Yamato 1/48 VF-1A Alaska Base (Custom)

[dafob]

After experimenting with repainting a Yamato 1/48 VF-1J into a TV Kakizaki, I decided to try another custom repaint.  This time, I wanted to do something that was never officially released: a 1/48 VF-1A Alaska Base.

I've found pictures of 1/60 VF-1A Alaska Base customs, but not 1/48's so please excuse this post as it's very picture heavy. 

 

I started with a junker/broken 1/48 VF-1A Hikaru DYRL that I picked up from @eevli.  Here are the results:

 

Like the other project, I started by taking the valk apart:

 

Then painted using basic rattle can spray paint:

 

Left the pieces to dry in the sun:

 

Partially assembled:

 

Fully assembled:

 

So that's my progress so far.  I still have a bit of work to do: clean up the messy paint on the legs, heat shield, all the decals/tampos, and maybe painting the knee caps and antenna green per the mech manual (but I kinda like 'em white).

Does anyone know what marking or call sign it should have (i.e. number on the wing and fuselage)?

Any thoughts/suggestions/feedback on what I've done so far is very welcomed.

Edited June 25, 2019 by dafob

[Sanity is Optional]

Only suggestion I have is to try and do some cleanup on the legs where the white/green meet, there's some unevenness. Otherwise it looks great so far!

[dafob]

13 minutes ago, Sanity is Optional said:

Only suggestion I have is to try and do some cleanup on the legs where the white/green meet, there's some unevenness. Otherwise it looks great so far!

I see you noticed that.    That cleanup is the first on my list.  Stupid paint bleed.  Will use brush for the cleanup, unless anyone else has a better method...?

[Sanity is Optional]

Brush will probably work well, since they're small imperfections. 

[kkx]

If your hand is as unsteady as mine, using masking tape while hand brushing to fix the small problem will also work.

[pengbuzz]

On 6/26/2019 at 4:29 PM, kkx said:

If your hand is as unsteady as mine, using masking tape while hand brushing to fix the small problem will also work.

A better idea for masking is Scotch "frosted" tape (the clear kind). it leaves a cleaner line with no bleed when burnished down.

[pengbuzz]

On 6/23/2019 at 11:37 PM, dafob said:

After experimenting with repainting a Yamato 1/48 VF-1J into a TV Kakizaki, I decided to try another custom repaint.  This time, I wanted to do something that was never officially released: a 1/48 VF-1A Alaska Base.

I've found pictures of 1/60 VF-1A Alaska Base customs, but not 1/48's so please excuse this post as it's very picture heavy. 

 

I started with a junker/broken 1/48 VF-1A Hikaru DYRL that I picked up from @eevli.  Here are the results:

 

Like the other project, I started by taking the valk apart:

 

Then painted using basic rattle can spray paint:

 

Left the pieces to dry in the sun:

 

Partially assembled:

 

Fully assembled:

 

So that's my progress so far.  I still have a bit of work to do: clean up the messy paint on the legs, heat shield, all the decals/tampos, and maybe painting the knee caps and antenna green per the mech manual (but I kinda like 'em white).

Does anyone know what marking or call sign it should have (i.e. number on the wing and fuselage)?

Any thoughts/suggestions/feedback on what I've done so far is very welcomed.

Aside from the cleanup issue (which is about normal for any two-tone paint job), I really like how this is coming out!

[dafob]

Thanks for the tips and feedback everyone.  This was a learning project for me and I used whatever I could find in my garage -- but in hindsight I should've gotten the proper masking tape and paint.  

Hopefully I'll find time soon to finish this project.

If I find another junker, I'll probably re-do this Alaska base (can't hurt to have more than 1 guard ) using better materials.

[MechTech]

Yep, the carpet is definitely cleaner in the after pictures! Seriously, that is looking way better than the original and it's a rare paint scheme too. Looking good! - MT

[xoxokin]

I have repainted too for the Alaska Base Version ( Yamato 1/48) at last weekend. 

