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AliGauld—just catching up with this—amazing work! Sorry if I missed it, what color did you use for Japanese himmaraus (sorry for the spelling)—best, Erwin

In a spectacular build, I am still drawn to that underside—I think it is weathered perfectly—as well as everything else—I just think the dark underside makes weathering work—cheers Erwin

Wow—I really like how the scuffing came out—I really think your wings look like some of the pics in Dana’s F4U book—I plan on shamelessly citing this build—best, Erwin

Wow, an amazing catch up—I hope this has a spot of honor your shelf—the engines are particularly incredible—best, Erwin

Opuss—just saw this. The cockpit turned out amazing, you rescued the wings from molded markings AND then you painted some of the decals—great work behind an amazing finish—Well done! Best, Erwin

Really like the engine and the overall finish is incredible—will be following with interest best, Erwin

Loren, thank you for the info—again your color choices and build are some of the best I have seen for a B-29, so I greatly appreciate your perspective—well done! Best, Erwin

Loren, amazing build—I really like the foil insulation solution. Quick question, if I may, and only because you seem to know your B-29s—the colors all seem to be virtually all dead on—I did think the nose wheel wells on wartime Superforts were NMF w/ aluminum lacquer or YZC gear vice painted wells—given this post war, it could have been painted, but the bomb bay is NMF—sorry if I missed an explanation and please take the question as wanting learn versus proving a point—there is much I don’t know and this is well put together and esquitly researched—best, Erwin

Mark, a benchmark Gloss Sea Blue—I will be shamelessly referring to this build on both F6F-5 & F4U-1D. Well done! Best, Erwin

Bill, I love what you have done so far & the marriage of EE amazing building skills is creating a phenomenal result—while you didn’t bring attention to it, I think the stencils on the main gear add a lot—I am not familiar with the Army painter wash, but I think I am going to have to check it out—I will enjoy/am enjoying the journey of this build, but am looking forward to seeing the Monogram and Tamiya T-Bolts together—Bravo and well done! Best, Erwin

The weathering on the GSB Corsair will be a great tribute to the aviator you are honoring and also have no doubt that many of us will learn a lot—following with interest—best, Erwin

Hang in there—I think you are going to be really happy with your results—best, Erwin

@billn53, given the amazing progress on your P-47, I cant wait to see what you do with the engine—it’s also going to turn the prop—correct? @opus999, I think you do a great job getting the details to pop on your 1/72 prop fighter builds—g @giemme and Johnny @The Spadgent your builds are always informative and inspirational—thanks to all who looked and liked—best, Erwin

