1/48 Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat VF-3 "Jimmy Thach" (Finished)

Mopar Madness

Thank you for sharing this build with us. That carrier deck looks so much better!

 

Thanks Mopar 

B777Commander

Most impressive Joe! Thanks for sharing. I built the same kit in early 2019 in James Pug Southerland's livery. It is a lovely kit. You did a great job on the weathering and decaling. 

 

Thanks. Indeed it's a great kit. Pug is on my short list too. 

Thank you for sharing this build with us. That carrier deck looks so much better!

Most impressive Joe! Thanks for sharing. I built the same kit in early 2019 in James Pug Southerland's livery. It is a lovely kit. You did a great job on the weathering and decaling. 

mustang1989

 

 

The weathering on this bird was just right. Too many times I see aircraft like this extremely weathered and that just isn't the case for the newly commissioned birds. I mean a little yeah but certainly not paint chipped to pieces like I've seen on others. Love the carrier deck. 

 

Thanks Joe

damouav

Brillant work Joe, those panel lines just pop. Ineed to get back into my build.

Thanks agian for taking the time to show us all, that you are, the Master Builder.... 

 

Hardly...but thanks for the nice words. 

The weathering on this bird was just right. Too many times I see aircraft like this extremely weathered and that just isn't the case for the newly commissioned birds. I mean a little yeah but certainly not paint chipped to pieces like I've seen on others. Love the carrier deck. 

Brillant work Joe, those panel lines just pop. Ineed to get back into my build.

Thanks agian for taking the time to show us all, that you are, the Master Builder.... 

I figured I show my Yorktown deck replica.  I've had the Eureka XXL Resin Carrier deck in my stash and I figured I would give it a whirl.  It's a cast resin deck that goes into a picture like frame.  It's incredibly detailed, including tie downs.  

I sought to replicate a typical carrier deck during the war, which was stained a dark blue for camoflage.  I wanted to show some weathering too.  I started by priming it.  I then sprayed the tie down channels and the "track slot" (whatever that was for) Alclad Steel. I then taped those off.  Carrier decks were teak wood so I sprayed the deck XF-64 Red Brown with a touch of XF-49 Khaki.  This as sealed with Testors Dull.  Next I sprayed AK worn effects.  I then mixed just about every shade of blue I had until I liked it (including a touch of purple). Once down, I wet it and used an old paint brush to wear it down.  I was going for subtle weathering.  I finished it off with a AK Dark Brown enamel wash.  Here's how it turned out.

Hoss WA

Joe - Absolutely tremendous. I really like how the fading on the upper surfaces came out in the end.  I'll be using this as a reference for sure (as I have for many of your other builds). Thanks for sharing and congrats. 

- Jim

 

Thanks Jim

Joe - Absolutely tremendous. I really like how the fading on the upper surfaces came out in the end.  I'll be using this as a reference for sure (as I have for many of your other builds). Thanks for sharing and congrats. 

- Jim

the Baron

Beautiful finish, Joe!

 

Thank you Baron. 

Aggieman

Beautiful work on the 'Cat.

 

Thanks bud. 

BrandonK

Fantastic, Joe. Another great one. I'll be adding this to bookmarks for when I build mine.

BK

 

Thanks Brandon. It's a great kit. 

Greg

Another beauty, Joe.

 

 

Thanks Greg

patrick206

Joe - Outstanding as usual, thanks for the detailed post and photos.

Would you please describe the thinning ratio you use for the X-22 and leveling thinner? It looks just great, and would be ideal for the decaling process.

Your posts are so valuable for members that follow you, my finished projects are much more enjoyable now, my sincere thanks to you.

Patrick

 

Thanks Patrick. Your welcome. I mix it about half and half eyeballed. It dries rock hard and is perfect for decaling. 

Beautiful finish, Joe!

Beautiful work on the 'Cat.

Fantastic, Joe. Another great one. I'll be adding this to bookmarks for when I build mine.

BK

Another beauty, Joe.

Joe - Outstanding as usual, thanks for the detailed post and photos.

Would you please describe the thinning ratio you use for the X-22 and leveling thinner? It looks just great, and would be ideal for the decaling process.

Your posts are so valuable for members that follow you, my finished projects are much more enjoyable now, my sincere thanks to you.

Patrick

Done!  To recap it's Tamiya's F4F-4 Wildcat flown by VF-3 commander John S. Thach from the USS Yorktown on June 4th 1942 during the Battle of Midway.  Thach scored 3 Zeros during the battle and he would finish the war with 6 kills.  

The Tamiya kit is quite good but not perfect.  The engine detail average. I upgraded it with a scratchbuilt wiring harness.  I added some PE in the pit and replaced the gun barrels with brass tubing.  Main markings were painted on using Montex. It's my understanding these were fairly new at the ime so I took it easy on the weathering.  

I can't think of anything else.  Always a fun build.  I was given a Skunkworks carrier deck that I still have to paint up for this.  I'm currently researching the correct blue stain for it.  Stay tuned for that.  

the Baron

Excellent progress!

How did the engine go together?  I built Hobby Boss' kit, which is a copy of the Tamiya kit (licensed or not, I'm not sure).  I found that HB keyed the parts of the engine, from the front gearbox to the two banks of cylinders, to the box at the back.  And the key and ring between the two banks of cylinders didn't match up.  I wound up removing the key and ring and just butt-joining the two parts.

 

Thanks! 

No issues.  Tamiya engineered this kit wonderfully.  Actually I just finished the Hobby Boss F4F-3 and can say it's quite a bit different than the Tamiya kit.  I found the Tamiya kit easier with how they engineered the wings since you can't mess up the diherdral. I did however think the HB engine was better.  Here's the HB engine.

mustang1989

Your whole approach to the painting process and how quickly you seem to blow through it never ceases to amaze me Joe. You make all of this look waaaay too easy man.

 

Thanks Joe

Excellent progress!

How did the engine go together?  I built Hobby Boss' kit, which is a copy of the Tamiya kit (licensed or not, I'm not sure).  I found that HB keyed the parts of the engine, from the front gearbox to the two banks of cylinders, to the box at the back.  And the key and ring between the two banks of cylinders didn't match up.  I wound up removing the key and ring and just butt-joining the two parts.

Your whole approach to the painting process and how quickly you seem to blow through it never ceases to amaze me Joe. You make all of this look waaaay too easy man.

damouav

If I said it once, I've said a couple of dozen times....

You, are, the Master Builder!

 

No way Damian, average with a few tricks bud, but thank you for the kind words. 

If I said it once, I've said a couple of dozen times....

You, are, the Master Builder!

tempestjohnny

Fantastic

 

Thanks Johnny