Lancfan's A6M2-K Trainer Conversion- DNF

[lancfan]

This is where an NT Airfix Zero kit will be converted, finished using AML aftermarket decals.


David.

[DazDaMan]

Looking forward to this one!

[Gadfly]

Sounds interesting..

Looking forward to seeing it develop.

Cheers

GF

[lancfan]

First, the box and sprue shots-

[imghttps://photos.smugmug.com/Unofficial-airfix-modellers-forum-images/i-8Tx8z7n/0/bb3a366e/M/zero%20trainer%2002-M.jpg[/img]

The first step was to cut away the top decking to make room for the rear cockpit, this shot shows one side cut away and the other as per kit with the extended cockpit taking shape.


Here is the finished and painted cockpit.


The fuselage has now been assembled, the white band taped around the fuselage is made up of three layers of 5 thou plastic card which will form the bridging piece of top decking between the two cockpits.
[imghttps://photos.smugmug.com/Unofficial-airfix-modellers-forum-images/i-kwsr3pP/0/27aba2fb/M/zero%20trainer%2005-M.jpg[/img]

David.

[iggie]

Nice work David, this is looking good!

[DazDaMan]

Great stuff.

[JohnRatzenberger]

O, I C - the band of plastic is being formed to shape, clever idea - I could have made that a lot more difficult

[lancfan]

Thanks iggie, Daren, John.

The next steps were to fit the deck bridge using the curved plastic card and create the rear canopy fairing using Plasty filler with the Academy part as a pattern. To make the fairing a small piece of plastic strip was glued to the top decking to hold the canopy in the correct level position in it's new place further back on the fuselage, the canopy was then masked up inside and out to protect the surface and Revell plasty filler was applied to the rear fuselage, the canopy was then pressed in place and left to dry. A further task was to remove the tail cone from the rear fuselage as the aircraft I have chosen did not have this fairing.


The wing was now assembled and fitted to the fuselage, the canopy mounting was sanded and filed to shape before the canopy was unmasked and fixed to the seating using Glue'N'Glaze. I also spotted a mistake and removed the headrest from the front cockpit as it was not fitted to these aircraft.



This may be as far as I get on this before the GB ends as I do have other builds to complete but I do have three completed Zero builds so this would not be a complete fail.

David.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Looking forward to seeing the rest of this come together somewhere.