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Eastern Aircraft FM-1 Wildcat. Hasegawa 1/72


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Atlantic Wildcat

Hi mates!

Im joining this GB with this subject.

The nice Hasegawa kit, in this case the Martlet V boxed version:

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I will use the Eduard 72-209 PE set and as usual, my own custom decals:

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I wish to build an Atlantic bird, aboard USS CORE from VC-12 Sq.:

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Thats all for now, in future next updates, the first steps.

Cya!

Edited by El pibe vitina
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  • 2 months later...

Time to show the first stage of this building...

I started working on the cockpit assembly, mainly using the Eduard PE set who works and results a very fine addition to the model. The kit interiors are empty and incaccurate. I add a scratchbuild wall in front of the cockpit to avoid the "see thru" from the main wheel bay. I painted all pieces using Tamiya and Vallejo with oil washes and Vallejo weathering. Some chipped paint effect using Citadell silver color.

Then, the intrincated and tricky builiding of the main wheel legs using some kit, PE and scratch pieces to add detail in this area. Looking the pictures Im afraid, despite the sanding work, the Hasegawa pieces still looks overscaled.

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Before join the two fuselage halves, I was touching some exterior parts. I glued the PE pieces into the wheels, cowling ring and flaps. I also removed the anti-sway braces, they were molded as a solid and inaccurate part of the tanks, so I will replaced them with wire bits. The gas cap was absent and must to be added drilling a hole and filling it with a circular PE or plastic piece.

One of my favourite process steps is the detailing work on the engine, I did it with copper wire and a steel ring. Painted with Humbrol (chrome and blueish gray) and again an oil wash to reveal the engraved details.

I separate the forward fuselage halves sawing them from the main body halves to allow a detailing work with the engine cooler flaps. I will try to show them in opened position.

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Finally I build and paint the propeller, but I forgot to include it in these pictures. Sorry!

Next steps soon!

Cya

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  • 1 month later...
Uhhh dear...I'll follow this one with supeeeer interest!!!!

Can't wait to see the work going on!

Hope you are enjoying this and the other excelent works in this GB!

Very nice work so far!

Thanks for your compliments!

Ok, time to introducing:

The paint job

The build of this kit was very easy, fast and smooth... just a few hours session with putty and a light sand work, specially in the cowling cause I did some surgery with the cool flaps and the oil coolers too.

Im still waiting for a Pavla US Navy canopies vac formed set, but in case I cant receive it in the scheduled time I made the rear part from the Hasegawa piece conforming a new one using a clear styrene sheet.

All parts were ready to paint, so I did a preshading with Black Humbrol.

First colour choosed was the more lighter, in this case using Gunze White to paint the lower zones, outside flaps, and drop tanks. The second colour was the Humbrol Gull Gray in upper zones and canopy frames.

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Finally, the wheels were painted too using a mix of Humbrol Dark Gray and Black, and I did also a weathering touch to the undercarriage parts with Umber, Gray and Black oils.

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Next steps will be a little work to fix the paint work, paint the flaps interior colour and give a gently gloss coat to the model.

Cya!

Edited by El pibe vitina
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The build of this kit was very easy, fast and smooth... just a few hours session with putty and a light sand work, specially in the cowling cause I did some surgery with the cool flaps and the oil coolers too.

Absolutely gorgeous and frighteningly fast :worship:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got more speed in this build...

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After the paintwork, I give a coat of Future on the entire model. First coat applied with brush and the others using the AB. A final coat with Future in the zones where the decals were placed.

I used the superb EagleStrike American Stars and Bars decal sheet in the four positions, and my custom decals for the badge and serials. All the decals reacted nicelly with Micro Sol and Set finishing products.

Another coat of Future to seal the decals and then, the weathering work. I used pencils, oils and acrylics to give washes and remark the panel lines. Citadell silver was used to do the first chipping work. I will add more chipped paint using a sharp silver pencil.

More work to do in the next days will be tone down some dark panel lines in the engine cowling (seems to much dark and hard for me), paint the walk zone, add the small bits (antennae, lights, gun sight, etc), and mount the undercarriage pieces.

Hope you enjoy.

Cya.

Edited by El pibe vitina
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  • 3 weeks later...

Crossing the finish line

This bird was finished a pair of weeks ago. So this weekend I did the final pictures.

As you can see all parts were glued and the last paint touches were added. I was very concerned about the yellow effect in the final varnish cause the basic colour includes some neutral variations of gray and white. So I try a new finish product for me, the Winsor & Newton Galeria acrylic matt varnish. Its a water based formula so I dont expect the yellow efect.

Thanks to all for your compliments and support, I wish to see everyone's entries finished during the next weeks, and a final thanks to the organizers.

Hope to see you in a next GB.

Cya!

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--

Edited by El pibe vitina
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Great build!!!!!! Looks awsome!

CH

Excellent build! It looks very beautiful! Love the paint job!

Btw. forgot to ask, what kind of wire did you use for the break lines?

I seem to have all troubles in the world to get mine right! :banana:

Thanks for your kind words.

Hakan, I used thin fishing line, you can see in the first pictures the lines only glued in one point, so are extended. In other process pictures the lines are cutted and then glued in two points giving it a curl shape.

Cya.

Edited by El pibe vitina
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Thanks for your kind words.

Hakan, I used thin fishing line, you can see in the first pictures the lines only glued in one point, so are extended. In other process pictures the lines are cutted and then glued in two points giving it a curl shape.

Cya.

Thanks for the answer! I'll try that, as the copper wire I've tried to use, tends to get loose everytime I try to get the rest of it to go where I want!

Cheers,

HÃ¥kan

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