Painting Japanese Aircraft Markings Now on YouTube

I’ve uploaded a video with a demonstration of how I make my own paint masks for Japanese aircraft. With the right tools (ie good tape and sharp blades) masks can be made very easily and with complete control. The result are markings that perfectly conform to every surface, panel line and rivet without the need for decals, decal solutions, more powerful decal solutions, sharp objects, frustration, annoyance, cursing, paint stripping and repainting…. Yes, decals are awful when they do not cooperate.

Which is often around here.

The subject is a Hasegawa Ki-27 Nate that was recently completed for a blitz build over the holiday. The model had some quirks and I decided to live with a few of them rather than spend days correcting them.

For anyone thinking of panting markings, you can’t get much easier than Japanese. I’ve been doing them for years and I have gradually tried US and UK markings as well. Those use the same basic techniques but they are slightly more involved. I have embedded the video below but you can also use this direct link.

Let me know what you think in the comments!