts either. 

[PeterB]

5 hours ago, Lanmi said:

@PeterB Thanks for the head-up, looking at that cockpit insert, indeed it looks poorly molded it will require a lot of dry fitting before it goes together. Also, I'm not fond of two halves cowlings and molded wheels with main gear skirts either. 

I don't remember any particular problems with the undercarriage though I did have to make my own decs for the red flash/arrowhead on them. I did for a moment consider the multi colour mottled version (or was that the Kate?) but as you can see went for the simpler greenish grey. The series of articles I have from Scale Aircraft Modelling International suggest there is some dispute over the actual colours of the Vals at Pearl Harbor with eyewitness accounts describing at least some as "mustard yellow". I have seen suggestions this was the Nakajima "amber grey" or maybe something to do with the protective lacquer that was supposedly used, but nobody seems certain I gather.

 

Pete

[trickyrich]

Welcome along to the build with an early Fujimi classic.

 

They produced quite simple or basic models when this was originally released, but they were nice to build, I built a lot of their 1/48th fighters.

 

A straightforward simple build, nothing wrong with that..........I really should stick or do more of those myself!

 

With Japanese aircraft and their canopies masks are a must, why too fiddly to do them custom. Theirs not a lot you would see through the canopy, so doing anything extra in there won't be noticed.

 

So good luck with the build, hopefully it'll be a nice straightforward build for you.

[Lanmi]

20 hours ago, PeterB said:

The series of articles I have from Scale Aircraft Modelling International suggest there is some dispute over the actual colours of the Vals at Pearl Harbor with eyewitness accounts describing at least some as "mustard yellow". I have seen suggestions this was the Nakajima "amber grey" or maybe something to do with the protective lacquer that was supposedly used, but nobody seems certain I gather.

According to an article Detailing the D3A1 by Mr. Ryan Toews

In August 1941 the aluminum finish and the red tails on existing Vals were repainted with an overall olive-grey scheme. In 2002 Jim Lansdale detailed an examination of several artifacts that included five Vals brought down over Pearl Harbor. Lansdale stated that the surface color “was either identical to, or a close match to, the hue of FS 0277 or FS 6160”. Note too that this paint had a gloss/semi-gloss finish.

So, i will most probably go with Mr.Color 128 Gray Green slightly darkened with olive green. Furthermore, interior will be Nakajima cockpit color, not aotake as instruction sheet suggests. Also in the abovementioned article Toews writes that bombs should be mid blue-gray. 

 

11 hours ago, trickyrich said:

So good luck with the build, hopefully it'll be a nice straightforward build for you.

 

 Thank you a lot for your comments, I totally agree, I love Fujimi they have nice assortment of  Japanese subjects. 

[PeterB]

33 minutes ago, Lanmi said:

According to an article Detailing the D3A1 by Mr. Ryan Toews

In August 1941 the aluminum finish and the red tails on existing Vals were repainted with an overall olive-grey scheme. In 2002 Jim Lansdale detailed an examination of several artifacts that included five Vals brought down over Pearl Harbor. Lansdale stated that the surface color “was either identical to, or a close match to, the hue of FS 0277 or FS 6160”. Note too that this paint had a gloss/semi-gloss finish.

So, i will most probably go with Mr.Color 128 Gray Green slightly darkened with olive green. Furthermore, interior will be Nakajima cockpit color, not aotake as instruction sheet suggests. Also in the abovementioned article Toews writes that bombs should be mid blue-gray. 

 

 

 Thank you a lot for your comments, I totally agree, I love Fujimi they have nice assortment of  Japanese subjects. 

Hi,

 

As you will see from my conversation with Richard in his Val build thread, I have a booklet on Japanese bombs and there is a link there if you want to download it. It also says that the bomb(s) would be a bluish grey - I have used RAF Ocean Grey - and that depending on the actual type there would be a green band around the nose. For the airframe I actually used a jar of Tamiya XF-76 IJN Grey/green which is perhaps a little greener than the Gunze equivalent, and yes, they were slightly glossy it seems. As to interior colours, some kit manufacturers seem to have gone rather over the top with the blue green often called Aotake/Aodake. In fact JNAF did use it as a primer, but in areas like the cockpit it was usually overpainted, and one of my sources suggests that for example the G4M was painted in a khaki sort of colour and the D3A in a yellowish green.

 

I think Fujimi had a soft spot for IJN planes and certainly did a few nobody else bothered with until recently.

 

Pete

Edited May 28, 2022 by PeterB

[Lanmi]

2 hours ago, PeterB said:

 

As you will see from my conversation with Richard in his Val build thread, I have a booklet on Japanese bombs and there is a link there if you want to download it. It also says that the bomb(s) would be a bluish grey - I have used RAF Ocean Grey - and that depending on the actual type there would be a green band around the nose. For the airframe I actually used a jar of Tamiya XF-76 IJN Grey/green which is perhaps a little greener than the Gunze equivalent, and yes, they were slightly glossy it seems. As to interior colours, some kit manufacturers seem to have gone rather over the top with the blue green often called Aotake/Aodake. In fact JNAF did use it as a primer, but in areas like the cockpit it was usually overpainted, and one of my sources suggests that for example the G4M was painted in a khaki sort of colour and the D3A in a yellowish green.

 

Thanks a lot, Pete!

[Lanmi]

Sorry for the radio silence, it has been quite a busy period of the year, we returned to business trips again after more than two years, also went on vacation with my family. Anyway, I am very close to the finish line, so I hope I will be able to pull this to an end by tomorrow. I will omit the big bomb, since I forgot where I put the bomb rack for it, I can add it later. 

 

Here is how the progress went. not many difficulties. Main headache were the decals. 

 

 

Interior is Nakajima interior green by Gunze

 

 

Fit was okay no main issues. 

 

 

Gunze black surfacer, and then light gray marbling 

 

 

 

Gunze colors, IJN Gray green, cowling color at the front and gunze H3 red...

 

 

....which proved to be much darker than the hinomaru and tail codes. To late to change now.

 

Today i will do some wash, and final semi gloss cote. Hope I will finish with the antenas, and other small parts at the end. 

 

 

 

[trickyrich]

Great to see this one is back underway!!! 

 

I really love the paint job and finish, awesome!!  You have managed to give a flat solid colour some real life, great job.  

 

You've very close to finishing her, look forward to the finial completed post. 

[Lanmi]

Finished!

 

 

[trickyrich]

Awesome job, you made it in time!!! 

 

What a lovely build and finish, one to be very proud of I can say!!!

 

Thank you for joining the build I do hope you enjoyed it an hope to see more of your lovely builds in future GBs.

[Lanmi]

Thank you @trickyrich for your encouragement and nice words. You made a great job running this GB. Certainly I will take part in future builds. This year, I have finished 2 out of  3.