Couldn`t Resist Another- New 1/72nd Airfix Martlet Mk.IV- FINISHED

[tonyot]

Cheers fellas,

I`m not sure about the canopy issues one way or the other,.....which is why I`m raiding the spares box as I`m sure that I have seen a Wildcat canopy in there somewhere!!! Anyway,....here is the model with the Sky undersides applied and masked off for a couple of coats of Polly Scale Dark Slate Grey;

Cheers for now,

Tony

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good evening Tony

that is what I call a very nice and fast work

Patrice

[FalkeEins]

thanks Tony for another fascinating thread and looks like a great little kit from Airfix. Having done the Wildcat I can't really see the canopy issue myself..but then I'm no expert. Planning on building both options..

[Robert Stuart]

Looking good Tony, I have the Wildcat version of this kit in my stash, so I'm waiting to see how you solve the canopy issue here.

[tonyot]

Cheers fella`s,.....here is another update,....the first coat of EDSG,...using Pactra acrylic, by brush again;

I`ve also dug out a Hamilton Standard propeller left over from the Airfix Dakota so I might have a go at chopping the blades down and re shaping them,.....if that doesn`t work I`ll just fit the props from the Martlet kit onto the Dakota kit hub,

Canopy wise,.....I think that I`ve found one left over from a Hobbyboss kit,....I`ll test fit it tonight,.....off to the swimming pool now for some training,

Cheers

Tony

[Beard]

I'm a bit late to this one. Thanks for sharing some great photos and the information regarding the propellor. It's also good to see that your canopy framing is as 'rough' as mine, of course mine stay that way.

[72modeler]

I think the kit prop is correct for the FM2/Mk VI, as it has the correct tapered dome for the Curtiss Electric prop and the paddle blades; IIRC, some production FM2/Mk VI's also used a Hamilton Standard paddle blade prop, but had the cylindrical prop dome with a rounded tip. I think a B-17B/C/D or an A-20 or TBF/TBM prop would also work after being reshaped. A B-17F/G, B-24D/H/J prop or a C-47 prop from a kit with the R-1820 engine might work, but they were paddle-bladed and would require more reshaping to be correct for the Martlet IV. (Why can't kit makers seem to be able to get props correct?)

Looking good so far, though, Tony...there's something about a U.S. aircraft in TSS that floats my boat! Awaiting the finished product!

I have one on the way from the Big H, so will have to see what all the fuss is about. Me, I want an FM2/Mk VI big-time!

Mike

Edited September 14, 2016 by 72modeler

[heloman1]

Just found your build Tony. Looking good and some goodb banter re the markings. Looks like a good little kit too?

Colin

[tonyot]

Cheers Beard, Mike & Colin,

Another update,.....well first thing,.....I wasn`t happy with the look of the TSS so I overpainted the Polly Scale Dark Slate Grey using Humbrol enamel 224 and after this first coat it looks better. I`ve also shown the kit prop along with an Airfix Dakota prop,....I intend to clip the latter;

Somebody asked earlier about the two cowlings in the kit,.....well here they are together and they look the same to me! The kit and Dak props can be seen in close up too,.....note how the Dak prop has the correct hub;

And here is the Dakota propeller after the tips had been clipped and reprofiled,.....compared to the kit prop and a standard Airfix Dak prop;

Onto canopies,....oh dear! Here is the kit canopy compared to a Hasegawa one (middle) and old Frog (furthest away),.....all look different but to my eye the Hasegawa one in the middle looks best, with the Airfix one in the foreground probably worst of all!!

So,...the Hasegawa canopy was not clear enough and would not fit the kit,.....so here are the Airfix canopy (foreground) and Frog canopy (furthest) both fitted to the Airfix kit, the furthest model being the earlier F4F-4 variant being converted into a Martlet Mk.V (FM-1) with a deeper cowling,....... what to do?;

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After a second coat of Humbrol Dark Slate Grey here is the model so far. with the modified Dakota propeller in situ along with the kit canopy which has been dry fitted,.... I`ll definitely be looking for a suitable replacement but if none can be found then I may pinch in the sliding hood section which is now wider than the rear fuselage spine which had been reduced in width earlier.....we`ll see,....

Cheers for now,

Tony

Edited September 13, 2016 by tonyot

[Beard]

I've just been studying Bruce Archer's Hyperscale article on Martlets/ Wildcats and I think the Airfix canopy captures the shape of the Martlet IV's. In the time it took me to compare canopies, you made a decision and edited your post.

Nice work on the propeller and the painting looks good, by the way, (as usual).

(Edited to correct spelling.)

Edited September 13, 2016 by Beard

[tonyot]

I've just been studying Bruce Archer's Hyperscale article on Martlets/ Wildcats and I think the Airfix canopy captures the shape of the Martlet IV's. In the time it took me to compare canopies, you made a decision and edited your post.

Nice work on the propeller and the painting looks good, by the way, (as usual).

(Edited to correct spelling.)

Cheers Beard,.....yeah sorry I had to edit it as some of the photos didn`t show up as planned and then some of the text wasn`t there,......so had to tidy it up a bit afterwards.

