D-Day Group Build - Tamiya Wildcat V

Started by Rick Wilkes · 51 ≡ · ↻ 10 years ago
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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Nothing to report yet, but finally have all the bits necessary to proceed.
    Rick

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    neil foster said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    That's great Rick, don't forget some pictures as you go along,looking forward to seeing your build process.
    N.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    I going to be doing JV 579 of 1832 Squadron.

    I've got the interior painting underway. The question arises, is it all interior green, or is the gear bay gray, is the cowling interior IG or gray, the gear struts, and on and on?
    I researched several builds, and after being completely confused on the "correct" painting of the interior regions, beyond the cockpit, of Eastern built FM-1's, I've decided to do a complete fabrication and combine the two; IG for the cowling interior, grey in the gear bay, IG on the lower gear legs. Hopefully this abomination will stir some Fleet Air Arm boffin to jump in and save the day..;-)
    Bye for now the BT-1 awaits.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Once again, way to much time between updates, but I've got some real progress to show you today.
    First, I eliminated the outboard guns and the associated panels & doors. As you can see the upper surfaces came out fine, but I had to touch up the ammunition doors on the underside of the wings.


    Moving on to the cockpit, here you see the the main panel, consoles, and seat.
    I've used a generous mount of Citadel Nuln Oil wash, I will dry brush for highlights before gluing this together.
    The seat is the only aftermarket part, the rest are kit parts tarted up with decals.




    The parts are fitted together here to give you an idea of the finished cockpit.





    Last is the right inter-cooler. I made a quick resin copy of the kit part, reversed the pipe fitting on the bottom and made a mount for it. The pipe is annealed hollow brass tubing with a piece of solder inserted to keep it from crimping when it was bent. I made a reverse copy of the kit part with a pair of pliers, cutters, files and the Mark 1(corrected) eyeball.


    Still a bit more to do before I can button it all up but it's coming along.
    Rick

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    AL HOFFMAN said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Looks good so far.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Thanks Al, you can see it "live and in color" tomorrow.

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    Tom Cleaver said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Good call on doing the cockpit Interior Green, which is the way GM/Eastern did their airplanes (as opposed to Grumman's Bronze Green). Your work on the wings is really excellent. Here's your goal:

    1 attached image. Click to enlarge.

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    Simon Whitney said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Looking good Rick , I see that you got the colours right for the interior. I was getting confused about my build.
    Will follow with interest.
    Simon.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Don't want to sound like a suck up, but this build by you was where my inspiration came from.


    The objective it to get somewhere near your level of finish ...;-)

    Not wanting to open a can of worms, the colors in the Fleet Air Arm Wildcat V's gear/engine accessory bay have been hard for me to pin down. I've read build articles that state that on Eastern built aircraft that area was interior green, including the gear legs, others that claim the interior green interior with the gear legs in gray and black as per Grumman built aircraft. And others that the interior of the gear bay/gear legs was all "Grumman Gray".

    My build is going to be painted as an Eastern built aircraft, using ANA equivalent colors. So based on that what's your take on the gear bay colors.
    I appreciate any info you can give me on that.
    Rick

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Hi Simon, if you mean the cockpit color on F.A.A. Hellcats I share your pain. I have an Otaki F6F-3 that I rescued from Al Hoffman's basement that I'm working on as a "stealth" D-Day build. Your Hellcat came out excellent, hopefully I will get close.
    I build them okay, but sometimes when I'm painting exterior colors, I think I'd do just as well with a roller and tray as I do with an airbrush.lol

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    Simon Whitney said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Cheers Rick,I know what you mean about painting kits, I am just about getting use to the airbrush now. One thing though, it has taught me to be a lot more patient, nd also to think things out more when building.
    I am sure that the F6F-3 will turn out OK.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Quick follow up from yesterday, I got the cockpit & main gear dry
    brushed and cockpit & intercoolers assembled, Camera isn't good enough
    for you to see much change but it's there.




    I've started building the main landing gear.
    By this time tomorrow It's going to be interior green, unless I get
    better info. Speak now or forever...

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    Tom Cleaver said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    I'm pretty sure the gear legs were the underside grey. Given the wheel wells of TBMs were underside color, probably the same on the FM-1s. Nobody's going to be able to tell you no.

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    Gregor d said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Wow! great work there Rick.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 7 months ago:

    Thanks Tom, I think I'm going to go with gray or ANA Sky on the upper parts, and use interior green on the lower section that is usually black. Should draw the "Color Police" like flys to a cow patty..;-)

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