Egged on by @giemme from my F4F Franken Engine & @billn53's amazing scratch work I turned to what many consider the weakest point of Academy's kit--the engine. I agree, Academy's rendition of the PW 2800 is one of the weakest points of this kit. Given this, I decided to consider using the Eduard cylinders or a resin copy of the Quick Boost engine meant for Eduard kit. Given not much of the firewall will be seen in 1/72 I decided to use the kit firewall to help me place the engine in the finished assembly. In the photo above, you can see the blanking pate, the front of the Eduard engine and the Quick Boost engine wired with copper wire push rods. I decided to go with the Quick Boost engine instead of Eduard's as the crankcase is better detailed--magnetos, governors and wire/data plate photo etch to follow. I also think the wire pushrods look better--even in 1/72 scale--than the molded rods. Although, I will acknowledge the point from @Navy Bird's spectacular BT-1 build that very little will be seen once the cowling is on a 1/72 aircraft. I also decided that the internal firewall plate would work for 1/72 based off of @opus999's amazing Bearcat build--on 1/72 WW2 fighters it seems that it is important to use unseen areas to better line up major pieces--ie, prop, crank case etc--especially if you are not opening the fuselage. I drilled out the cowling intakes--Eduard has a hole for the center one in their cowling, but this is the Academy build--I wanted to make the hole on Academy kit happen so the center grill made out of fine mesh could be attached. Cowling grates attached--not quite the interior bits Johnny @The Spadgent did for his beautiful Hind, but I think it will work for 1/72. Since I always seem to ask others about US crank case colors, here are my results. is a comparison of Eduard reccomended Mission Models Medium grey versus the Tamiya 1/32 F4U recommended color XF-66 Light Grey--ironically, I think the Tamiya "Light Grey" is darker and closer to PW 2800 in @Dana Bell's Corsair book, so I am going to go with Tamiya's color. I thin Tamiya's XF-66 will be my go to now that Model Master no longer makes their Engine Grey --or any more Model Master paints for that matter Magnetos on the Quickboost engine--ready for the governors and wiring. Ready for weathering, I will tame some of the stray wires following a Tamiya Black Panel Line Wash and AK's Engine effects. I think I am going to feel bad sealing this into the aircraft, so I figured folks would enjoy the wired 1/72 Quick Boost engine. One item missing in many combat operational -3 kits I have seen is the forward internal frame and armor glass. I went about making this with flattened led wire and acetate--this was secured with Micro Scale Crystal Clear-- @elger's and @SaminCam's amazing scratch WW2 bombers served as an inspiration. Gunsight Smile . The grate is hard to see in these photos--I think it is the focus, but it makes a difference when seen in person. Armored canopy fit! Apologies if this jumped around a bit--the Academy kit has a lot of parts come together in the main assembly quick--as I believe @Jackson Duvalier pointed out, ease of assembly is a 1/72 Academy F6F strength. Next up will be moving forward into painting this Hellcat up as White K 21--and yes, I planon using Flory wash Johnny Thank you all for your thoughts and comments--best, Erwin

Bill, love the Electrical Engineering overview—as usual the model building is first rate—best, Erwin

Bill, wow, what an amazing thread—hopefully @Dana Bell can get the interior colors book together—moving on, I will say that this build is making me look at TBDs as builders now—you have/are doing an amazing job w/this kit and it shows in the silver and gloss finish—not easy! Well done and following the final rounds with interest—best, Erwin

G, loved catching up—the burner cans are a great highlight (along with everything else )—best, Erwin

Dennis, thanks for the offer, I am a bit ahead of what I’ve posted on 3x 1/72 Hellcat build and am near done with the main construction phase on my Eduard -5 in 1/72. This will be my 1st USN GSB, so I am very interested in primers, psi and thinning ratios. I will be using Colorcoats enamels—thanks for your kind offer and again, great work! Best, Erwin

@giemme, came to Dennis’s build for inspiration and got the mix up—I am honored for the confusion though— @Corsairfoxfouruncle is an amazing and accomplished builder—will be using his builds for reference as I move through my Eduard 1/72 F6Fs—-best to all, and wow, amazing work! Best, Erwin Thank you G… Erwin ? I think my name is Dennis ?

Great work—really like you sorted out the metallics—best, Erwin

Bill—really enjoyed catching up on this project—I particularly liked how you sorted out the ductwork—I too am looking forward to the pilot’s moving arm best, Erwin

Thanks @tempestfan—-maybe we will see a re-release by Revell of the 1/72 F-105s—I did note they released the F-4J—who knows maybe they have 1/72 F-4C/D tooling as well (understand both F-4s were boxed Accurate Miniatures)—circling back to the Thud, maybe we will see a new molding of this important aircraft soon to compete with the current Trump/Revell stable—best and thanks to all—Erwin

@Luka, thanks for starting this thread— @Rick Tsujimura & @e8n2 useful info—Monogram’s F-4s/F-105/F-101 really seem to have stood the test of time, though the F-4s have been superseded by some other manufacturers (IMHO), they are still great kits—just like this thread—great info all around, best, Erwin

Coming into the great thread over a year late. My vote is the Monogram F-105 in 1/72. Reference the 1/72 F-105D, any words if Revell has the molds for re-issues down the road? Best, Erwin

Aligauld—oh wow—put a background on this and it would pass as the real thing—it’s a replica not a model—thanks for sharing this incredible work and journey—looking forward to the Mosquito—best, Erwin