Tamiya 1:48 A6M2-N “Rufe” build

And so it begins... 

The completed main center float with added rivet detail and Tamiya primer 

The wing assembly mocked-up with all three floats 

The bland lifeless detail of the kit engine face just isn’t enough for the quality I want this build to have 

One sweet find on Amazon  

Except it comes in pieces! 

Oh god what have I gotten myself into? 

Look at the thickness of this plastic in the engine cowling! 

What the lifeless kit part looks like against the fuselage 

After thinning out the thickness of the engine cowling with a Dremel tool I was able to open up the engine cooling Cowl flaps 

Old versus new an hour later 

Some idea of what the improved engine cowling will look like on the fuselage 

The kit ailerons before repositioning 

The kit ailerons were cut off for repositioning 

Now if I can just remember to glue the pilots control stick slightly to the right LOL 

Cutting away the flight controls can leave huge unrealistic gaps 

Closing the gaps between the flight controls and wings and stabilizer surfaces with white glue 

Wing thickness “shimmed” using sprue. Now the curvature of the wing matches the contour of the wing-to-fuselage fillet panel.  

Dry fitting the repositioned rudder 

The Aires resin cockpit seat versus the kit part 

The Aires resin cockpit structural ring segment versus the kit part 

The Aires cockpit wall versus the kit part 

The Aires resin cockpit floor versus the kit part 

Using my new trumpeter rivet detail tool for the first time 

I cut the rudder off of the fuselage so that I can reposition it a few degrees to one side to give it a more natural resting appearance 

Horizontal stabilizers and elevators with added rivet detail 

My first use of Apoxy Sculpt Putty, to make the pilot seat cushion 

F-15 Interior Blue used to simulate the corrosion resistant coating sprayed on bare aluminum parts.