1:48 Tamiya Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat

Did you mean to post some pics of your work?  We can't really offer any suggestions without them.

Looking forward to seeing your build!

This tread defnitly could use some more pics:

Ha. I know. I know.  This was my first post and didn't realize any pictures put up had to come from a online source.  So when I put up the post they told it had to be checked out by the moderator.  The photos I have from my build are on FB.  If I can just apply them from there then that's what I'll try to do.  If it comes down to getting some other Photobucket deal, I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and do that.

So they're coming. =]  Actively participating in a forum like this is still a bit new to me.  =]

So, I've already completed the build, but what I wanted most was feedback on my methodologies.  So I'll share a couple of pics in between without being too monotonous.

I started obviously with the Tamiya 1:48 Wildcat. The only aftermarket add ons I've thrown in are:

Aires cockpit

Quickboost engine R 1830- ?  (it's not the -86  I think it's a later version used on FM2s but it's getting covered up sooooo....i can deal with it.)

I like to scratch-build where I can.  That's part of the fun anyhow, right.  I do like what Aires offers with the well known level of detail as well as the open floor for the wildcat. So I wanted to include it.  The engine is an obvious upgrade that provides a wonderful starting point to bump it up with some brass rod and stretched sprue.

I started my build like any other by test fitting everything.  Most of you already know I'm sure how easy this  one is to put together.  The Aires cockpit makes the fit a little tricky, but with some patience it will come together.  I do want to add the pic of the test fit where I hoped to include some more scratchbuilding of the intercoolers and carburetor.  The quickboost engine actually proved to be too big to build up these parts. but here's where I started.  (again this is the first photo I'm posting, so I apologize if it doesn't work.  I'll try again if not.  Feel free to throw me some help =] )

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=848438036904&set=a.848437667644.1073741826.69304345&type=3&theater

trying again.  all apologies. =]

2013-04-09 12.12.27

2013-04-18 08.26.32 by brittvallot, on Flickr

It's not complete, but this offers a glimpse at what I started.  I waited to see how the engine would fit as I continued working.  I did have to go back and adjust the duct for the carburetor. I later closed up the sides of course.  and carefully!  There isn't a lot of room with the quickboost engine.

Here's a look at the differences between the kit engine and the quickboost. You'll later see where I opened up the spaces for the intercooler and carburetor scoops.

2013-04-18 07.32.18 by brittvallot, on Flickr

Here I have the cockpit displayed and already primed.

2013-04-18 07.31.44 by brittvallot, on Flickr

and painted!

2013-04-19 00.17.17 by brittvallot, on Flickr

2013-04-19 00.17.50 by brittvallot, on Flickr

I took some extra care with the leather headrest. I'm an art guy so I wanted to show the deeper reds and wear that the leather would show.  So that's hand painted.  The cockpit is Bronze Green.

That Aires stuff looks great and your attention to detail is really paying off! I like the aluminum underneath the missing chips!

Thanks! The paint chipping is Tamiya's Flat Aluminum [XF-16] dry brushed onto everything.  I try not to overdo it, and I try to place myself in the shoes of the pilot and engineers working on everything.  I consider where they're feet might go...how they'd step on or around certain parts, etc. The straps around the O2 tank are painted in Tamiya's TitaniumSilver [X-32].  The tank itself is of a color that's akin to a bronze looking metal.  Everything I've seen of any O2 tank like this commonly had this color this early in the war.  Paint schemes to organize better came later on from what I've found.

If anybody can show they were incorporating this in the Pacific this early I would certainly like to hear.  Whether it's broad or isolated....I like details! 

Nice, I just bought the same kit! I always liked the Wildcat.

Very good detailing!

I've always believed I have a certain "ceiling" that I can attain in model building. One of the reasons is that I'm not that artistic-minded. This thread is a perfect example. Those able to view things with an artistic eye are able, in my view, to go further than the average guy building models, no matter how long they've been building. I just can't attain that "artistic" look, no matter how hard or long I try. Great job on the build!

Well, thanks for the nod Darren.  That's encouraging to hear.  My first degree is a Bachelor of Fine Arts which has given me a firm foundation no matter what medium I'm approaching.  But I'll share something with you I've been finding as I complete each build.  With these last two planes behind me I finally feel like I've reached a milestone (which is partly why I feel like I can share any of this with all of you) but at the same time I come to realize even more where my limits still are when it comes down to scratch building and taking care of the little things.  I've seen sites that blow my mind with what they're doing with some of their builds.  Many of them seem to be Czechs and other eastern Europe type of guys that have no doubt been doing it for their entire lives.  And as humbling as it is to see their process, it is still inspiring and helps me believe that if I keep plugging away at it I can eventually get there.  You know...probably. =P

I'm really hoping to get plenty of feedback, and I would certainly like to hear yours as well. I'm going to be putting up a bunch of photos today.  Anywhere along the way you happen to know a nicer way to do something...throw it at me. =]

=]

2013-04-21 22.15.11 by brittvallot, on Flickr

I removed the kit's .50 cal barrels and replaced it with brass tubing.  The .50 cal in the middle was slightly retracted in order to allow the ammo belts to feed to the more inboard gun.  I wanted to make something myself instead of jamming some after market part in there.  Master Model makes some really nice things but I tried this out.  I'm happy with the results but I do think the opening of the barrel is too wide and the thickness is a little off for a 1:48 scale.  But honestly that'd be pretty tiny regardless.  There's a tab embossed on the inside of the wing that I found suitable to tack it down to.  The tab is the chute the shell casings drop out from.  Normally, I'd open this, but I found it sufficiently deep enough to leave alone and allow it to be a hard point to place the barrels.  

