Hi all!

I posted a small article on Aircraft Ressource Center. It is online since today (Sunday). You can watch some pics of my Mitsubishi A6M2 "Pearl Harbor" Zero...


More pics on ARC:
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/

I know it's a strange way to post my first model pics but comments are welcome!

Jean-Luc

Hi Jean-Luc

Very nice! The pastels give a very neat "panelled" look. One point - in your article, when you refer to hating "recessed lines", do you mean raised lines?

We'll have to get you to supply photos for On-Display Features on Armorama too.

All the best

Rowan

Hello Rowan!

Yes I mean raised! Isn't it the same? Damned! I should have looked in my dictionnary!

It's true I hate raised panel lines! When I see some on a kit I just have to rescribe them! Can't do otherwise! I know some say raised panels are more accurate but I just can't stand them!

I have Revell/Monogram's B-24, B-26 and B-29 in my stash and they will be a real fun to rescribe!

Jean-Luc

PS: thanks for the reply, seems that advertising is working!

Hi Jean-Luc

I'm with you on raised lines; I always replace them too. It's odd how some of the older Tamiya kits feature a mixture of raised and engraved lines - the Buffalo is the same.

All the best

Rowan

Howdy Jean-Luc,

Wow....your effort to rescribbe the panel lines really pays man!!
I love to see the panel lines were some reall and the paint job was so smooth. Nice job man!

Me too dislike raised panel lines...often i avoid to buy them... but right now i have an HAsegawa F-14 ..raised panels... i have started rescribe the panel since last week....
it's a tedious work...and carefull also...

Hi Rowan and Zaidi!

I have done a Tamiya Buffalo in Midway markings before the release of the Classic Airframes one, and... rescribed the panels!

Rescribing panels sure is a tedious work, but it is worse it! And there are so many kits wich are only available with raised panels (the SBD Devastator for example!)

My advise: work slowly, while building another kit! Just one hour or so... Rescribing to much will drive you crazy! And there are simple tricks wich makes the whole thing easier!

Jean-Luc

Nice one Jean-Luc. I'm with you on panel lines, although I could maybe live with them if I could find a way to get similar results to my weathering with them. This is my main reason for rescribing, my weathering technique. At the moment I am in the process of rescibing a Monogram B-24 using my EEZEE method
Mal

Hello Mal!

Great article! your EEZEE method is fantastic...

I usually scribe along the existing raised panels and then sand smooth. I must also say that the Verlinden set is worth the money! It seems expensive when you buy it, but is of use for almost every build and specially for the short-run kits...
By the way Mal, what do you do to have a clean panel line after scribing and sanding? I use a wooden toothpick wich eliminates almost all the imperfections and gives the final scribing an almost "pro" finish!

Jean-Luc

PS: Did you finish your B-26?

If you mean did I finish scribing it, yes, If you mean have I finished building it then.............er no. I haven't started it yet, but I keep meaning to, all my other projects keep getting in the way. I will make a concerted effort and see if I can get it underway. I have just started a BV 141B and a Stomovick, but I suppose another kit wouldn't hurt
Mal

Hi Mal!

I also have the Blohm&Voss in my stash as some other I believe... and I'm happy you play the pathfinder role for us!

Good luck! Jean-Luc

Think about this. It's so silly!

You are complaining about the raised lines in between fuselage panels molded on the plane when they should be recessed.

As I primarily build Shermans I am always complaining about recesses seams molded on the hull that should be raised due to the weld lines.

It's obviously not a manufacturing issue as we see that can do both raised and recessed lines. Makes you wonder if model companies do this just to aggravate us builders.

Hi Alan!

I think without this imperfections, our hobby would be like a meal without salt and pepper! Tastless!

That's why I like Smer kits! You have to add a lot of spice to make a good meal out of such kits! :-)

Jean-Luc

Fantastic Zero! How did you get the different shades of panels on the wing surface?

Hi Monte!

I first painted the kit overall in light grey. Then I masked some panels using Tamiya Tape and put some pastel powder on them. I used white, grey, black and brown pastels and sometimes mixed them together. It's not that time consuming, but you use a lot of masking tape!
After this treatment, the panel effect looks overdone and the plane "dirty". Don't worry about it, just put another layer of the light grey. But this time the paint must be heavily thinned, translucent and have a milky appearance. Paint until you can barely see the difference beetween the panels!
Then I spray some Futur (Johnson's Klir in France) at voilà! Le tour est joué!
By the way, I used Tamiya acrylic paints!

Hope this can help!

Jean-Luc

Thanks Ted!

Fantastic effect! I will keep that technique in mind.