Pe-2 1/48 Zvezda

[otto]

I show you some chips of some browns I have in my stash. Is there anything I could use as A-21m for three tone camouflage? It seems to me that the best are the three on the right:
Lifecolor UA039 (perhaps too green)
Humbrol 72
White Ensign ACJ16 (the Mitsubishi Zero Ame-iro!)

What do you think?
Of course, I could buy the AKAN colors, but I would prefer to use the colors I have before they dry out in the jars.

[otto]

I painted the fuselage inside with A-14. I first applied a layer of Tamiya XF-19, then some preshading with brown XF-64 and white in the panels' middle and on the frames top. I then sprayed AKAN's A-14, and I found I made a mistake: the brown is too reddish and the fuselage looked like a rusty train! I would better have used black or green for preshading. I therefore insisted with A-14 to cover most of the "rusty" shadow effect. I will complete the job with thinned oil paint selective washes and lighter dry-brush on the frames.
The 1st picture shows the preshading and the 2nd one the A-14, with the shadows still showing through it.


I was really impressed by the AKAN paint's quality: thinned with yellow cap Tamiya thinner, it dries quickly and gives a strong, smooth and satin finish.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
I would put a bit of olive green in that ALG-5.
About your browns: UA039 seems to match my chip of A-21 of AK interactive AK-2248, while the shade of MRP-22 (their A-21) looks darker and more grey-chocolat-like. I wonder if they both are from the same chips (ie from AKAN, I think). I would go with UA039.
About the preshading: I think that dark grey would have been better than brown, but now it's made and looks of good effect.
Goodto know that AKAN paints can be thinned with Tamiya solvant. I think you have the acrilic enamels, not the enamels or aqueous paint.
My tests with AK  by brush weren't very satisfying, i needed three or four unthinned layers to cover the white background. Maybe it will be better by airbrush, I need to find a proper solvant (maybe available in my town).
Have you heard about any experiences with AK?
Regards
Massimo

[otto]

I never tried AK colors. I suppose that, if you need many layers with brush, they should be airbrush-ready. AKAN colors are rather thick, like Lifecolors, and are acrylics because they can be thinned by water. These colors usually react positively to Tamiya thinners, both white cap and yellow cap. The yellow cap is a lacquer thinner and has amazing propertes: it can be mixed with acrylics, enamels like Humbrol and putties like Mr. Surfacer. Tamiya acrylics mixed with it dry quicker than with the traditional white cap, and are more resistant to fingerprints. I suggest to try it with AK as well.

[otto]

There is a feature which has been ignored on Zvezda kit and on all the built models I saw:

The red arrows show what seem to me buckles of straps holding the canopy in place. I suppose that the entire canopy could be jettisoned, perhaps pulling the red handle shown below.


Any suggestions?

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
I had a look on Squadron Signal, no any image of Pe-2 (apart for a plane tested for structural strength) show any open or removed canopy. I think you are right, the access was from ventral hatches and the whole thing was likely jettisonable. I wonder why the levers of the fasteners are pushed down on this plane. I wonder if there is any defect in the fastener.
Regards
Massimo

[otto]

Hello Massimo, I think the open elements are not opening levers, but simple flap covers that are loose or bent. Some pictures show them open, including in the Pe-2 preserved in Monino.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
I see the fastening belt misaligned over the windshield's frame. Perhaps this is the cause of the bad closing of the thing.
I wonder if such a frail detail will deserve a reproduction.
Regards
Massimo

[otto]

Hello everybody.
I prepared a picture of light blue chips made with the paints I have in my shelf.

Akan AMT-7 looks a little dark to me, while White Ensign Models (WEM) ACS02, based on EP "researches" seems too bright. According to Sovietwarplanes table of colors, A-28m should be lighter than AMT-7.
As Akan paints are very good colors, I would like to use their AMT-7, but is it correct for a late war Pe-2?
I checked Massimo's light blue color charts here:
http://www.massimotessitori.altervista.org/sovietwarplanes/pages/colors/humbrol/light-blues.htm
In my opinion, the best matches with A-28m are:
Aeromaster 9074
Humbrol mix 1/2 65 + 1/2 47 + white
WEM mix 2/3 ACS02 + 1/3 ACSM07

I would not choose a too dark paint, because all the washing, weathering and so on tend to darken the finish.
Could you share your opinion about the best match?
Thank you.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
the difference in shade of AMT-7 and A-28m is dubious: the Nakrasok alboom has a very pale and greenish chip, while A-21g is saturate just as AMT 7, but theoretically should be as A-28m.  The chips from another Soviet collection seem to confirm the resemblance between AMT-7 and A-28m. It is not clear why the chip of Nakrasok is different, maybe could be of an altered stock.
So, in my opinion you can go with AKAN AMT-7. Eventually you could lighten it in some way to simulate fading.
About the colors of Humbrol, the closer one is missing in your list, should be H89, just a bit too dark and saturate to be a perfect match.
I've seen a can of humbrol 248 Himmelblau 78 in a shop and had the impression that it could be a match, just a bit lighter, but I never bought or utilized that paint.
Regards
Massimo

[otto]

Thank you, Massimo!
I will use Akan AMT-7 as a base and test one of the lighter shades, perhaps Aeromaster 9074, for panel centre lightening.
I hope to post pictures of the completed interiors soon.

[otto]

I completed the interiors:

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
very nice work. The inside looks rather complete and lovely. Have you utilized photoetched belts on the seats?
What about the glazing of the lateral windows, is it from the kit?
Regards
Massimo

[otto]

Thank you, Massimo.
I used aftermarket sets at "full throttle": photoetched parts, "superfabric" seatbelts and resin guns from Eduard, photoetched pre-assembled instrument panel from Yahu. Zvezda kit is superb, and it deserves luxury treatment! Superfabric seatbelts are soft and highly realistic.
The clear parts are from the kit. Zvezda clear parts have pros and cons. They are thin and clear, and they are rather flexible, therefore less fragile than competitors. But the latter feature makes polishing more difficult. Polishing is necessary if clear parts get foggy or scratched from manipulation. In this case, the best results can be obtained by polishing them with Tamiya compound and, finally, with a small amount of floor wax applied with a goggles cleaning cloth.

[Massimo Tessitori]

Hi Otto,
superfabric seatbelts? They were new for me, I've googled to see about them. The same for the impressive instrument panels of Yahu.
The thing about canopies is interesting too. Thin, clean and flexible ones sound excellent. Good to now that they are difficlt to restore if scratched, it will require extra care.
Looking at the cockpit of the rear gunner, I wonder how he will pass from one gun to another. Looks that ergonomy of those positions was deemed an unnecessary option.
Regards
Massimo