2013-04-22 01.15.12 by brittvallot, on Flickr

Here's one I wanted to toss in.  I took off the trim tab on the port wing.  I don't have the pic where I fashioned a brass actuator for it to place it back on with, but you will see the result in later pics. 

2013-04-22 12.07.22 by brittvallot, on Flickr

Here I removed the elevators and replaced the hinges with brass rods that i pinched down with a set of pliers and filed into shape.  I'm quite pleased with them and I think it's a nice bump up on the kit, but I'm curious to hear what others think about the size and scale thickness.  I think it worked out well, but when you stare at something long enough....

2013-04-23 00.52.25 by brittvallot, on Flickr

The insane thing I thought was going to turn out brilliant became the one part of this build that nearly made me toss it out the window and start over.  

I have come up with a means of displaying these prop planes on a wooden base I fashion out of oak or hickory.   I like to see these planes as they were meant to be...in the air.  But to just suspend them from some fishing line from the ceiling seemed a bit childish for me.  I want these planes to be beautiful and proud and more than just the sum of their plastic parts.  So what that means is the landing gear gets retracted.  Normally, that isn't much of a problem....but this plane is the Wildcat!  I first thought, "what a great opportunity to test my skills."  ....More like my patience.  If you ever decided to do something as ridiculous as this, my advice would be to obviously expect failure (that keeps your expectations down), and take your time and place the various components one piece at a time.  The following picture is what it will look like when it's in the retracted position.  What I ended up having to do is cut them all off again and place them one at a time in the correct position in order to allow them to fit.  I ruined the first side I started working on and made some brass ones to replace that. I was kind of happy to find I pulled that off.    On the real thing, the upper part of the landing gear has a thin, flat bar that fits into a recess like a piston.  I recommend cutting that off on the kit piece and making it thin just like it should be.  I noticed on the brass counterpart that's what allowed it to squeeze in there at the top.  If you can pull that off, it'll fit.  =]

2013-04-24 23.03.07 by brittvallot, on Flickr

Quickboost Pratt & Whitney R-1830

2013-04-25 18.14.55 by brittvallot, on Flickr

2013-04-25 18.16.51 by brittvallot, on Flickr

2013-04-25 18.17.01 by brittvallot, on Flickr

Fastforwarding a bit.  Here's everything sanded and tidied up and put together.

2013-04-29 13.51.40 by brittvallot, on Flickr

In retrospect, I should've completely finished with the engine and put it in there and glued the cowl onto the fuselage.  I didn't.  I found the quickboost engine made the cowl much harder to attach and it ended up causing a mess I had to resand and repaint.  My only regret.  But I think it worked out just fine.

This was my first venture with Alclad which is why I moved it ahead of the Phantom I'm doing for a friend.  All of this will obviously get covered up, but I like to start my painting process with an aluminum aircraft colored base.  The Alclad provides a very durable surface that I can appreciate for the way I go about painting.  I left a little of the black gloss base showing thru thinking I could use it as pre-shading.  Didn't go like I thought and I ending up going back over my zinc chromate colored coat with the panel-line shading to get what i wanted.  The coats are thin so I never worry.

2013-05-06 13.27.31 by brittvallot, on Flickr

2013-05-06 13.28.18 by brittvallot, on Flickr

I make use of the zinc chromate primer they used on these aircrafts as a means of adding some depth to the color.  Instead of some simple, flat, out the bottle blue-grey, I like to mix my own paints which I find to work much better at bringing these planes to life.

So in order to do this, I put some light coats of a zinc chromate (a color I mix together...early war this color was quite yellow and later on it was more yellow-green) on the upper surfaces and any flat surface that'd be facing the sun.  I don't usually count the spine of the aircraft among this, but I will post shade along the sides of the spine.  I mostly follow weathering patterns from photos during the war.  However, I will take some liberties in cases where I only find one side photographed of the plane I'm working on.

2013-05-07 23.11.57 by brittvallot, on Flickr

The coats are light so as to preserve the underlying detail present.  On panels that I plan to post shade, I will leave them alone to accomplish this.

Wow, nice work so far. Very interested in seeing how the finished colors turn out on top of that basecoat. Can't believe you retracted the gear on this, very cool!

Jester.  I honestly can't believe it my own self. =]  It was a frustrating fit.  But thanks for the enthusiasm.

And I'm back.  This is the part I like most so I'll try not to blow up this forum with photos and keep it relevant.  Also, my lamp puts out the kind of light I want to work in, but it also creates a lot of contrast for photos.  So I apologize beforehand.

What I have going on in these next couple of pics is laying down the panel lines in a dark blue to set up the next layer.  I'm very particular about the tone of the color i'm painting with.  If you're pulling paint straight out of the bottle, then you can probably rest assure it is what it needs to be.  I don't ever do that.  I always mix my own paint to achieve whatever ends I'm looking for.  But what you have to be careful about is the light that you're mixing your paint in.  I would stick to picking your light source as something close to whatever you expect your subject to be viewed in.  That way you limit your surprises. (e.g. if you're in fluorescents, stick to em)

2013-05-13 23.26.28 by brittvallot, on Flickr

So the blue grey I have down on the port wing was a test to see how well I was getting what I wanted.  I tweaked it just a bit and redid my dark blue panel line and continued. 

2013-05-13 23.26.36 by brittvallot, on Flickr