[dafob]

51 minutes ago, xoxokin said:

I have repainted too for the Alaska Base Version ( Yamato 1/48) at last weekend. 

 

That's awesome!  How did you get the white "UN SPACY" labels for the legs?  They look really good!

[derex3592]

Looks great! 

[Xigfrid]

That’s looking really neat! I would love to know your masking technic if any

[dafob]

 

1 minute ago, Xigfrid said:

That’s looking really neat! I would love to know your masking technic if any

Apparently, my masking technique sucks balls as evident by the minor paint bleed on the legs. 

I used basic blue tape to mask most parts as seen in some of the pics above.  I've always had a love/hate relationship with blue painter's tape: I HATE that there's paint bleed every time I use blue tape, no matter if it's painting figures or walls.  LOL

For other patterns (such as the kite logo on the wings, all of the little circles with a line throughout, the triangular bits on the shoulders, etc.) I printed shapes on standard address labels and then cut them out and stuck them over those parts.  After spray painting, it was just a matter of peeling them off.

[505thAirborne]

Love the Alaska Base Valks, if Arcadia was smart they'd make one. For now you have one in 1/48 so that's awesome! 

As for tape to use for masking, Tamiya is pretty much the way to go! 

[dafob]

2 hours ago, 505thAirborne said:

As for tape to use for masking, Tamiya is pretty much the way to go! 

 

I didn't know Tamiya made masking tape.  Thanks for the tip.

[505thAirborne]

30 minutes ago, dafob said:

I didn't know Tamiya made masking tape.  Thanks for the tip.

No problemo, I used to use the blue tape as well years ago and had similar results with the paint bleeding. Started using the Tamiya brand, issues resolved. 

[slide]

1 hour ago, dafob said:

I didn't know Tamiya made masking tape.  Thanks for the tip.

it's the best.

[xoxokin]

19 hours ago, dafob said:

That's awesome!  How did you get the white "UN SPACY" labels for the legs?  They look really good!

The white "UN SPACY" labels is buy at website of china "TAOBAO WORLD"  find  MACROSS 1/48 that you can see some Decals.

[derex3592]

14 hours ago, 505thAirborne said:

No problemo, I used to use the blue tape as well years ago and had similar results with the paint bleeding. Started using the Tamiya brand, issues resolved. 

@dafob - If you need an even tighter edge - this stuff is the absolute best.  I use it in conjunction with the Tamiya stuff mentioned above. 

[MechTech]

I didn't know 3M made that stuff. Who usually sells it?

[mechaninac]

2 hours ago, MechTech said:

I didn't know 3M made that stuff. Who usually sells it?

Amazon has it.

[dafob]

6 hours ago, derex3592 said:

@dafob - If you need an even tighter edge - this stuff is the absolute best.  I use it in conjunction with the Tamiya stuff mentioned above. 

 

Such a great suggestion.  I didn't know 3M made that stuff either.  Thanks!

 

16 hours ago, xoxokin said:

The white "UN SPACY" labels is buy at website of china "TAOBAO WORLD"  find  MACROSS 1/48 that you can see some Decals.

Thank you for the suggestion.  There are so many decals on taobao.  Do you have a direct link to the one you used?

[xoxokin]

8 hours ago, dafob said:

Such a great suggestion.  I didn't know 3M made that stuff either.  Thanks!

 

Thank you for the suggestion.  There are so many decals on taobao.  Do you have a direct link to the one you used?

MAY BE YOU CHECK THIS ONCE!

https://m.intl.taobao.com/detail/detail.html?spm=a21wu.11154615-hk.list.15&id=587313165170&item_id=587313165170

[sjoebarry]

On 7/3/2019 at 2:42 PM, dafob said:

every time I use blue tape

Try frogtape. It’s green. Has some chemical in the adhesive that blocks paint bleed apparently 

[Lolicon]

Your Alaska base custom looks amazing!

I was going to mention using Tamiya tape over the 3M stuff to prevent paint bleeds for future projects, but it looks like a bunch of others beat me to it.