Hi All,

This is Hasegawa's 1/32 Frank. After much consternation about a paint job, I decided to build it as a forward deployed 1944 Hayate. I've read that many arrived unpainted and were field camouflaged, many arrived painted and weathered quickly.

Mine is meant to look like either-or, but just ratty and weather beaten.

The top olive color was lightly sprayed, then unevenly touched up, then retouched again with a different mixture of green. This was applied over a masking and over salt; these will be removed to show paint peel and chipping. A further random pattern of brown may be over painted, too.

Hi Fred!

It looks very good so far! I'm looking forward to see the salt removed... By the way, did someone already wrote an article about the salt technique here? If not I think you would be the perfect man for the job!
Will there be white strips under the wing Hinomarus? I like Japanese planes with such colour schemes.

Jean-Luc

Hi Fred

I'm looking forward to seeing the results too - it should be a really interesting scheme. It might be a good idea to spray the hinomarus too, if you're going for a really heavy weathered look.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Jean-Luc



Uh-oh! I did a quick on-site search. There are some detailed posts but not really any articles. I thought there was. I’ll look again. If not, perhaps I will.





Uh-oh deux! Those white bands were Japanese Army A.F. Home Defense bands. I am building mine for the Philippines or South East Asia area, outside of where they were not used. For that matter, later in the war many Home Defense planes did not wear them. I do like them though, and it is not too late to change my mind. I have had this model primed (NMF) for a week while I fret over what to paint it. I want something more unique than the ubiquitous green over gray, or NMF.

Hi Rowan,



Hmmm…tempting.

Stay tuned,

Fred

I thought I read somewhere that Hinomarus were always pristine even if the rest of the plane was beat up, because the ground crew were constantly touching them up. I could be wrong though.

I am very interested in seeing your progress on this. I have heard of the salt method, but I have never seen it done. Thank you for sharing.

Nils

Nice one Fred, I have always considered the salt technique just a little to.................er........random? But I eagerly await the outcome of this.


Gautam,
I wouldn't know one way or another but I can see a certain logic as the Japanese are a proud people. This could be one of those "modelling delema's", like D-Day stripes were hastily applied but if they are aplied to a model like that they look pretty bad. Well kept meatballs on a well weathered aircraft might also look a bit odd. A bit like adding decals after the weathering process.
Mal

Looking good so far Fred.
I think you should definetly write a feature on the salt technique, as its about the only method i have not tryed yet.
How is the fit and detailing of the Hasegawa kit.
Andy (++)

hi fred, nice project you got there. i was wondering..if you'll get a different results on crystalized regular salt and iodized salt? the third picture shows the crystals are almost uniform in shapes and sizes.

Better late than never? Here is how this model built up:

https://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/forums/98302&page=1

Type 4 Fighter Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate

Frederick,
Great looking result! I tried salt a couple of ties, but it always came out not looking good enough. I like yours, though!

Gaz

Fred,
6 years for the final post, but you did cross the finish line in 14 months.

The weathered and paint chipped finish really came out quite well. Just one question. On the rudder right below the blue, is that masking tape or are my old and tired eyes playing a trick on me?

I also noticed that Camel under the far wing. One thing for sure, it's the 1st one I've ever seen in a picture here in Aeroscale.

Joel