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Nakajima B6N2 Tenzan "Jill"

by Kevin Hjermstad

This is Hasegawa's 1/48 scale Nakajima B6N2 Carrier Attack Bomber Tenzan (Jill) Type 12 with Radar. 

The model was built out of the box using Gunze paints and the kit's decals.

The paint chipping gives the model its unique feel. I prepare the areas where the paint chipping will take place with SNJ and buff it to a high gloss. You can paint the entire aircraft natural metal if you feel like it - it makes a great seam finder! 

The model is then painted with your favorite acrylic paint. I prefer Gunze or Tamiya. If you do any panel shading or fading and/or weathering effects to the main color, now is the time to do it. You must use Acrylic, not enamel or lacquer, color coats. The enamel/lacquer paint has a tendency to try to bond with SNJ. 

Some of my local club members use Future/Kleer(?) as a barrier and this seems to work but I haven't tried it myself. Just seems to add another step in the process and I like to try to get as many models out of the boxes as possible. 

When the color coat is dry take strips of masking tape and burnish it down on the area you wish to chip. The width of tape and the pressure you apply on the back of the tape determines how much paint comes off, revealing the metal finish beneath. This technique works well on wing root areas, front of the cowl and wing leading edges. 

For chipping on a smaller scale take a sharpened toothpick or a piece of sprue runner.Poke and prod the topcoat and watch the paint chip off. This is good around access panels, along seams and cockpit entry points. 

When everything is to your liking, spray on your gloss coat (I use Future) and apply your decals. I add a oil paint wash of Raw Umber to the panel lines. 

After everything is dry, seal it all up with a flat coat (Testor's Dullcoat) and your done! 

The bad thing about this technique is it looks good and you tend to overdue it. (I know I did!) If you pull too much paint or want to redo an area. Just re-spray with a couple light coats of the main color over the offending area and it will blend together nicely, hiding your over-enthusiasm.

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Model, Images and Text Copyright © 2000 by Kevin Hjermstad
Page Created 01 July, 2000
Last Updated 26 July, 2007

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