A6M3-3A Zero Fighter, Maj. Saburo Shindo

[KennyX]

The paint has set up, and I am very happy with the resulting effect, this is exactly what I was after:

[jkim]

That's looking really good Kenny! Have you thought about skipping the pre-and post-shading and using Micromesh (or very fine sandpaper) to remove the green?

I don't know if you saw my paint mule on the 262 build but the results were promising enough to try it on Yellow 3.

[KennyX]

Nosir, that method, though a very good one, does not suit me.

[Medicman71]

The way you guys pre-shade, paint and weather just blows my mind. I'm lucky if i can get it to look decent. I do like using the black basing technique though. It seems to work ok for me. Of course that's if I don't screw it up.

[KennyX]

Hey, Black Basing is a great way to do it! And if you use a lacquer primer, and you end up disliking what you’ve done when you’ve painted, no problem! You can Windex it. I’ve done that so many times, oh man...

[jkim]

Nosir, that method, though a very good one, does not suit me.

Roger! I'll save that technique for when I do another heavily worn fighter. I think it would suit the Japanese subjects very well.

[KennyX]

It absolutely will, John. The effect you achieved on the paint mule alone is phenomenal.

For me at this stage of the game, I’m trying to nail the nuances of targeted chipping with brushes and hairspray, and further weathering with salt and oil paints. Plus, there’s the hummingbird aspect of this project to consider as well. It doesn’t jibe with that. Also- for some reason I have a mental block in my head for using sand paper on paint, on an aircraft, and I’m not sure why. Probably just the stage I’m currently in. In any case though, I would absolutely be tempted to try this out on armor. 110%. And perhaps one day soon I will, because the effect is, in my opinion, gorgeous.

[KennyX]

Holy cow John, now that I think of it- do you realize what that technique could do on a tank with a winter whitewash?

Yeah buddy. THAT would absolutely rule. That would kick wholesale ass, my man.

Oh yeah, it’s worth exploring.... and I’ve been wanting to do a winterized Panzer....

[jkim]

It would look nice on a tank but tedious to do. There are just too many surface irregularities on a tank to make this method practical... but hey, you can give it a shot. I think the smooth exterior of an aircraft is the perfect place to try this type of technique. And Micromesh will actually smooth the paint finish, not make it rougher. Many people do this in lieu of clear coats prior to decaling.

We are all at different stops in our modeling journey. I am a point where I am running into issues with the multiple layers that go into a paint finish. The 262 was a lesson in stripped down paint basics... looking at what you are trying to achieve and taking the straight path to get there. The hairspray layer can be especially problematic in my experience and I hope you don't run into issues due to its instability.

[KennyX]

Well my man, it is unstable, I’ll give it that. Inherently unstable. And it does make me nervous, that hairspray...