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Airfix 1/72 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat *Completed*


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Hi,

 

This is going to be my first-ever Group Build, and to ensure I have a chance of completion before the September deadline, I've decided to apply the principles of KISS, or "Keep it simple, stupid!"

 

The kit cost me £8.99 (plus postage, of course) from Model Hobbies, my current first port-of-call.

 

At the time I bought it, I intended to add a Yahu instrument panel and seatbelts, but as either of these takes the cost over the Tenner, they'll be saved for a future project.

 

Here is the kit, still in its box and unrifled, snoozing beside my Number One Helper until zero hour:

http://IMG-20210512-171435209.jpg

 

I'm really looking forward to doing this GB and being among such good company!

 

Cheers for now!

Mark

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Hi Mark. Welcome to your first GB! I hope you have an enjoyable time. I built this kit a while back and thoroughly enjoyed the build. I'm looking forward to following your build of it.

Kind regards,

Stix

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37 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Mark. Welcome to your first GB! I hope you have an enjoyable time. I built this kit a while back and thoroughly enjoyed the build. I'm looking forward to following your build of it.

Kind regards,

Stix

Hi Stix,

 

That's very kind of you - I'm looking forward to taking part!

 

Kind regards,

Mark

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On 15/05/2021 at 07:19, JOCKNEY said:

Welcome to the GB Mark, fingers crossed you enjoy it as it's a lot of fun, best of luck.

 

Are you going to introduce your glamorous assistant ?

 

Cheers Pat

 

Hi Pat,

 

glad to be here, and I'm looking forward to taking part :) 

 

My assistant is Daisy - she always shows a keen interest and likes to examine kit sprues closely. Here she's checking out an Airfix rag-wing Hurricane:

http://IMG-20210424-115139389.jpg

 

And she's also quite good at trying to get me to concentrate on one build at a time, usually by preventing work on my current fad!

http://IMG-20210424-180548345.jpg

 

My den has a laminate floor, so I don't have a carpet monster per se - I do have a fluff monster, though, and if anything goes missing, its usually Daisy that's pinched it!

 

Cheers,

Mark

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So, a small start on the Airfix Wildcat, with obligatory shots, just cos :) 

 

Box top:

http://IMG-20210515-133909671.jpg

 

Instructions and decal sheet:

http://IMG-20210515-134235817.jpg

 

Sprues A-E in order:

http://IMG-20210515-134052869.jpg

http://IMG-20210515-134114516.jpg

http://IMG-20210515-134130383.jpg

http://IMG-20210515-134153197.jpg

http://IMG-20210515-134208123.jpg

 

And these are the two bits of aftermarket that I bought to go with the kit, which I won't be using as either one on its own would take the whole cost over the tenner! :) 

http://IMG-20210515-134253956.jpg

 

Sprues washed and drying:

http://IMG-20210515-135819699.jpg

I don't recommend putting them in the dish washer as they go a bit wobbly.....

 

Cheers for now,

Mark

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I'm planning on going with Option 'B' on the instruction sheet, which is the VF-6 Wildcat embarked aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) in 1942. However, I usually try to add a little variation to the kit-supplied decals by altering serial numbers etc, and in this case I have a little plan which should manage this but won't involve anything beyond the contents of the box!

 

I wonder if anyone can suggest some paints for me? I normally use an airbrush, but it expired recently, and while I'm waiting for funds to buy a new one (and a new compressor, too), I don't want to be forced to sit on my builds too much. I've got great results with Tamiya's rattle cans in the past, and given the Wildcat's relatively simple camouflage, they could be an option.

 

However, Airfix's colour call-outs seem a bit odd, with #125 Matt US Dark Grey for the upper surfaces and #129 Matt US Gull Grey for the undersides. I was under the impression that this scheme was Blue-Gray over Light Gray. Can anyone suggest something suitable? I thought perhaps Mr Color Spray 100ml Light Blue RLM65 Satin Gloss # 115 might make a good basis for the Blue-Gray?

 

The interior is suggested as being #226 Interior Green and #129 Gull Grey. As I understand it, Grumman used their own interior green, a bronze-green, and their own grey. Or was that on much earlier aircraft?

 

Thanks for looking in, and any comments or suggestions are always welcome!

 

Cheers,

Mark

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16 minutes ago, AliGauld said:

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

Thanks, Alistair, should be fun (I'm really looking forward to doing the Arma FM-2 in Atlantic ASW scheme as well!), just need to sort out the right paints for this one!

 

Cheers,

Mark

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I'm not actually sure that this ultimately qualifies as progress. However, I did manage to start putting the cockpit together yesterday afternoon:

http://IMG-20210516-114705714.jpg

 

And then Daisy decided to lend a paw:

http://IMG-20210516-114516086.jpg

Oh dear! After it had been lightly mauled and batted off the table top, I rescued it from the floor and checked it over: it seems okay :D 

 

I think she's trying to tell me, "Wild or not, there's only One Cat in this house!"

 

Cheers for now.....

Mark

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On 5/17/2021 at 8:59 AM, 2996 Victor said:

And then Daisy decided to lend a paw:

http://IMG-20210516-114516086.jpg

 

 

She's just checking to see if you've broken the control column yet.

