What-If Reno Racer - A6M8 Zero. Potential Paint Schemes?

[seiran01 4,016]

I'm going to be building an A6M8 in 1/32 scale, with a conversion I've designed. The new cowl with large air scoop on top and a Kinsei 62 radial engine are being 3d printed, and the more I look at the plane with that giant air scoop on top of the new cowl, the more I think it resembles a race plane.  So it's got me thinking, what about making one into a fictional Reno race plane?  

 

Does anyone have thoughts on what would make a great looking paint scheme on such a plane? This is the part where my creativity is severely lacking so I'm hoping some of you guys will have some fun and creative ideas 

 

Cheers!
Mike 

[Out2gtcha 31,633]

Neat!

I would think some sort of "tribute" type scheme with a pearl white and some garnet in some sort of Rising Sun pattern might be cool. Not particularly this scheme, just an idea..............

 

[coogrfan 355]

Another suggestion: Mitsubishi got into auto racing back in the mid -60's. Maybe you could find some inspiration here?  https://www.mitsubishicars.com/who-we-are/history

[coogrfan 355]

 

"Kuniomi Nagamatsu won the 1971 race driving a Mitsubishi Colt F2000"

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Grand_Prix

[Kagemusha 7,272]

I think Brian nailed it, but have a number 8, it's a lucky number in Japan. 

[eoyguy 228]

How about hearkening back to the early modeling days with one of these schemes? Though I do like the idea of the rising sun motif as mentioned above. 

 

[LSP_Ray 6,917]

Might work in cherry blossoms, pretty Japanese iconic.

[Fred Jack 460]

A Frank would be more competitive at Reno. Talking about the old Aurora Zero, they were the first Zeros on the US market and we all thought all Zeros were yellow with red noses like Me109s were burgundy.

[Shawn M 9,248]

take a look at Japanese F1 cars from Honda, etc. Or Toyota's Le Mans or Rally Cars.

[RLWP 2,502]

Red Bull racer:

 

 

N553TT

 

Richard

 

 

[thierry laurent 4,635]

I also vote for the rising sun scheme! 

[BiggTim 6,122]

3 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

I also vote for the rising sun scheme! 

X3

[Captain Boogaloo 13]

How about a bright all yellow scheme with 'Chase Me' in black in the style of Rockwell international on Bob Hoover's famous P 51d  " Gentlemen, you have a Race....... Banzai! "

Blue Skies!

Captain Boogaloo

 

[themongoose 1,864]

I’d look to the JASDF for design ideas that fit the Japanese style. Here’s some cool themes

[scvrobeson 2,836]

13 hours ago, Shawn M said:

take a look at Japanese F1 cars from Honda, etc. Or Toyota's Le Mans or Rally Cars.

 

Then it would be white, with a bit of red added in.

 

 

Matt