825 Posted November 14, 2018 Share Posted November 14, 2018 (edited) Third contribution (I couldn't make my mind up) is this Academy Wildcat F4F4, which in FAA terms is a Martlet MkII. Simple kit, reasonably well moulded. Will need an instrument panel and some transfers from the stash. I'm tempted by an Operation Ironclad option from HMS Illustrious but I have a few more to ponder. Edited December 30, 2018 by 825 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 18, 2018 Author Share Posted November 18, 2018 Some paint on. Going to be a temperate Sea scheme finish. Engine (or as it's US made should it be motor?) and undercarriage assembled. Not bad detail for an elderly kit. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 Here's the transfers I'll be using. DP Casper's Operation Ironclad, the successful invasion of Vichy Madagascar to prevent it becoming a resource for the Japanese. A Martlet II of 881 NAS on HMS Illustrious. I'll decide which of them later. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted November 22, 2018 Share Posted November 22, 2018 Nice offbeat choice! It wasn't all that many years ago that I found out about the invasion of Madagascar, which struck me as a rather unlikely event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 22, 2018 Author Share Posted November 22, 2018 12 hours ago, gingerbob said: Nice offbeat choice! It wasn't all that many years ago that I found out about the invasion of Madagascar, which struck me as a rather unlikely event. At first it does seem strange but strategically it really did make sense. We didn't want the Japanese o have a base in the Western Indian Ocean that they could use to attack shipping getting to Egypt and the Western Desert via the Cape. it was also a well planned successful operation that combined carrier air power with a seaborne landing Anyway back to the Martlet. Interior completed and painted along with a makeshift attempt at an instrument panel. And now closed up Pretty good joins, a sliver of filler is needed here and there just to help polish off the joins 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 Wings assembled, fitted and empanage on. The joints are great. No filler needed at all on the wing/fuselage join 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 Airframe complete. Upperworks and downstairs too. There was a slot for the stand and that's taken a bit of time to fill and smooth off satisfactorily. a couple of coats of paint needed to complete. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 Hi 825, I like you Martlet it's coming on nicely. I did a similar conversion the the Tamiya kit in the remedial scale. To make it a Martlet II you need to do a little work on the cowling. The MkII did not have the lip intake which is a simple sanding job, and it only had one large cowl flap on either side. You might need to check out the Serial against the type of Pitot tube as well, the earlier serials having a unique Pitot tube. See the IPMS article below to get a brief description of the various (complicated) Martlets.. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/wildcatfaaba_1.htm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted November 28, 2018 Author Share Posted November 28, 2018 46 minutes ago, Grey Beema said: Hi 825, I like you Martlet it's coming on nicely. I did a similar conversion the the Tamiya kit in the remedial scale. To make it a Martlet II you need to do a little work on the cowling. The MkII did not have the lip intake which is a simple sanding job, and it only had one large cowl flap on either side. You might need to check out the Serial against the type of Pitot tube as well, the earlier serials having a unique Pitot tube. See the IPMS article below to get a brief description of the various (complicated) Martlets.. http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/wildcatfaaba_1.htm Thanks GB. I took the cowling as correct as Academy label this an F4F-4, the Martlet equivalent is a MkII. I can fill the gills and leave the cowling with the two large flaps. On the pitot I'll use the serials in AJ range which had the traditional pitot rather than the unique backward facing overwing version, which were in the AM range. I have a copy of the hyperscale article and should have noticed this. It truly is a brilliant reference source for the Martlet. Thanks again. 825 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 3, 2018 Author Share Posted December 3, 2018 I've had a busy few days but I've got some more paint on after masking the undersides. The prop tips have also been painted and the undercart is ready to fit when ready. I wasn't 100% happy with paint on the nose so it's had a light sand down and polish. Another coat of Dark Slate Grey is needed before camouflage with Extra Dark Sea Grey 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 15, 2018 Author Share Posted December 15, 2018 Airframe complete and painting done. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 18, 2018 Author Share Posted December 18, 2018 Undercarriage on and transfers added. unfortunately the upper wing roundels have a white 'rim' around part of them. I'm not 100% sure what to do. No way are my painting skills good enough to paint them out, I'd worry (even with a couple of coats of Kleer) of masking tape lifting the original transfer or ripping them off and replacing with some from the stash. I think I still have half an Airfix Martlet transfer sheet and that should suffice. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted December 19, 2018 Share Posted December 19, 2018 Disappointing about the upper wing decals, in every other respect it is looking really good. Sorry if I've missed what paint you are using but if that is an enamel finish, I've stripped decals with sellotape before when I've decided to reapply & had no hassles, just use enough to cover the decal rather than the whole wing as it were. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 19, 2018 Author Share Posted December 19, 2018 7 hours ago, stevehnz said: Disappointing about the upper wing decals, in every other respect it is looking really good. Sorry if I've missed what paint you are using but if that is an enamel finish, I've stripped decals with sellotape before when I've decided to reapply & had no hassles, just use enough to cover the decal rather than the whole wing as it were. Steve. Thank Steve, the paint is Xtracrylix acrylic which is probably a bit more fragile. If I decide to remove and replace then I'll probably use masking tape which probably will take a bit longer to remove the transfers but be less likely to damage the paint. Anyway it's no great deal to touch up the paint, just a pain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 20, 2018 Author Share Posted December 20, 2018 I've been looking at my reference sources again and realise that the MkII doesn't have the carburettor scoop on the cowling lip so that will have to come off and be tidied up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 27, 2018 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 Cowling sorted out and new upper wing transfers. I should have sorted out the cowling a lot earlier. Grey Beema told me about it along with the cowling cooling flaps, which I rescribed. However, it's done now,,and to be honest wasn't a difficult job. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 27, 2018 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 Prop on, canopy masked and fixed, and radio mast on. Not much more to do. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 Nice MkII. Really like it. Great addition to your collection.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted December 30, 2018 Author Share Posted December 30, 2018 Finished and ready for the gallery. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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