Yellow Wing (1930 - 1941) Group Build May 2007 - May 200?

Just happened to decide to check FSM forums and found this group build.  Don't know at this time what to build.  I will have to go through my list and find something odd.  Maybe an unofficial entry of a 1/72 Martin MS-1 for starters.  Unofficial because the fuselage has been closed, but nothing else.  Might as well finish it.

 Jeff

Got room for one more?  I am trying to finish off a couple of projects right now, but I need to decide what I should build next, and this might get me moving in the right direction.  Although I am not ready to fully commit on a kit yet, I am leaning towards my newly acquired 1/700 USS Saratoga (from Trumpeter) with a yellow winged air wing (F3F biplanes and the like).  Let me know if there is room for one more, and I will decide on the exact kit soon.

I have a plethora of US Army, Navy, USMC "yellow wings"  Some I was thinking about:

All 1/72

O2U-1 Corsair - USMC

Ford Trimotor - Navy

OJ-2 - Navy

B-7 - Army

SB2U-1 - Navy 

Curtiss Condor - USMC

F3F-1 Navy

FF-1 Navy

UC-43 Staggerwing - Army

USS Akron/Macon - Navy (not 1/72)

Any druthers on what ya'll would like to see 

Jeff 

 to the build Ranger74 and More Power Scotty.

Ranger74: I probably speak for all here when I say build what you think you'll get the most enjoyment out of, thats what this build is all about.

More Power Scotty: I personally think we all were thinking just AC and not Ships with AC on them but I guess that would not be unreasonable. I'll let others chime in with their if they feel the need to, course if your going to build a ship with an air wing, we may have to have you super detail the AC's... j/k..

Cheers,

Thom

I don't have a problem with the Saratoga - although in this case, the carrier will be considered an accessory. 

I'd love to see it built - I have every intention of getting one, but that's not going to happen very soon.  So Ranger74 - I'll be living vicariously through you for awhile.

Thom,

Thanks for allowing me to join.   I think that in consideration of just how long I spent on  my last carrier build, and wanting to keep my build time reasonable during cycling season, I am going to lean towards my 1/48 Accurate Miniatures SB2U-1 Vindicator.  The markings would be for the CAG aircraft attached to the USS Ranger.  I am not saying that this is my "final answer", but I think that this will probably be my kit of choice for this build. 

Alumni 72,

The USS Saratoga (CV-3) kit that I just picked up is the new one from Trumpeter.  Being a former carrier sailor, I have been wanting a plastic kit of the early carriers (I am still patiently waiting for a USS Langley (CV-1), as well as a USS Ranger (CV-4), which was the first carrier designed from the "keel up").  I saw a comment that this kit had a pre-WW2 airwing, and that was good enough for me.  The kit can be built full hull or waterline, and has a small base for the full hull option and a vacuum formed water display base for the waterline option.  I did get a bit of a deal on mine, but even at a full retail price of $40, it is worth the investment.  If you are  thinking of getting an early carrier, I would highly recommend this one.  And now I will get off of my soapbox.

$40?  Where do you live, Scotty?  Last time I was at the LHS (less than 2 months ago) it was marked down - to $95.

Or maybe it's me who just doesn't know where to look?

More Power Scotty,

Not a problem the more the merrier .

Cheers,

Thom

Don,

My USS Saratoga kit is molded in 1/700 scale.  I am guessing that you are looking at the 1/350 scale at your local shop.  For some reason the modern carriers in 1/700 do run about $90 from Trumpeter, but if the detail and parts count is similar to what I found in my kit, I may need to rebuild a kit of one of the carriers that I served aboard.

Hello All,

Thought I would give this thread a lil bump, it's grown a bit quite here and maybe it will draw more interest of other modellers.

I still need a few of you to send in your choices for this build and I have pushed out the dated to make the build an entire year.

I have started working on my Hasegawa 1/32 F4B-4 and will have some progress pics up possibly this weekend.

Cheers,

Thom

That's a very nice one!

I have the Hase 1/32 P-12 as well.

Has anyone volunteered a yellow wing Consolidated PBY-5, such as by Academy? Even at 1/72 it is impressive!

Tom

Tom

That is a nice kit I have that one too , I've looked at the PBY-5 and it is nice also.

So what are you planning on building the P-12?

Let me know.

