Kiwikitbasher Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 (edited) I participated in an old kit group build with some of my mates, the idea being we should each build a kit that was released when we were kids - The older you were the older the kit should be. I selected about four from around 1967-69 and invited my mates to choose for me. They unanimously chose Monogram's 1/72 Boeing F4B-4 released in 1968 when I was 8 years old. My moulding was showing its age, with flash, slightly misaligned tooling, and warped interplane struts. However, the basic kit is quite nice, albeit lacking any cockpit detail. I fixed this problem using a resin cockpit set by Starfighter, which is ok for what is ultimately visible. I also used some quite good decals by the same company. I chose to refine several kit parts a such as bracing struts, windscreen and guns. I also opened up hand-holds in the wing tips, added a fuel filler neck and cap to the long-range tank, replaced the arrestor hook, and displaced the tail control surfaces. I originally planned to rig with invisible mending thread, but instead ended up using ceramic wire for the first time. This spring tensile product proved very easy to position using a blind hole at one end and an open one at the other. The hardest part was getting the length right using trial and error. Sorry for the sickly green background, it's all I had to hand... The accompanying link to a slideshow of images tells the story of what I did with the kit: http://s7.photobucket.com/user/kiwikitbasher/slideshow/F4B-4 or use this link to my work in progress account: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235011598-boeing-f4b4-monogram-172/ Edited November 5, 2016 by Kiwikitbasher Add link to other post 33 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted November 5, 2016 Share Posted November 5, 2016 Cracking little build,beautiful smooth finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 5, 2016 Author Share Posted November 5, 2016 Thanks Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 A number of years ago, Accurate Miniatures released some older Monogram 1/72 kits, two to a box. I have Kit No. 1021, containing the F4B-4 and the P-6E. Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Not bad for a 50 year old kit. In fact, not bad for a kit of any age – superb build and finish! Kind regards, Joachim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 Thanks Joachim, glad you liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuro Nezumi Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Lovely little plane! Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 6, 2016 Author Share Posted November 6, 2016 Thanks Kuro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polo1112 Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Fantastic !!! It's a real jewel. Congratulations !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 Looks fantastic, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted November 6, 2016 Share Posted November 6, 2016 As mentioned before, be careful with old kits. The result is stunning. Regards, Dirk The Netherlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinger-d Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Excellent work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 Thanks to everyone above, I'm glad you liked it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Very nice Monogram small wonder! Those old Monograms (also Curtiss Hawk II) are really still attractive, despite the age... Cheers J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 10, 2016 Author Share Posted November 10, 2016 Thanks JW, Yes, they are good, but still benefit from a bit of refinement. Here's a link to my build: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235011598-boeing-f4b4-monogram-172/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark4700 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Very nice. Certainly doesn't look it's age Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Indeed - you improved many details I have no guess this... Nice job! J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 That really looks very nice indeed. Lovely paint and rigging work . I had wondered if the Starfighter sets were good; I've been considering getting their improvement set for a very old Revell 1/72 Boeing Peashooter I have. Looking at this, the nice decals and WIP, it looks like they're good products (in the right hands, unlike my useless mitts ! ) All the best TonyT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 3 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said: That really looks very nice indeed. Lovely paint and rigging work . I had wondered if the Starfighter sets were good; I've been considering getting their improvement set for a very old Revell 1/72 Boeing Peashooter I have. Looking at this, the nice decals and WIP, it looks like they're good products (in the right hands, unlike my useless mitts ! ) All the best TonyT Thanks Tony, Starfighter's resin sets are OK, more cottage industry standard than mainstream production like Eduard, CMK or Aires for example. They improve the kits they are intended for as most have next to nothing to begin with. Their decals are very good (printed by Cartograf), although the instructions with most are minimalist but adequate. Possibly a little expensive for what they are, but they are often the only game in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted November 11, 2016 Author Share Posted November 11, 2016 5 hours ago, Mark4700 said: Very nice. Certainly doesn't look it's age Thanks Mark, yes for a 48 year old kit they are still pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Impressive. Nice subject. I had to read through your build as I found one in my stash in the blue Monogram box. Inside was the kit( fits nicely!) ......... all built and partially painted and a set of Starfighter decals. I must have planned to complete the model with the new decals as those in the box are still there but a bit curled and yellow. I'll try to complete it some when but will leave the rigging or at least apply a bit of it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Very nice and well built. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG X Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 Hey Mark that sounds like a fun thing to do with your mates and they certainly chose well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAAMAN Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 Excellent love the final finish shows what can be done with old kits congrats 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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