Nakajima A6M2N "Rufe", Tamiya 1/48 scale
This model starts with a website I had a long time ago that was started as a place to store all the photos I had taken during my barnstorming airplane mechanic days. An email arrived one day from a gentleman in Japan named Kenichi Kimoto, who went by the call sign of Astroboy. It turned out we shared a common love of aviation and history, and we became good very long distance friends. His father had flown the Zero in WWII, which resulted in Astroboy's website being dedicated to that airplane. It gathered a very eclectic group of people on both sides of the Pacific and for many years was the site of many lively discussions of all facets of aviation.
Astroboy sent me this kit in the summer of 2001. I had intended to build it right away, but life got in the way and it sat unnoticed for quite a while until I cleaned out the garage and found it in a box with the Ki-61 that I built a few months ago. Sadly, Astroboy passed away a few years ago, and I thought it was finally time to build this one to honor my friend. It's straight OOB with kit decals. For an older kit, it went together very well, the only issues being the self induced ones. Weathering was my usual sludge washes and silver chipping over Model Master IJN dark green and IJN sky gray.
Nice Rufe Jaime, looking good, it seems that your problem with the too glossy canopy frames are solved.
Your friend would be proud of you !
Well done my friend 🙂
Great Zero Jaime. Good to get another one from the stash done!
A very authentic looking Rufe. Well done! Indeed a nice way to honour your friend!
Can t wait, to see your F-16 too, Jaime
I like it! This kit is plenty good for me. The Hasegawa one is nice but you made this one an equal in every way!
Bo
Nicely done Jaime.
Looks good mate. Well done mate.
Nicely done, Jamie...I like it.
Fine build Jaime. Nothing like the satisfaction you get when you finish a project.
Great modeling Jaime. I read that this sea plane was quite a adversary even with all of the floats.
Very nicely done.
California Steve
I think these float planes are attractively complex - I've built one or two of these in the past. Nice job on this one, Jaime
Thanks, everyone! It was a nice relaxing build, except for the canopy!
It is an interesting airplane, much more elegant than the Spitfire or Wildcat float conversions.
Well Done Jaime. Glad to see you were able to overcome the decal & canopy frame issues. Your Rufe looks everybit as nice as the Hasegawa kit great work indeed
Nice story and nice model, good job, Jaime.
Looks great Jaime, and a very nice homage to your friend.
That's a great looking Rufe Jaime - and a wonderful tribute to your friend. I'm sure he would be very pleased you built it in his honor. Wonderful story and nice work as well!
Nice recovery on that green paint job, Jaime. It came out "just right". Can't wait to see what's up next.
Jamie,
A great job on an old, but still very nice kit. Your friend would be proud of the way you have honored him.