Combo A6M Zero build ( Spiros' build of Saburo Sakai and John's build of HIYO fighter group)

Started by John vd Biggelaar · 211 · 2 years ago
  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    Thanks my friend @johnb!
    I sincerely believe you will come up with a better Zero!

  • Profile Photo
    capt. R said 3 years ago:

    @fiveten fantastic progress! What paint did you use to overall painting?

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    Thanks my friend @lis!
    Overall I used Humbrol 28 Camouflage Gray. For IJN gray I usually use Humbrol 196, but in my Zero case here I wanted a gray with greenish hue. Hu28 looked greener than Hu196, so off it went!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years ago:

    @lis, @gblair, thanks for the compliments
    @fiveten, @wkubacki, thanks a lot for the help on how to try out the camouflage prior to applying it on the Zero.
    I hope to get it done this coming weekend.

    On her feet
    After Spiros @fiveten made some amazing progress and got his Zero on her feet, I was tempted to also get that done on mine. Mounting of the mail landing gear went well but the construction feels quite fragile. Especially when compared to the Typhoon's landing gear.



    As mentioned, the camouflage on the top surface will be next after applying some of the stencils. I will try to paint the wings first while masking the rest because I think if something goes wrong the wings are the 'easiest' to correct.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    Indeed the landing gear is on the sensitive side once installed, my friend @johnb!
    Looking wonderful on her feet!

  • Profile Photo
    capt. R said 3 years ago:

    @johnb very smooth painting!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years ago:

    @fiveten, @lis, thanks a lot gentlemen

  • Profile Photo
    Walt said 3 years ago:

    Looking good, the Japanese gray is a pleasing color on its own, but think the camo overlay adds alot to the finish. Looking good to the both of you. @johnb, @fiveten

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    Thanks my friend @luftwaffe-birdman!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years ago:

    Thanks Walt @luftwaffe-birdman
    Hope to be able to add the camo this weekend.

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years ago:

    Chipping, stencils, wing edges

    Before I applied the main color, a layer of aluminum was applied. The idea was to remove the main color gently with a toothpick till the aluminum layer showed up. What I had in mind occurred exactly, usually it turns out differently. The alumin layer showed up nicely, to my idea.

    Spiros @fiveten, Woody @wkubacki and George @gblair helped me a lot in finding the correct approach for the green camouflage lines, thanks for that. What I have done so far is to cut out roundles slightly bigger than the red Sun and attach them to the upper surface of the wings. Stencils are applied because they were likely oversprayed in the field as well.

    Also the orange/yellow wing edges were sprayed already so that the camouflage will slightly go over them.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    What a great approach, my friend @johnb!
    Looks superb already!

  • Profile Photo
    Louis Gardner said 3 years ago:

    John, @johnb
    Spiros, @fiveten
    You guys are doing some amazing work here ! These are looking fantastic, and it will get even better from here... I look forward to seeing the green sprayed on next.

  • Profile Photo
    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years ago:

    Thanks my friend @lgardner!

  • Profile Photo
    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years ago:

    @lgardner, thanks Louis. I'm looking forward to the green sprayed as well. I've been test spraying on a paper a lot yesterday so time for the real thing today.