Cheers,

Thom

I was thinking of my Aurora 1/48th SBC-3, unless it gets too involved for this build. I intend to steal an engine from a spare Vindicator I got from Hobby Lobby on special, since the Accurate minitures' kit engine has finer detail then the Aurora's (both aircraft had essentially the same engine),as well as seeing about using the spare Vindicator's thinner cast clear cockpit. The provided squadron insignia is my only question, since I can find no record of a naval unit using the Layfayette Escadrille's style of Indian Chief in warbonnet insignia.

If anyone here can verify this as a valid insignia, I believe I can use the ones on the old Aurora decal sheet.

Otherwise, my second preference from my stash, is a 1/32 Williams Brothers Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk, my third being a Monogram 1/32 F3F, fourth being a Hase BF2-C, fifth being an Accurate Minituures 1/48 Vindicator or a converted Tamiya F3F, sixth being a 1/48th Monogram Devastator, seventh could be the Hase Boeing P-12E or a Hase 1/32 Boeing P-26A.

In the case of the latter two, I would not paint the wings, since I like the orange/yellow color Hasegawa molded them in the 70's when I got them.

I have a Williams Brothers P-35 Seversky, but it has not yellow wings.

I had a Check model of the Curtiss A-12 Shrike on order, but Squadron.com "lost it".

I am also sneaking up on a Grumman Duck.

Maybe I will get "on a roll"and do multiple entries, especially the Hase and Monogram kits go together so nicely.

OK?

Tom

Wow, Tom - I'm all out of breath just from reading your post.  That's a lot of thinking and planning there!

 Me - I've opened the box to my Devastator.  Woot!

Tom

The squadron insignia you describe sounds like Scouting Sqn Two (VS-2 after July, 1937, originally VS-3B).  They used an Indian head in a warbonnet for years, on a number of aircraft.  Unfortunately, they also varied the style, so I can't say if the one you have is appropriate for the SBC-3.  If you can lay hands on a copy of Squadron's "SBC Helldiver In Action", there are a few pics in there that would help you.

HTH

Dick

Hello Tom,

I found this in my Navy Air Colors United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Gaurd Aircraft Camouflage and Markings Vol. 1 1911-1945.

I do not know if this matches your decals, but at least it confirms that there was such an insignia used.

hth

Cheers,

Thom

rlawson wrote:

Tom The squadron insignia you describe sounds like Scouting Sqn Two (VS-2 after July, 1937, originally VS-3B).  They used an Indian head in a warbonnet for years, on a number of aircraft.  Unfortunately, they also varied the style, so I can't say if the one you have is appropriate for the SBC-3.  If you can lay hands on a copy of Squadron's "SBC Helldiver In Action", there are a few pics in there that would help you. HTH Dick

Thanks, Dick.

Actually, since they varied the style, I don't guess it really matters, since frankly I do like the look of the old Aurora decal, and that is my first criterion, anyway. I just got a little suspicious since they also put out a kit of the Nieuport 11Bebe at about the same time with essentially the same insignia, so I just kind of wondered if they"faked it".

As for Squadron, I have literally given up on them as a source for anything, so I will be happy to take your word for it.

If you want to know why, see this link:

 /forums/789922/ShowPost.aspx

Tom

alumni72 wrote:

Wow, Tom - I'm all out of breath just from reading your post.  That's a lot of thinking and planning there!  Me - I've opened the box to my Devastator.  Woot!

In my opinion, the Devastator's best paint job was the "yellow-wing era".

Just remember one thing, the chrome-yellow the wings are painted is not the same color as the lemon-yellow the rudder and elevators are painted. This is a common error made by modellers, and I do not recall if the Monogram instruction sheet is as clear on this as Hasegawa's is.

Tom

Well, I finished off my Richard Petty car for the Monogram Group Build, and an Me-163 that I built because it looked like fun.  I have started my SB2U-1 Vindicator by painting most of the parts aluminum, and have started detailing the parts with other colors as well as some early assembly.  As soon as I make enough progress to take a worthwhile photo or two, I will share them with the group.

An item of interest, at least for me, when I was visiting my local shop on Friday, was a double kit offering by Accurate Miniatures of a 1/72 scale F4B-4 and P6E.  Both kits are the old Monogram offerings, but the detail looks really nice.  I have built the P6E kit twice in the past, but I had never run across the F4B.  Depending on how much time I have later in the year, I may try to build these up for this group build before it ends. 

Alright, here are the photos of the progress thus far on the Vindicator.  I apologize for the photos themselves as I have not yet conquered the use of a digital camera.  I am willing to live with this downfall though, at least through cycling season.  Anyway, I am always open to any and all questions and comments.

