1/48 Zaku II - Part 6

Most of the major parts have now been done or part assembled, so let us get some of the smaller pieces done ready for final assembly.

The backpack is one large moulded piece with two exhaust verniers at the bottom. The usual grey primer method for the base & some Vallejo Plate Mail primer (VAL 70.628) for the verniers got them started.

 

The backpack was sprayed in Steel & some highlights of Duraluminium, Burnt Iron & Brass on the vents, recesses & small exhausts brought out the detail.  The larger verniers were sprayed Duraluminium then the inner section in Burnt Iron. The cover for the back panel was primed & sprayed in Light grey.

 

The armoured shoulder section & shield were fitted with the polycaps, glued, sanded & primed with the standard grey & allowed to dry.

 

Matching the two tone blue scheme on the rest of the Zaku these were sprayed with light coats of UK Mediterranean Blue.

 

The torso now needed to be finished & with looking at the flow of the colours the upper & lower torso were sprayed with Light Grey & a few highlights with Steel on the connections & head collar that might be seen on the finished kit, but I wanted to do it for my own delight J.

The earlier primed side armour for the torso was painted in the paler U.K. Azure Blue & some highlights in Steel & Brass where required. The energy cables & the torso connectors did, like for the head, take a lot of time to get right & I followed the same method of Chrome base & light spray of Metallic blue (A.MIG-0196) that are just enough to provide a light blue tint. The front cover for the energy cables was primed & painted U.K. Azure Blue & highlights in Steel.

 

The front cable connector goes on first, and then the two sidepieces, the back cable connector & finally the front cable cover just push into place with no need for glue.

 

The inner part of the backpack goes over the rear cable connectors & then the two exhaust verniers pushed in to the bottom of the backpack.

 

With care not to scratch the painted surface of the energy cables gently, push them into place. All you then need to do is put the cover on the backpack & the main torso is finished.