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BUILD LOG - Tamiya's 1/32nd A6M5
- Thread starter Scrodes
- Start date
:drinksHey guys, the tails of both aircraft are assemnbled. and the wing for the Rufe has been modified.
I just wanted to give a BIG shoutout to Mal Mayfiend of Mirical Masks. I meant to message him way earlier in order to have the paint masks ready ahead of time. Mal rushed into my order and they arrived yesterday looking as beautiful as the last set I used from him. I'm excited to use them again. He even typed up a page full of directions just for me for a rather complex tail mask.
Thanks buddy!
And Chuck, you did a beautiful work on all of his artwork.
I just wanted to give a BIG shoutout to Mal Mayfiend of Mirical Masks. I meant to message him way earlier in order to have the paint masks ready ahead of time. Mal rushed into my order and they arrived yesterday looking as beautiful as the last set I used from him. I'm excited to use them again. He even typed up a page full of directions just for me for a rather complex tail mask.
Thanks buddy!
And Chuck, you did a beautiful work on all of his artwork.
Let's bring this thread back from the dead!
Sorry for the delay folks, I don't even really know where the time went. Filling, sanding and scribing have been my modelling life for the past few months.
Surprisingly the wing on the OOB A6M5 was a MUCH more difficult fit than the converted A6M2N. It was a clear reminder that these were the first of the Tamiya 32nd Super Kits and aren't up to the same standard as the spectacular P-51 that I recently built.
Not really too much in the way of a pictoral update, but this is a massive step forward. My hands are still shaking from finally get the center float on and aligned.
The foam blocks are actually tire dressing applicators. I can slide them in or out on either side to change the attitude of the wings by mere degrees. An additional one of the rear for the longitude. The foam jig holds the float still.
As you can see - I have taken over the living room - building on TV trays so I can spend time with my wife but get some time in. (Easy to do until I need to paint again)
Sorry for the blurry cell phone pics - I wanted to get photos up fast before I lost steam. The pill bottles hold assemblies (engines in this case) and the boxes are used to glue the foam jigs at 90 degree angles
As you can see the wingtip floats are ready to be installed, I'm just fighting with myself over whether or not to install them before painting or after.
Pinning these all together was probably the hardest thing I have ever done modelling wise.
Hmmm, I just noticed that all of the actual conversion work is on this page of this thread. To be honest the A6M5 feels like a side project, this build has always been about the Rufe.
Sorry for the delay folks, I don't even really know where the time went. Filling, sanding and scribing have been my modelling life for the past few months.
Surprisingly the wing on the OOB A6M5 was a MUCH more difficult fit than the converted A6M2N. It was a clear reminder that these were the first of the Tamiya 32nd Super Kits and aren't up to the same standard as the spectacular P-51 that I recently built.
Not really too much in the way of a pictoral update, but this is a massive step forward. My hands are still shaking from finally get the center float on and aligned.
The foam blocks are actually tire dressing applicators. I can slide them in or out on either side to change the attitude of the wings by mere degrees. An additional one of the rear for the longitude. The foam jig holds the float still.
As you can see - I have taken over the living room - building on TV trays so I can spend time with my wife but get some time in. (Easy to do until I need to paint again)
Sorry for the blurry cell phone pics - I wanted to get photos up fast before I lost steam. The pill bottles hold assemblies (engines in this case) and the boxes are used to glue the foam jigs at 90 degree angles
As you can see the wingtip floats are ready to be installed, I'm just fighting with myself over whether or not to install them before painting or after.
Pinning these all together was probably the hardest thing I have ever done modelling wise.
Hmmm, I just noticed that all of the actual conversion work is on this page of this thread. To be honest the A6M5 feels like a side project, this build has always been about the Rufe.
Well done, up on her Sea Legs. 
helios
Well-known member
Damn the luck. :laugh:
Props to you guys that tackle the 1/32 birds. When I was looking at some at the model show a few weeks back...I decided that was a scale I wanted nothing to do with...primarily because of the amount of scratch building I would feel obligated to do due to the larger scale. So many of the kits that were out of the box looked "lacking" in the details just due to the larger size. Maybe someday when I'm a bit more confident in my skills. :laugh:
Looks pretty slick so far.
ij001
Well-known member
Stuck home, huh? Welcome to my life!
Yeah me too... It's a kind of love/hate thing with me. OK back to the model. One of my big regrets is that I had to sell my Hasegawa 'Rufe' before we came out to NZ, so I'm really enjoying your build as a sort of 'substitute'.
I cannot recall, are you doing yours in the early grey or later green scheme ??
Ian.
