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

Looking great!  Just added this one to my list. 

Hoss WA

Looking great!  Just added this one to my list. 

 

Thanks Hoss

I have moved on to painting.  This scheme calls for Intermediate Blue (ANA 608) over Light Grey.  I started with the grey with XF-19 Sky Grey and a few drops of XF-2 White.  I used the light/dark RBB technique.  This will likely become the norm for me. 

I created the ANA 608 with XF-18 Intermediate Blue cut ith some XF-2 White.  I kept adding white until it looked right to my eye.  The same technique was used.  I intentionally overdid it because I wanted it to visible after the "process", that being the gloss, weathering, and final dull coat.....a lesson I learned from the P-38.   

I better git going on that R-1830....

Great work Joe.

I have a questions for the master builder, that be you Joe! I'm still slowy building my 1/48 TBF-1 Avenger from the now closed Midway GB. Would you bother pre-shading (using the method you use) on my build?  I only ask as the Avengers where practically new when they enetered the battle at Midway, or am I missing the point of pre-shading....

Thanks again for posting.

damouav

Great work Joe.

I have a questions for the master builder, that be you Joe! I'm still slowy building my 1/48 TBF-1 Avenger from the now closed Midway GB. Would you bother pre-shading (using the method you use) on my build?  I only ask as the Avengers where practically new when they enetered the battle at Midway, or am I missing the point of pre-shading....

Thanks again for posting.

 

Thanks Damian. Dunno about the master part...lol. I always pre-shade because it gives the paint depth. 

I've been plugging away on this turkey along with the Tomahawk.  I switched gears to the engine.  Tamiya's example of the R-1830 is average at best. They mold the ignition wires to the cylinder fronts which looks bad to me.  I scratch built up the area to improve it. I took some care to try to hide the molded ones.  Not all were hidden, but the paint and wash will help.    

Here it is after some paint and weathering.  If you care to see how I do this, go here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/149327.aspx

The wiring makes a world of difference to me. 

Back to the airframe.  I had some bleed under with the fuselage star Montex masks. They didnt like the rivets and curves.  I had similar issues with the corrigated Devastator wings as the Montex masks prefer flat surfaces.  Anyways, while I fixed that by taping off the stars and repainting them white, I discovered I could fade the upper wing stars a bit.  I used the white heavily diluted from a distance until it looked about right.  I didn't want too overdo it. I then fired down the X-22 and Mr. Leveling Thinner gloss coat and once dry, I pieced together Thach's "White 23" from spare decals. Wildcats don't have many decals.

I hope to be finishing up pretty soon. 

tempestjohnny

Fantastic

 

Thanks Johnny 

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

You, are, the Master Builder!

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. 

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.

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.

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

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.

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.  

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

Another beauty, Joe.

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

BK

Beautiful work on the 'Cat.

Beautiful finish, Joe!

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. 

Greg

Another beauty, Joe.

 

 

Thanks Greg

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. 

Aggieman

Beautiful work on the 'Cat.

 

Thanks bud. 

the Baron

Beautiful finish, Joe!

 

Thank you Baron. 

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

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

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.

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.... 

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.