Reini78 Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 #22/2021 And my dad has finished the next one. Hobby Boss F4F-3 (late) kit with Superscale decals. The wing walkway decals came from the sparesbox. The kit and also the Superscale star decdals for the wings were to small, took suiting decals from a Czech ROP decals sheet. Painted with a selfmixed blue-grey (Tamiya XF-18 + XF-2) and Gunze H51 Light Gull Grey. Engraved the little camera door on the right belly side. Replaced the awfully molded kit guns with plastic rods. Build thread here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235097445-flying-leatherneckseyes-in-the-sky148-grumman-f4f-3p-wildcat-vmo-251-usmc/ The F4F-3P was the first photo reconnaissance variant of the F4F fighter aircraft which had entered service with the Navy and Marine Corps in 1940. The basic fighter versions were made famous by VMF-211 defending Wake Island and later VMF-223 at Guadalcanal with the “Cactis” Air Force. The aircraft was a single seater, with non-folding wings powered by a R-1830-86 engine. It earned the distinction of being the first modern photo reconnaissance aircraft to enter service with the Marine Corps and see combat action. The first Marine Corps F4F-3Ps were transferred from the Navy at San Diego and assigned to VMO-251 in June, 1942 after undergoing modifications at the North Island, Ca aircraft support facility. This modification involved removing the reserve fuel tank behind the pilot and installing two aerial cameras with necessary wiring and controls. The normal fighter armament was retained and put to use by VMO-251 upon arrival in the South Pacific in July, 1942. According to several records a total of 18 aircraft were converted to the 3P configuration but its not clear if all were deployed with VMO-251 in July of 1942. The F4F-3Ps were range limited and did not deploy with external tanks so were of limited utility in supporting the initial Guadalcanal operations which began on 7 August 1942. Consequently, the aircraft were mainly used for air defense of their base at Espiritu Santo some 300 miles South of Guadalcanal. Beginning in October 1942 the longer range F4F-7P replacement aircraft began to arrive and began operations from Guadalcanal. (info taken from mcara.us) Wikipedia info: Marine Observation Squadron 251 (VMO-251) was commissioned December 1, 1941 at Naval Air Station North Island, California. In mid-1942 it was transferred to Tontouta, New Caledonia and then to Turtle Bay Airfield on the island of Espiritu Santo in the British-French Condominium of New Hebrides prior to the invasion of Guadalcanal. While flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat during World War II, the squadron participated in numerous Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, Southern Solomons, Santa Cruz, Luzon, and the Southern Philippines. In 1943, the squadron transitioned to the F4U Corsair, and was re-designated Marine Fighter Squadron 251 (VMF-251) in February 1945. 22 F4U Corsairs from the squadron landed on Samar on 2 January 1945 as part of Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) and continued operations in the Philippines until May 1, 1945 when it flew its last combat mission of World War II while supporting clean-up operations at Leyte. On June 1, 1945, VMF-251 was deactivated at Samar, Philippines Island. Thirteen months later on July 1, 1946, VMF-251 was reactivated at Grosse Ile, Michigan as a ready-reserve squadron. DSC_0001 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0002 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0003 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0004 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0005 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0006 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0007 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0008 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0010 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0012 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0011 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0013 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0014 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0015 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0016 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0017 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0018 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0019 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0020 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0021 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0022 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr 33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerboy Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 That’s a little cracker, can’t believe nobody has commented yet, good job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murewa Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 That's amazing. Could I ask about the riveting detail? Is some of it pre moulded or all applied? If so what was used for the larger rivet details? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paramedic Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 A very nice build, great paint job! An underappreciated aircraft.. Thanks for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted October 13, 2021 Author Share Posted October 13, 2021 11 hours ago, Farmerboy said: That’s a little cracker, can’t believe nobody has commented yet, good job! 11 hours ago, Flight Line Media said: Nice, clean work! Thanks for sharing it. 10 hours ago, Murewa said: That's amazing. Could I ask about the riveting detail? Is some of it pre moulded or all applied? If so what was used for the larger rivet details? All already pre-molded, typical feature of Hobby Boss and Trumpeter aircraft kits 9 hours ago, Paramedic said: A very nice build, great paint job! An underappreciated aircraft.. Thanks for sharing! Thanks to all for your words, appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Schilhart Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 Excellent work as usual. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted October 13, 2021 Share Posted October 13, 2021 Congratulations, the colour scheme is very attractive and done to perfection. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Tell him I like that one too. 😃 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Keg Posted October 15, 2021 Share Posted October 15, 2021 Reini…….we have come to expect these types of results from you. Please continue to spoil us with these magnificent works of art. Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted October 16, 2021 Author Share Posted October 16, 2021 On 10/13/2021 at 10:10 AM, Roman Schilhart said: Excellent work as usual. On 10/13/2021 at 1:25 PM, Marcello Rosa said: Congratulations, the colour scheme is very attractive and done to perfection. 21 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said: Tell him I like that one too. 😃 19 hours ago, Sky Keg said: Reini…….we have come to expect these types of results from you. Please continue to spoil us with these magnificent works of art. Mike Thanks for your comments, appreciated! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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