Scratch built cockpit including seat made from an aluminum soda can. Decals were worthless so I had to print my own and make up some from my decal stash.
I would have loved to be a pilot of one of these little fighters in the early 1930’s.
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Wow! Thats an real stunner! I really like the colour scheme and markings on this one, very well done indeed! Darren.
Very nicely done…love the seat.
Now that’s nice, very nice. Outstanding work on the seat. A beautifull model indeed.
Jerry
The 30s were referred to as the "Golden Era of Aviation. You F4B-4 is a beautiful representation of one of the colorful aircraft of that era. I especially enjoy colorful paint schemes and your is super.
Beautiful build of the F4B-4. Always wanted to build that kit, but haven’t yet. Yours is an inspiration.
Regards, Rick
mstanley: Where did you purchase the cockpit interior and the instrument panel? I have this model, seems like for ever, and you have given me incentive to start this one! Cheers, Bill
Really nice job, especially the seat.
Did not purchase. The instrument panel is done with Mike Grant decals and the seat is home made from an aluminum soda can. I used the kit seat as a guide and made a one piece paper pattern. Traced it onto a flattened soda can and cut it out with my wife’s kitchen scissors (ssshhh, don’t tell her). I added some tabs at the bottom. Fold each side up and gently bend the bottom around the sides. Used super glue to glue the tabs to the bottom. The one in the picture is my first attempt and it turned out a bit too wide to fit so I made a second one a bit narrower. Took all of 20 minutes to do. Doesn’t need to be painted 'cause the real ones are aluminum!. The throttle quadrant is a piece of leftover resin stub sawed to shape and pins with white glue knobs for the levers. The seat belts are masking tape with a staple bent to shape for the buckles. I also made a radio set out of resin leftover that is on the right side of the cockpit.
Scratching 1/32 stuff is a lot easier than 1/48th because everything is so much larger.
One more thing. If you have this kit better check the decals before you start. The ones I had were so old that they would not come off the sheet with any amount of soaking. I had to scan and print the Felix and then make the other markings up out of my spare decals. As far as I know there is no aftermarket for this kit.
man, you should start your own AM decal company! those look awesome!
Really nice looking model. Great job