Hello Scotty,

The build looks great so far, the cockpit looks like it is coming along nicely. Thanks for sharing your progress pics with us. I'm trying to find time to sit down and work on mine, but work keeps interferring. I just have to deal with since it supports my habit of buying more kits that I'll need for retirement oh say in 25 years .

Keep the pics coming...

Cheers,

Thom

Thom,

Thanks for the comments.  I wanted to get a picture taken before I glue the fuselage together, and it becomes difficult at best to see all of the detail that the kit has to offer.  I understand the work thing as well, and I think that I am also setting myself up pretty well for having lots of building opportunities in about 20 or 25 years (depending on how that 401K works out).

I will continue to keep the group informed as I make progress.

Nice work, Scotty - I have that kit in my stash (via eBay) but I'm holding off for awhile - time will tell if it's a good or a bad thing (for me) that you're showing how good a job can be done with it.

Seeing the fuselage halves brings to mind a long-lingering question - do you cover the edges to be glued later with anything to keep the paint off?  I remember thinking that a bead of white glue along the edges would do the job, and would be easy to peel off when the paint is dry.  Sure beats scraping all the edges with a knife later on, like I used to do.  No matter how hard I tried I never got more than half of the paint off without wearing down the edges so they would no longer join up properly.

As for my progress, I've opened the box up a couple of times to look at the parts - I lost my job at the end of May so now my focus is on finding another one.  It's always something, isn't it?

Don,

I thought that I would try something a little different with this build, and I prepainted all of the aluminum while the parts were on the sprues.  Of course there will be seams to clean up and touch-up work to do, but I thought that this might make the build a bit quicker for me.  As far as the edges are concerned, I am scraping and filing the paint off before I add the glue.  I came up to play on the computer for a while, and to check my group builds, but I should be assembling the fuselage today, and I will post some in progress photos next week, as I am taking a few days off with the holiday.  Anyway, I am going to use the masks from the kit on the windows prior to painting them, and I plan on using Parafilm M to mask the aluminum paint when I get around to painting the tail section.  One suggestion would be to use the back edge of your hobby knife blade to remove paint, as it will not dig into the plastic like the cutting edge will.  This technique has worked pretty well for me.  Anyway, good luck in your search, I hope that something comes up soon for you.

alumni72 wrote:

Seeing the fuselage halves brings to mind a long-lingering question - do you cover the edges to be glued later with anything to keep the paint off?  I remember thinking that a bead of white glue along the edges would do the job, and would be easy to peel off when the paint is dry.  Sure beats scraping all the edges with a knife later on, like I used to do.  No matter how hard I tried I never got more than half of the paint off without wearing down the edges so they would no longer join up properly.

A very god low-tack masking meduim for this and general coverage to keep touch-up overpsray from ruining an otherwise perfect paint job that I am using for my chosen subject for this build is the cheap lint rollers you see at Wal-Mart and all the dollar stores.

What I do is keep a clean roller, and as I need it, I simply carefully peel off the next layer without rubbing it on anything, and I go ahead and peel off about 1/4" of the next layer sheet as well to loosen it up for my next need. Then I carefuly re-apply the outer wrapper to keep the next sheet clean.

I then trim the sheet as I desire with a pair of scissors, applying them as I wish. This should work fine for protecting unpainted edges.

As a general mask, I apply a trimmed sheet to the model's surface (such as painting a rudder fin a special color different from the rest of the fuselage), leaving a slight gap to the edge of my detail I intend to paint, and take some standard Scotch magic mending tape to finish masking detailed edges.

The back side is a nice heavy-duty slick/wax-type paper that resists super-glue,paint,epoxy and can be used as a protective/non stick surface surface as well, such as for gluing tiny details on a larger part when you don't want them to stick to the table surface.

OK?

Tom

As an update, I have gotten the fuselage halves put together, the tail assembled and painted, and the upper wing halves installed.  I need to do some touch-up work, but overall, the kit looks acceptable.  I will work towards getting a photo or two posted in the not too distant future.  I do think that the pre-painting worked reasonably well, most of my touch-up has been due to an errant drop of glue here and there.  Definitely easier than masking and painting everything once the plane was assembled.  So far, my only critiques of the kit are that the upper wings did not quite meet up with the fuselage towards the back of the wings on the top of the plane (the left side was the worst of the two), and the supplied masks do not fit onto the canopies worth a darn.  I am still debating what I will do to fill in the various sized gaps that exist and will have to be covered.