SPA Modeler

So far, I've done only one color insignias. I am probably going with a Japanese scheme on the Fiat Br-20..

Does the hinomaru have a white border or not? It looks to have one in most cases. Now, how do you cut masks to paint this. I know that it will be two circular masks of slightly different sizes. Paint the white first and pray you can line up the red?

A quick Google search turned this up,no white band.I checked out Zeros,its seems like there are plenty of examples of with and without.

https://www.google.com/search?q=japanes ... If26JrvxjM

When I researched the Zeke, the usage of white outlines was not random - Mitsubishi did not use a white outline, for example. There are articles about Japanese aircraft including yours online; maybe a trail of bread crumbs, maybe a cornucopia of treats as you know! Google IJN BR20. Also, there are masks aplenty for insignias, just saying... no need to home brew unless you feel the need. TGIF

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/maketar ... s--1103402

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/maketar ... s--1103505

My understanding is it depends on the background, if it's low contrast the white surround is used. There is also the white band around the fuselage that was used on home defense airplanes. Here are the pages relevant to the question from the Donald Thorpe books.

LyleW wrote:So far, I've done only one color insignias. I am probably going with a Japanese scheme on the Fiat Br-20..

Does the hinomaru have a white border or not? It looks to have one in most cases. Now, how do you cut masks to paint this. I know that it will be two circular masks of slightly different sizes. Paint the white first and pray you can line up the red?

Pre Dec.7, no white surround, for both Army and Navy. The white surround did not start appearing until 1943 or so. Even the stuff that was camouflaged in dark topside colors during the 1941/42 campaigns of conquest had the hinomaru with no surround. Some aircraft assigned to the home islands did have the white square background after Dec.7 though.

Tojo72 wrote:A quick Google search turned this up,no white band.I checked out Zeros,its seems like there are plenty of examples of with and without.

https://www.google.com/search?q=japanes ... If26JrvxjM

Tony, thanks! I’ve googled around until I was blue in the face.

jeaton01 wrote:My understanding is it depends on the background, if it's low contrast the white surround is used. There is also the white band around the fuselage that was used on home defense airplanes. Here are the pages relevant to the question from the Donald Thorpe books.

Thank you, John!

I don’t have a ton of references, and nothing on Japan. These will go in my “Book of Tops” for sure.

Stikpusher wrote:
Pre Dec.7, no white surround, for both Army and Navy. The white surround did not start appearing until 1943 or so. Even the stuff that was camouflaged in dark topside colors during the 1941/42 campaigns of conquest had the hinomaru with no surround. Some aircraft assigned to the home islands did have the white square background after Dec.7 though.

Carlos, thanks.Good information, and going in the tip book.

LyleW wrote:So far, I've done only one color insignias. I am probably going with a Japanese scheme on the Fiat Br-20..

Does the hinomaru have a white border or not? It looks to have one in most cases. Now, how do you cut masks to paint this. I know that it will be two circular masks of slightly different sizes. Paint the white first and pray you can line up the red?

There are different ways you can do this. Prior to getting a Silhouette cutter, I cut masks for the inner and outer circles using a compass cutter. I drew guidelines running through the center of the circles with pen to help line up the masks later on.


First, I applied the larger circle mask(outer) and painted the red.


After the red paint dried, I applied the smaller circle mask (inner) and used the guidelines to help center the mask. The original mask is kept in place. The white outline is then sprayed.


With a Silhouette cutter, the masks would be easier to produce but I would use the same order presented here.

John, that is simple, easy and brilliant! Into the tip book!