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1/48 Tamiya Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat


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Here's my third build, Tamiya's 1/48 F4F-4. I'll be using White Ensign Colourcoats Bronze Green on the interior for the first time,

F4F-4-start_zps8eb51494.jpg

For references, I have the D&S F4F Wildcat and the Squadron/Signal F4F Wildcat in action.

I haven't fully decided on the markings. Tamiya shows a tri-color marking, but that wasn't likely on an F4F-4. In any event, my experiences with Tamiya decals are not happy, so I'll likely go AM...

Edited by David N Lombard
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That is a great kit, I built one not too long ago and used the kit markings for VMF-223, and it turned out great. I've been wanting to get another one so I can use an AM cockpit I have in my box of goodies, maybe when the Hellcat is finished.......

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I have great results with Tamiya plastic--it's the decals that drive me nuts. :explode:

I'm homing in on the markings; I just ordered the CED48120 "F4F Wildcats Nr. 1" from Fine Art of Decals. Like your build, they're all USMC from Guadalcanal.

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I would actually love to get a -3 kit or backdate a -4 and make this aircraft

...

1) It's Felix.

2) That's a Mech chief working on the oil cooler.

There's the HB -3 Late as well as a JPS conversion for the Tamiya -4. I have the HB -3 Late, and it has markings for O'Hare's White 15.

Wouldn't you be able to use the HB -3 Late along with some of O'Hare's markings to make that aircraft? Would you do a diorama?

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Started this model thinking it was going to be mostly OOB other than the decals. After I got the decals, I also got the Ultracast F4F-4 seats with the shoulder harness. Then I saw the solid floor and lack of cockpit fuel tank. I opened up the floor (A24), cut off the "legs" from the instrument panel (A10), and finally cleaned up the mountings for the seat (A12). Looking a lot better now.

F4F-4-cockpit-mods_zps70ff7221.jpg

I had painted the cockpit parts on the sprue before I realized the work I needed to do, so I need to fix the collateral damage when I do the detail painting

I still need to build a fuel tank and seat mounts.

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Despite my efforts to protect them with masking tape when sanding, I managed to mangle some of the rivets on the upper deck. I replaced the missing rivets using the Surface Details #2 set by Archer Fine Transfers. Fairly happy with the results:

F4F-4-rivets_zps73f25658.jpg

Finally ready for the paint shop...

Imma gonna make this yet!

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