 

Looking forward to seeing how this compares to Alistair's recent masterpiece (in terms of how the different kits build of course, not your respective modelling skills which I would not presume to judge on!)

 

Craig.

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On 5/16/2021 at 2:24 PM, 2996 Victor said:

I was under the impression that this scheme was Blue-Gray over Light Gray. Can anyone suggest something suitable?

Yep. 

M.485 NS Light Grey, Mr.Hobby H51 Light Gull Grey is close enough. otherwise, Vallejo Model Air 71.298 M.485 NS Light Grey (mislabeled as M.495).

M485 NS blue grey on top.  I used  Vallejo ModelAir 71.109 PRU Blue & AK Realcolour RC256 - the latter is a bit on the light/faded side, but up to you :) 

VMA is brushable, I've understood, so may be an alternative.

 

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12 minutes ago, Dandie Dinmont said:

She's just checking to see if you've broken the control column yet.

Not yet.....but I will! :) 

 

14 minutes ago, Dandie Dinmont said:

Looking forward to seeing how this compares to Alistair's recent masterpiece (in terms of how the different kits build of course, not your respective modelling skills which I would not presume to judge on!)

Yes, me too! Especially as I've got the Arma kit in my stash (read: heap!) as well. I'm wondering if the biggest notable difference will be in the characteristics of the actual plastic - so far it seems very soft. I think for the remainder of this and for future Airfix builds I'm going to try a milder solvent adhesive like L-Limonene - MEK seems too aggressive (I haven't dared try PlasticWeld!).

 

4 minutes ago, AliGauld said:

Hardly masterpiece but thank you.

I'm with Craig 100% on this - masterpiece for definite!

 

Cheers,

Mark

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18 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

Yep. 

M.485 NS Light Grey, Mr.Hobby H51 Light Gull Grey is close enough. otherwise, Vallejo Model Air 71.298 M.485 NS Light Grey (mislabeled as M.495).

M485 NS blue grey on top.  I used  Vallejo ModelAir 71.109 PRU Blue & AK Realcolour RC256 - the latter is a bit on the light/faded side, but up to you :) 

VMA is brushable, I've understood, so may be an alternative.

 

Brilliant, @alt-92 thank you! Coincidentally, I was just trawling the internet again for some answers, so that's excellent timing as well :) 

 

A quick look at my paint stock shows I've got Vallejo Model Air 71.109 PRU Blue, which is great as I do like VMA. I might also invest in the AK Realcolour shade, as I believe the real paint faded and chalked quite quickly in use. I'll need to get the underside colour, and I was just looking at VMA M485 Light Gray - the mis-labelling had already confused me!

 

Incidentally, I've brushed VMA RAF Dark Earth on my Tomahawk IIB and with multiple very thin coats it went on well over an airbrushed base of Middle Stone.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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On 18/05/2021 at 15:28, 2996 Victor said:

VMA M485 Light Gray

Well, I've got a bottle of this on order so I'm all set for camouflage. I've also ordered a bottle of VMA 71250 Bronze Green, as I understand Grumman used a bronze green on the cockpit interior of their Wildcats. I believe the interior grey areas were also a Grumman in-house shade, but how different that would be to the exterior underside Light Gray I don't know.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Ah-ha! The very thing, penned by Dana Bell:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234991012-couple-of-f4f-4-wildcat-related-queries/&do=findComment&comment=2147670

 

And the VMA Light Gray and Bronze Green have arrived today as well! :) 

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Hi Mark. Great to see you are underway, even if in just a small way! I'm not sure your quality control operative is up to the job though! :worry:

Kind regards,

Stix

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27 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Mark. Great to see you are underway, even if in just a small way! I'm not sure your quality control operative is up to the job though! :worry:

Kind regards,

Stix

I think you're right, Stix - a CAT Scan is useful, but not the destructive testing :D

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Some small progress on the Wildcat today, with the control column fitted to the cockpit tub (and, wonder of wonders, I successfully cut it from the sprue in one piece!), and the engine and wings (unfolded) assembled. I've also started assembling the very complex undercarriage, which is extremely well engineered, it has to be said.

 

A few photos:

http://IMG-20210522-142825456.jpg

http://IMG-20210522-161539380.jpg

http://IMG-20210522-164917493.jpg

http://IMG-20210522-161614612.jpg

 

I'm waiting to paint the interior as I'm hoping to get a new part for my airbrush, hopefully that will arrive mid-week and I'll be able to start a bit of painting. In the meantime, I'm intending to finish building the undercarriage assembly and any other bits I can do pre-paint.

 

Thanks for looking in, and comments and suggestions are always welcome.

 

Cheers,

Mark

 

 

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6 minutes ago, AliGauld said:

Nicely done that man, particularly the undercarriage it looks every bit as fiddly as the Arma.

 

Cheers,

Alistair

Thanks, Alistair, yes, it is quite fiddly, especially when parts ping off! Good job I've got a laminate floor.....and as the Chief Inspector was snoozing in the lounge the parts were retrieved safely :D

 

Cheers,

Mark

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