I think I'm turning Japanese...

[matrixone]

Thanks guys!

Now that the decals had fully dried some weathering of the markings with the airbrush has taken place.

Its very hard to see here but the white tail marking where the white is on the fabric covered rudder was muted by a very light coat of the base color...paints weathered differently on fabric surfaces than metal surfaces.

The ''meatballs'' were also given some fading with the airbrush, what I did is hard to see on the glossy surface and should be easier to see once the flat clear coat is on.

I wanted the wing roots to look a little more worn than what I have already done so a much lightened version of the base color was sprayed on and now they are easier to see and ready for some paint chipping.

Also the spine of the fuselage was lightened a bit more.


Matrixone

 

[lupanzer]

Just impressive...

Luiz

 

[moon puppy]

You're in your zone Les.

 

[matrixone]

I have been busy with weathering the Dinah, some subtle paint chipping was added to the wing roots and a few other areas of the airframe.
Oil paints were used to highlight many of the panel lines but I made sure the color of the oil paints were not very high contrasting so they would just barely be seen once on the model. Its a challenge to make an aircraft model with a single uppersurface color look interesting without it looking cartoonish so any weathering effects really need to be subtle, plus most Dinah aircraft in flyable condition did not have very much paint chipping like those seen on Japanese single engine fighters.

Here is a close up of the wing root after much of its paint chipping was done. Later on I will use a silver artists pencil to add a few fresh looking wear marks but it will be very lightly done.

There will be some very fine exhaust stains added with the airbrush...for some reason Japanese aircraft did not have the heavy exhaust stains like the other Axis powers aircraft.

Matrixone

 

[bob letterman]

Looks really great Les!!!!



Bob

 

[phantom II]

Looking a lot like a winged cigar but I like it

Cheers, Christian B)

 

[moon puppy]

I have been busy with weathering the Dinah, some subtle paint chipping was added to the wing roots and a few other areas of the airframe.
Oil paints were used to highlight many of the panel lines but I made sure the color of the oil paints were not very high contrasting so they would just barely be seen once on the model. Its a challenge to make an aircraft model with a single uppersurface color look interesting without it looking cartoonish so any weathering effects really need to be subtle, plus most Dinah aircraft in flyable condition did not have very much paint chipping like those seen on Japanese single engine fighters.

Here is a close up of the wing root after much of its paint chipping was done. Later on I will use a silver artists pencil to add a few fresh looking wear marks but it will be very lightly done.

There will be some very fine exhaust stains added with the airbrush...for some reason Japanese aircraft did not have the heavy exhaust stains like the other Axis powers aircraft.

Matrixone

Did they just burn cleaner, a more lean fuel mixture?

Looks great Les.

 

[ij001]

Very good indeed.

Ian.

 

[matrixone]

Thanks!

Bob,
I can only guess why the Japanese airplanes ran cleaner than their German counterparts and I believe the aviation petrol in Japan was better quality from either different crude oil or production methods at the refinery.
The 109 and Ki-61 used almost the same engine type yet the 109's engines would leak oil and leave heavy exhaust stains even if the engine was still fresh.


Matrixone

 

[lupanzer]

Very nice information Les...the chipping on the wing roots look great!

Luiz.

 

[jknaus]

Absolutely stunning
James

 

[Skinny_Mike]

I really like the way the bottom gray turned out. Looks fantastic!

 

[matrixone]

Thanks James and Mike!

The Tamiya Dinah is finished, pictures to be posted in a day or two.

Now that I have some room on my worktable work has again started on the 1/72 scale Arii Dinah trainer.

Matrixone

 

[moon puppy]

 

[SA Dave]

For me the Dinah is just one of the most beautifull planes from Japan in WW2 Sure you will knock her out of the park Les

 

[matrixone]

Thanks Bob and Dave!

Dave,
This Dinah will be a what-if type and will be painted and marked as a Kamikaze so it will look pretty thrashed compared to the Tamiya Dinah I just finished.
I agree about the Dinah being a nice looking aircraft, out of all the axis twins I rate it over the Me 262 and Ta 154.

Matrixone

 

[SA Dave]

Especialy the one you just finished That canopy to the front makes it look so smooth and aerodinamic

 

[matrixone]

Dave,
The Ki-46 III with the smooth windscreen and larger propeller spinners is a sleek looking aircraft and looks fast even when sitting on the ground. The only other twin that comes close in the looks department is the Ta 154.

This little 1/72 scale Arii Dinah trainer may be an old kit without out a lot of interior detail but the exterior finish is outstanding, it has some very fine panel lines that are pretty close to scale...other companies could learn something here and maybe they will stop digging trenches in newer kits and have correctly sized panel line gaps.

The fit of most of the parts has been far better than expected, only the engine nacelles needed a little putty.
The wings are just pressed into place here but when glued in I will likely not need anything more than Mr. Surfacer to take care of any gaps.

Matrixone

 

[lupanzer]

Great,very clean work

Luiz.

 

[matrixone]

Thanks you Luiz,

Work on this model has been slow so far but it is getting close to being painted despite how it looks at the moment.
The tail planes will be attached after painting because I will hand paint the markings on the tail and this will be easier if they were not in the way.

The bomb racks have been fitted.

Matrixone