DougN Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Ok, now that I am about finished with a Gladiator rigging experiment for another GB, time to start on my Hasegawa 1/32 F4B-4 kit for this GB! All the parts (not that many really): I am planning to do this one pretty much OOB, and will use the Yellow Wings decals (plan now is to do "black 10" of "Fighting Six"). Trying to determine the cockpit color to get going, from the few references (squadron book) it seems that the P12E is natural metal, and the photos I have of the restored F4B at Pensacola show a light grey cockpit - is this correct? Still sorting out how I plan to do the rigging, put the wires into the fuselage first, and then drill some holes to extend them outside the upper and lower wings to pull tight, or stick them into the wings and then later into the fuselage and then tighten fishing line wires with a match... Cheers, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Doug, prolly a light grey for the 'pit; Les(UmtutSut) may have more info. Les, Epinnenger, and I have threads going, where you can check out some different methods of rigging. I've thought about the wing join, and think a shim might work well. it's kind of a crappy wing join, but fixable. I have a spare squadron book on the p-12/f4b series if yer interested. If you take the time to match up the details to pictures, you'll see that hase is pretty close; you need to add some details, but IMO it's all good to serve as a guide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmTutSut Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Doug, prolly a light grey for the 'pit; Les(UmtutSut) may have more info. Les, Epinnenger, and I have threads going, where you can check out some different methods of rigging. I've thought about the wing join, and think a shim might work well. it's kind of a crappy wing join, but fixable. I have a spare squadron book on the p-12/f4b series if yer interested. If you take the time to match up the details to pictures, you'll see that hase is pretty close; you need to add some details, but IMO it's all good to serve as a guide. According to Dana Bell, light gray is the cockpit color of choice if the exterior fuselage is light gray. You should be aware that VF-6 aircraft had exhaust collectors rather than the individual stacks included with the kit. I believe there's at least one photo showing this in the "In Action" book Mike offered. Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum flack) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 Thanks guys! Light grey interior it is. I have the squadron book, but thanks for the offer nonetheless Mike Les, thanks for pointing the exhaust out, in looking at the photos, looks like most of them have the collector from VF-6 as you stated. I will have to see if I can covert/scratchbuild this easily and I may still try to do it, or else will have to keep looking for a VF-6 F4B-4 bird without the collector or pick other markings! Going to see if I can find some decent reference shots of what the exhaust collector should look like... Cheers, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Colvin Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Looking forward to seeing this one Doug.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Ok, making a little progress on the kit, put the compass in the bottom of the upper wing. Pensacola bird detail photos showing compass in upper wing: Upper wing ground out to make room for compass, and compass compartment parts: Compass detail installed (cover plate not glued yet) compared to kit part: Closer pic of compass detail (cover plate not glued yet): Will be working on the cockpit next while I finish up the upper wing. Once painted, I will use a decal with a spot of epoxy for the compass itself. If anyone can help, I need some detail photos/drawings, etc. of the exhaust collectors fitted to some F4B-4's in order to try to build them. If anyone has some, please post here, or shoot me an email or PM! Otherwise, I am leaning to the theory that this F4B4 came with the separate exhausts, then was modifed later to the exhaust collectors (as that is what the Squadron book seems to suggest for some F4B-4's). If I go this route, I will build the exhaust collectors when I get some decent references later Thanks! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmTutSut Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 ::grumble grumble:: Compass in upper wing, huh? ::grumble grumble:: Wish I'd caught that before I put my upper wing on. Not much help probably, but only thing I could find: http://www.airminded.net/F4b/EL-1999-00435.jpg Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum flack) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Thanks Les! That is actually quite helpful, as it appears that the kit parts are just about fine for the port side, and based on other photos in the Squadron book, , the collector really just covers several of the starboard side exhausts (with perhaps a single exhaust or two left on the bottom?). As to the wing compass, it was a surprise for me as well. A modeler buddy went down to P-cola to visit his parents, and took a bunch of detail photos for me. If there is anything you want to see Les, please let me know and I'll see if I have a shot of it for you. Thanks again for the photo Les! Now I just need one from the exhaust area underside to cover all the angles Cheers, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmTutSut Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 If there is anything you want to see Les, please let me know and I'll see if I have a shot of it for you. Thanx, Doug, but I think I'm good. Got the rigging on the booger over the weekend, now have to add only spreader bars, control cables, radio aerial and antenna mast. Almost ready to raise to the flight deck! Les (Friendly Airplane Asylum flack) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Mike Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Nice little detail there,Doug. How are you going to address the wing join issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted January 14, 2009 Author Share Posted January 14, 2009 Les - great news! I'll be lucky to get mine finished before the deadline, but we'll give 'r a go nonetheless! Thanks Mike, yours is looking very nice as well. Thought about doing the BF2C, but since there were two already, went with the F4B4 I plan to address the wing joint with apoxy sculpt (like milliput but easier to work with as it comes in two containers and doesn't get a crust - also blends well with a wet finger) and use that to fill those nasty gaps. Going to try to make a new seat out of a beer can this evening if I get a few minutes. If the beer car doesn't work, I'll try with sheet styrene. Cheers, Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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