Opinions wanted please. A6M5 paint chipping

[gunpowder]

Not sure on this one. Honest opinions wanted as to whether or not this looks realistic. No big deal , it can be easily redone , so be totally honest guys.

[Paolo Maglio]

It looks ovedone to my eyes, especially on fuselage sides.

All the best

Paolo

[kozlok]

More in some places, less in others.

[TF51GREGWISE]

Looks pretty good.

[kellyF15]

I think the left side is fine, but the right side has alot on the fuselage forward of the cockpit, where no one walks.

But to be honest, it looks about 1000 times better than anything I have ever done so great job!!!!!!

[gunpowder]

Excellent , thanks Guys

[silver1]

Too many small chips, not enough big chips.

Ed

[The 3rd Placer]

I'm not a fan of heavy chipping, although accurate.

Maybe it is just too bright.....try spraying a mucho dilluted coat of IJ green overspray to tie it all together and to tone it down, just a idea.

Ryan

[sakai]

It is definitely overdone. Unfortunatelly it remains a cliche that "Japanese paint was of a poor quality". If you want to depict an airplane for the graveyard AFTER the war (as the other poster is suggesting) then fine. Operational planes did not look like this. The paint just would not "chip" by itself. Why would it be worn out in NO STEP areas then? I like your camo green though.

Cheers,

Mario

[gunpowder]

Thanks again. I have sprayed ove all of the chips and some very lightly. Looks much better.

[pbhawkin]

May be a little late. But to me the paint chipping extends too far out onto the wings (or at least is too heavily done too far out on the wings). Also I agree with a previous comment about too much on the forward area of the wings were pilot is unlikely to walk. Otherwise the technique is very well done and near the fuselage on the wings and the fuselage itself are fine.

My 2c worth

[vince14]

It is definitely overdone. Unfortunatelly it remains a cliche that "Japanese paint was of a poor quality". If you want to depict an airplane for the graveyard AFTER the war (as the other poster is suggesting) then fine. Operational planes did not look like this. The paint just would not "chip" by itself. Why would it be worn out in NO STEP areas then? I like your camo green though.

Cheers,

Mario

Whilst Japanese paint was certainly of a good quality, the chipping noted was caused by a lack of primer underneath the external colour. Therefore, if an aircraft lacked primer paint peeling could occur anywhere on the airframe, not just on those areas subjected to frequent use (of course, wing walkways etc would be the first and main areas affected by peeling paint). However, not all aircraft lacked primer. Where a primer was used, Japanese aircraft showed no greater wear and tear than Allied aircraft. Not all Japanese aircraft displayed paint peeling, but a large number of operational aircraft certainly did. The individual modeller should refer to period photographs to check if the specific aircraft he is building suffered from peeling or not.

For a more in-depth look at the weathering question, go to j-aircraft.com.

Vince

[GVoakes]

There are many photos showing operational IJN aircraft that were missing a third or more of their paint in large patches...

The photo you have used is not of an aircraft with missing paint, but one with a green paint roughly applied over the early war grey for camouflage. IIRC, this A6M2 was land based in Rabaul, and was given a field camouflage job of the green paint in order to better hide it on the ground.

Overall, IJN aircraft tended to hang onto their paint, as they were usually given a primer coat first (to prevent corrosion). IJAAF aircraft, however, were generally not given the primer coat; it is these aircraft that you usually see pictures with large areas of paint peeled off of.

[AlienFrogModeller]

Is there updated photos of the new chipping?

Cheers

[GVoakes]

I would also be interested in seeing updated photos of the new chipping

Interesting. I'll have to add that to a project list. Not sure how one would apply a convincing shoddy hand-brushed paint job and make it look intentional, instead of just the result of poor craftsmanship.

P@T

Not to hijack the thread, but thin the green until it is as thin as you would airbrush, and apply with a brush. Apply light coats and keep applying until you reach the shade and depth of the green you want. This was done using floquil concrete as the base grey colour, and thinned Aeromaster Mitsubishi Green over top.

[Big Kev]

IIRC, this A6M2 was land based in Rabaul [...]

It's actually an A6M3 from what I can tell. It has the later style cowling without the gun troughs, but retains the earlier exhaust system, so most likely a Model 22.

As I said in response to this same thread over at LSP, I think it's overdone. Most of the photos you see of heavily chipped and stripped Japanese aircraft are of derelict, abandoned or captured aircraft, or otherwise not what they appear to be (like the photo discussed above). I'm not saying they were never like gunpowder's model, but the prevalence and extent of such weathering is overplayed and poorly proven.

Kev

Edited July 14, 2009 by Big Kev

[GVoakes]

Arrgghh! - It is an A6M3! This is what happens when I don't concentrate on what I'm doing! Stupid work - it gets in the way of everything!