I think that Airfix have slightly overdone the sweep down of the sliding hood and I may just add a small shim to the bottom rear part of the canopy rail section just to raise it slightly,.....I`m trying to do that now.

All the best

Tony

[72modeler]

Hi. Tony!

That reworked prop looks great- you nailed it! Your repaint of the TSS colors looks bang-on, too! Going to be a very nice Martlet, my man! Like you, I think there needs to be some work done on the spine and the canopy, but will have to wait until I get my hands on the Airfix kit and drag out my Hasegawa kits and drawings to do some comparing and correcting.

Mike

[CliffB]

Looking very sharp Tony

Cliff

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good morning Tony

Great progresses you made

Patrice

[tonyot]

Thanks for your kind words fella`s,......last night I applied a coat of Humbrol Enamel 35 Gloss Varnish ready to add the decals,......so maybe get on with that tomorrow once the varnish has dried;

Still pondering what to do about a canopy!

Cheers

Tony

[72modeler]

Tony,

Don't know if this helps, but I have attached a link to an article that shows building an FM2 from the Hasegawa F4F-4 kit; not the version you are doing, but I thought the photo and description of his canopy corrections might be of interest. I have another very detailed article somewhere with drawings, photos, and text of this conversion as well as detail differences of other Wildcat/Martlet variants; I'll see if I can locate it. Hope this helps you a little as well as any other builders out there considering a Martlet IV or VI.

Mike

C:\Users\Mikey\Documents\modeling references\aircraft\Hasegawa 1-72 FM-2 conversion article.htm

[72modeler]

Aha- found it!

Here's a link to the more extensive article I mentioned in my previous post. Looks like this modeler did some serious and accurate research- lots of great Wildcat/Martlet modeling references here. I hope this helps you and others.

Mike

http://www.geocities.jp/yoyuso/fm2/fm2e-1.html

[tonyot]

Cheers Mike,

Funny how you should post that as I`m just putting an FM-2 together using spare bits and bobs! I had a part built old Airfix Wildcat FM-2 and I`ve added my left over new Airfix wings to it along with the spare cowling,.....then some spares box tailplanes from a scrapped Frog kit,...... I`ll find an engine and prop in the spares box too or might just use the Airfix prop;

I`ve sanded the old Airfix fuselage smooth,......this build is just for a bit of fun to see if it comes to anything!

On with the Airfix Mk.IV,.....I found a Sqn Sig vacuformed canopy inside a Hasegawa kit in the stash so will probably use this;

Cheers

Tony

Edit,....wow,.....just read that article Mike,....what a superb model, brilliant research and the artwork is lovely too. I had thought that the FM-2 had the oil coolers removed from below the wings?

Edited September 14, 2016 by tonyot

[Seahawk]

Here is the kit canopy compared to a Hasegawa one (middle) and old Frog (furthest away),.....all look different but to my eye the Hasegawa one in the middle looks best, with the Airfix one in the foreground probably worst of all!!

Right with you there. In my opinion the Hasegawa canopy does not fit and cannot be made to fit but an aftermarket manufacturer could quickly come up with an acceptable replacement starting out from the Hasegawa canopy as a basis. Big gain, because, as your built but canopy-less model shows, it's basically a lovely kit with superb levels of detail: a canopy that wasn't so obviously wrong would enable me to overlook other flaws which others assure me are there but which don't scream so loudly at me..

Where are Falcon when you need them?

Good work on the prop.

[72modeler]

Tony,

 

Thought you might like that article! The FM2 did have the oil coolers removed from the underside of the wings; in the article drawings, the former position occupied by the oil coolers is shown as a sheet metal panel that covered  where they were originally mounted. In the drawing, it looks like the oil coolers are still there, but if you look at the underside drawings of the earlier versions, you can see the oil coolers, which have a different shape than the panels shown on the  FM2 drawings- I had to look twice myself  when I first read the article, if that makes you feel better! I wish he had shown what the master he made for the new canopy looked like, as the one he made looks dead-on!

 

My favorite FM2 and the one I want to do I is  Wildcat VI JV768, S-X, from HMS Searcher, with C-type upperwing roundels. It's in the Warpaint on the Wildcat.

 

Going nuts trying to navigate around the new-improved website! Guess I will get used to it, in time...massive undertaking and much admiration and appreciation for the tekkies who are performing this incredible feat!

 

Mike

Edited September 15, 2016 by 72modeler
Wildcat VI is correct instead of Martlet VI

[rob85]

She is looking great Tony! Really come along since I last checked in with you. Great paintwork and info on the kit as usual.

 

Rob

[rob85]

She is looking great Tony! Really come along since I last checked in with you. Great paintwork and info on the kit as usual.

 

Rob

She is looking great Tony! Really come along since I last checked in with you. Great paintwork and info on the kit as usual.

 

Rob

[tonyot]

Cheers fella`s,.......yeah it is coming along now,........I put the decals on last night and couldn`t resist adding a yellow band to the spinner boss;

 

Cheers

           Tony

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

Good afternoon Tony

so far,  she looks great with the decals ..

Patrice

[PhantomBigStu]

Looking super Tony

 

 I'll just picked a martlett up today as well so snap :)