Speechless, David @davids_models
This interior should be left open.

Stunning result so far, my friend @davids_models!

As we move onto scene 7 of the R4D this week I have the resin nose shaped. Need to scribe some panel lines and rivets still. I looked at the exhaust. The resin kit has the correct version for the R4D, however it was designed for the Monogram kit and is too large for the Trumpeter kit I am using. I used a styrene tube to make the exhaust and some aluminum tubing for the center portion.

With the wings attached I then noticed this kit comes with the long scoop on top of the engines. The R4D uses the smaller scoop. I trimmed the kit scoop for shorter length and shortened the height a little. I used some styrene to replicate the backside of the scoops and blended it with putty. I also needed to fill I n the cut-out above the engine with some sheet styrene.

While the modified scoops were letting the putty cure I looked at the main landing gear and the skis that will go on them. The kit provides rubber tires and they would not fit between the resin ski rails. So I took some measurements and decided to modify the skis. I cut off the rails from the ski and using .020” sheet styrene I made the bottom of the ski and added the rails. The rails have a crossbar. This needed to be removed and replaced. The rails needed to move out .005” on each side. With the skis modified I needed to change the mounting. The axles that came with the kit for the main wheels are too short to fit the skis. I will be using aluminum tubing to make the extended axles.

Just a side note, I do not need to check the tail wheel ski. This will not be used. In the movie (The Thing from another world – 1951) there is a scene with Captain Henry and the Colonel where they mention on a previous landing the broke the ski off the tail wheel. All of the scenes in the movie with the aircraft show no ski on the tail wheel.

This coming week I am getting the aircraft ready for painting. I have numerous panel lines and rivets to add back onto the areas that were modified and to mask off the areas. I am hoping to start painting by next weekend.

Check out all the photos and details from the start in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-r4d-5-tropical-tilly/

6 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Amazing progress as usual, my friend @davids_models!

Onward to scene 8, the work this week was spent preparing and painting the base coats. The overall aircraft was painted with Tamiya bare aluminum. I have a copy of the USAF technical order for painting numerous aircraft. I verified the yellow stripe is insignia yellow and the other color is international orange. I then loaded the DVD of “The Thing from another world” into the computer to see the placement of the yellow fuselage strip and the international orange areas. During the research I realized that the boomerang antenna and the forward mast antenna atop the fuselage which were mounted in the kit locations were in the wrong location. After some careful removal I relocated them to the same locations they are on the aircraft in the movie.

The stripe area was masked and painted. The decal set provides a decal for the stripe but I prefer to paint it on. I next painted the international orange areas. While the pain was drying I looked over the decals. The USAF Tech Order shows that the R4D’s used the 40” stars and bars. The decal set comes with the 36” version. I then made my own 40” starts and bars decals. The one on the port side of the fuselage covers the fuselage and both cargo doors. I measured and cut up one of the insignias and put the decal sections on the cargo doors.

While the paint was drying I did some more work on the main gear. I decided to use aluminum tubing as the axle for the wheels and skis. The plan for the upcoming week is to finish the decals and give the aircraft a nice gloss coat then work on finishing the main landing gear. Looks like just a few more “scenes” to finish this one.

Check out all the photos and details from the start in my build log at https://davidsscalemodels.com/build-log/1-48-r4d-5-tropical-tilly/

7 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Great progress, David @davids_models
Own printed decals are indeed nice looking.
Looking forward to the final result of the landing gear.

Looks great. One of my favorite movies. Keep up the good work, but don't turn the heat up in your workroom too high.