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Douglas F4D-1 Skyray, Tamiya 1/48


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Hi all,,those of you who looked at my last build may have been expecting the mighty Trumpeter 1/48 Skywarrior. Unfortunately having attempted to dry fit the fuselage halves around the sub assemblies both were founds to be warped. The port fuse both warped and bent to the value of over 3/8 inch over it's length. I am currently in contact with the importers to try to source replacements, but I think it may be a lengthy process. So I put that on one side and started this beauty......

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This is the first Tamiya kit I have ever built.....(I know, I can't believe it either) and I see why people rate them, it went together perfectly, every piece slotting into it's allotted place, what a joy!

The only problem I encountered was I was unable to make the large, complex one piece engine nacelle intake warning decals conform around the intakes, it was just asking too much. So I hand painted the red around the nacelles and then cut the DANGER decals and added them.

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As per my preferred technique, panel lines pre drawn with pens and post shading with dry pastels for a not very weathered effect!

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I resisted the temptation to do the popular blue with yellow stars VF(Aw-3) scheme and instead went for the "death dealers" VMF(AW)-114 Marines scheme, here's the original....

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And mine

57a5ade4dbe3edeada680ed65532541a.jpgseat belts made the cockpit a little more busy, otherwise OOB.

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I hope you like this one as much as I enjoyed building it.

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If you'd like some lessons in how to fly the SkyRay look here.....

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675064305_Douglas-F4D-1-Skyray_training-film_pre-take-off-checks_aircraft-taxis-and-takes-off

There's loads more fantastic stuff on that site if you look around, believe me it's worth it!

Being a glutton for punishment I've started the Trumpy 1/48 RA-5C Vigilante this afternoon........wish me luck.

Best wishes

TonyS

Edited by dhdove
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Very neat and realistic looking Skyray, thanks to your smooth finish and restrained weathering. The Skyray is one of my favourite US planes, courtesy of that flowing but still purposeful design.

The cockpit framing would have benefitted from being masked or applied using prepainted decal strips, though, don't you think?

Nice work over all!

Kind regards,

Joachim

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Very neat and realistic looking Skyray, thanks to your smooth finish and restrained weathering. The Skyray is one of my favourite US planes, courtesy of that flowing but still purposeful design.

The cockpit framing would have benefitted from being masked or applied using prepainted decal strips, though, don't you think?

Nice work over all!

Kind regards,

Joachim

Hi Joachim

You may well be right.

Unfortunately the camera is better than my eyes! I primed and glossed by hand and then used a cocktail stick to cut errors back to the frames. On this kit the frame lines are a little indistinct and I gave it my best shot given my patience available!

TBH I think cockpit masks are a bit expensive?

I'll try to I improve next time!

TonyS

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Apart from the aforementioned cockpit framing, you've done a lovely job on this. I built exactly the same model with exactly the same markings and did exactly the same with the intake warning decals as you did! Spooky.

Did you also have the same experience I had - found the tiny extra decal sheet in the bottom of the box, looked at the 3EK marking you'd already put on the starboard wing, and thought "Awww no..." ? :banghead:

Nice finish,

Dean

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Apart from the aforementioned cockpit framing, you've done a lovely job on this. I built exactly the same model with exactly the same markings and did exactly the same with the intake warning decals as you did! Spooky.

Did you also have the same experience I had - found the tiny extra decal sheet in the bottom of the box, looked at the 3EK marking you'd already put on the starboard wing, and thought "Awww no..." ? :banghead:

Nice finish,

Dean

Dean

Funny you should mention that.....

I learnt another lesson here......always look through the promotional material in the bottom of the box so you can find the small Errata decal sheet...... OOOOPS,

Here's some more pics

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I agree, it's a bit spooky, we seem to have followed the same path.

In any event, this was one of the best kits I've built since my return to modelling, such a great fit. Shame that I can't find much more from Tamiya in 1/48 Cold War US Navy planes, which I have chosen as my subject.

Thank you to you all for your most kind comments, they really are much appreciated and encourage me to move forward. I'm even thinking of doing a first WIP on my just started next project the much criticised but lovely Trumpeter 1/48 RA-5C Vigilante.....any thoughts?

Bets regards

TonyS

Edited by dhdove
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