Do yourself a favor - buy and build a 32nd scale Tamiya P-51D - If you want more detail add the Barracudacast sets - they're easy to install - might as well be OOB. You wont regret it.
Right nice, Matt! Stuck home, huh? Welcome to my life!
Are you going to leave the tip floats off for now?
Nah, the air and furnace were 15 years old and the aircon was having a hard time keeping up. So new furnace, air conditioner and hot water tank.
I actually meant to as you what you thought when we were chatting earlier. It will be easier to paint with them off, but my concern is always getting the fairing flush against the bottom of the wing after painting without using putty or some sort.
The 48th scale kit? Go grab another, they're hilariously cheap. It's too bad you had to sell it though. It's such a neat plane. I might turn into one of those "I only build 109s" guys of the PTO world and have dozens of Rufes.
I haven't yet disclosed the paint scheme - but I CAN tell you that Mal Mayfield of Miracle Masks has made the masks up for me. It will be exciting - if the float stays where it's supposed to.
Just a quick dry fit. No weathering done yet, but I am going to paint the engine exactly as per the AK Interactive Aircraft FAQ - trying some new techniques.
http://aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11372
This is the Sakae type 21 radial from the A6M5. The A6M2N uses the earlier engine, which is similar but uses a different crankcase and accessory section. There are approximately 20 parts here already.
Both airframes are primed. I'm deciding exactly how I want to do the weathering for each one. I will be using techniques from the Encyclopedia of Aircraft volume 4 Weathering as part of my review of this fantastic book.
http://aeroscale.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=11372
This is the Sakae type 21 radial from the A6M5. The A6M2N uses the earlier engine, which is similar but uses a different crankcase and accessory section. There are approximately 20 parts here already.
Both airframes are primed. I'm deciding exactly how I want to do the weathering for each one. I will be using techniques from the Encyclopedia of Aircraft volume 4 Weathering as part of my review of this fantastic book.
Hey guys. Just another quick update.
So I discovered - much to my horror - that I had made an oversight when painting the engine for the A6M2N. The entire crankcase is actually a (very odd colour) and not a neutral gray like I thought. The casing on the A6M5 is metallic from front to back except the gearbox.
This was only a problem because I had already painted all of the cylinders black - and as you know, I'll do just about anything to avoid brush painting.
And so now we have another lesson in fast-masking.
I needed to paint between all of the cylinders, but without getting any overspray on the cylinders.
Aha - again, a post-it note saves the day! I folded the note in half and I can control the spread of the far end with my finger. I sprayed both rows of the engine in minutes and don't have to repaint anything. The (rather large) xacto handle simply stops the engine from moving away or rotating. I airbrushed on a downward angle to avoid getting paint on the far cylinders.
et voila:
For the pushrods, I used a circle template - I use these often, the paint comes off them with water or windex if you use acrylic (and if you care enough to clean them back up).
After a simple medium gray drybrushing, we're ready to add ignition wiring, balance tubes and the cylinder braces. (which is what I actually went to the bench to do when I discovered my error.)
Sorry for the cellphone photos - one day I'll get a proper macro lens for my Rebel.
So I discovered - much to my horror - that I had made an oversight when painting the engine for the A6M2N. The entire crankcase is actually a (very odd colour) and not a neutral gray like I thought. The casing on the A6M5 is metallic from front to back except the gearbox.
This was only a problem because I had already painted all of the cylinders black - and as you know, I'll do just about anything to avoid brush painting.
And so now we have another lesson in fast-masking.
I needed to paint between all of the cylinders, but without getting any overspray on the cylinders.
Aha - again, a post-it note saves the day! I folded the note in half and I can control the spread of the far end with my finger. I sprayed both rows of the engine in minutes and don't have to repaint anything. The (rather large) xacto handle simply stops the engine from moving away or rotating. I airbrushed on a downward angle to avoid getting paint on the far cylinders.
et voila:
For the pushrods, I used a circle template - I use these often, the paint comes off them with water or windex if you use acrylic (and if you care enough to clean them back up).
After a simple medium gray drybrushing, we're ready to add ignition wiring, balance tubes and the cylinder braces. (which is what I actually went to the bench to do when I discovered my error.)
Sorry for the cellphone photos - one day I'll get a proper macro lens for my Rebel.
lol just wait for twin Airfix Typhoons :drool I have had to write "5" or "2" on each page of the instructions, because the steps are almost identical, but some of the parts (or colours) are different.
This odd colour is on all of the A6M2 to 3 Zeros, it's a 50/50 mix of IJN grey and light blue. The light blue I have, I bought so long ago that it's in the larger paint jar lol. I'm just glad it was still liquid. I didn't want to have to head out to the LHS just to pick up a jar I'm never going to use again.