Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat build log
First off, some pictures of all the sub-assemblies. In two of the pics, the subs are just dry-fitted. All fits well, typical Tamiya.
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"It's the best modeling club on the planet!" @frey
Cockpit and wheelbay interior basecoated and painted up.
4 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Fitting the interior parts. Lots of work for something that will be hardly visible.
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Engine.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Masking the cockpit, priming and pre shading.
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Light grey underside.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Blue grey topside.
More to come soon.
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Nice work, my friend - looking good. I must've done done almost a dozen or so of those same kits, all in varying schemes - those Tamiya Wildcats are top-notch.
Very nice Jay. Building this myself at the moment though as an FM-1 in Atlantic Sheme 2. A few mods needed but nothing serious
Cool. I have an FM-1 underway as well.
Love it. My favorite kit of all time and my favorite plane. When I get stuck in a modelling rut I build one and then everything is OK.
I had a great fun building this little fellow a couple of years ago, and like you say, I experienced no fuss whatsoever.
I just added some PE for the cockpit and a new engine, that in the end is not that much seen.
Good work so far Jay 🙂
PS: I added a couple of photos
2 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Thanks guys!
That's a goodlookin' Cat, Pedro!
This is a fantastic f4f wildcat! One of the nicest around. Excellent job...great finish. Very realistic. Did Tamiya new tool this 1/48 F4F? I ask b/c I built a Tamiya 1/48 F4F a while back, over 10 years ago and I dont recall the moldings to be as nice as your model. The base details look so much better then my basic details..whole model looks different? If this is a new tool I need it now!
Paul, I’m not aware a new mould F4F from Tamiya. The model I show in my reply was in my stash for more than a decade before I decided to build it. Jay’s model is the same mould has mine, no doubt about it.
Jay, Looks good so far, I look forward to seeing its completion. The old Tamiya is still a great little kit, I recently bought & built a couple more and noticed that the new kits seem to be showing some issues, probably with the molds themselves getting a little tired. In particular I notice a little miss alignment on the trailing edge of the rear stabilizers and on the prop. Nothing that can't be simply taken care of with a little sanding, but something not there years ago. The kit still builds up great !
( I think this answers Paul's question (above) in, that I don't believe this kit is a now tool, everthing is the same)
Looks great Jay, I've always had a soft spot for the Wildcat.
Thanks guys.
I had no issues like the ones you describe Terry, but perhaps the one I bought had been sitting in stock for a while, who knows. But yeah, moulds do eventually wear out.
Robert, the Wildcat had always been sort of under my radar as my interest in the pacific campaign had been mostly from the time period when the big Essex class carriers joined the battle.
The I read “Last stand of the tin can sailors”, and I just had to build a Wildcat. Imagine these guys going up against heavy cruisers and battleships with just machine guns...
So I did some more research, read up on the Guadalcanal campaign in detail and decided that the Cactus Air Force markings were the ones I had to go for. And now I have a soft spot for the Wildcat as well... 😉
Gloss coat added for better fit of the transfers and to protect the paint during weathering, markings aplied, now started on a wash to make the panel lines pop a little more.
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Pin wash on the panel lines on the wings before and after clean up.
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Looking good throughout. Nice build
Thanks!
Back from vacation, and had some time to move along with this bird. Managed to finish the panel ling and start weathering. The model is now coated with a satin coat.
5 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Beautiful modeling, Jay.
Really good looking finish on this Jay. Well done.
Thanks guys!
Really looks good, Jay!
Thank you, Jeff.
Its looking very nice, Jay. As 48th scale Fighters go, that Tamiya kit is special. Not particularly hard to build.
Thanks!