Now that I got the hang of this posting thing look out! Up until the Accurate Miniatures TBF/TBM’s came out, I thought this was the best 1:48 scale arcraft model ever produced. Being from Lawngeyeland like I am I guess I’m a little slanted to what was built here by Grumman and Republic AND the contributions to victory they made. We would have been in deep doo-doo with out those F4Fs and P-47s if they weren’t around. Also, anyone from upstate New York, P-40’s too, built near Buffalo.
The reason I liked the kit so much was because it pretty much fell together. I like a challenge, don’t get me wrong, but once in a while I don’t want to have to think too much. This kit is that kind of kit. A great model from a minimum of effort.
I built it right from the box except I used Aeromaster Decals and numbers from an older Xtra-Decals number sheet. There were no issues that had to be delt with and basically you build the kit in little modules. Cockpit and wheel well. Engine and cowl. Landing gear. Tail and rudder. Wings. After you get those all done the simply go together like a puzzle with a bunch of three dimensional parts.
I drilled out the wing guns and hollowed the exhaust stack a little bit. The antenna is stretched sprue. I painted the model using Floquil Military Enamels and weathering was done using thinned oil paints, (Grummbacher black mixed with a burnt sienna) and pastel chalk. Any paint chips were done with silver or aluminium on a really pointy brush.
The markings depict an F4F, attached to the “Grim Reapers” of VF-10 from USS Enterprise. It was flown by Lt John Leppla who was KIA in it during the Battle of Santa Cruz, 25 October 1942.
I hope you enjoy the pics and comments are welcome.
Very nice build Freddy, love the weathering. It does a little greenish on my monitor too but if it looks right to you thats all that matters. I have had this monitor for 10 ish years lol [:-^]
It’s not just you with the greeish tint. I think it might be the lighting or when I was monkeying around with the pitures I might have fooled around with the color. Either way, it does seem to have a little bit of a greenish hue. The model is blue-grey over light grey as it’s supposed to be. The kill marks are artistic license however as there are no pictures of this aircraft before he was lost. He allegedly shot down four Japanese during the Coral Sea battle flying an SBD.
Yeah it’s me here too. How’ve you been? Mosquitocon plans coming along OK? I hope so, that’s a really great show and I look forward to being there each year.
The plane does have a greenish tint to it and I’m sure if it was the lighting OR me playing with the color, (Which I did) when I was adjusting the pictures. The plane does look ‘Blue’ in person, which you may or may not have seen.
Thanks for the compliment and yes I’m a Long Islander born and bred. Where on the Island do you live? I’m in East Islip now but I was raised in Wantagh.
I live in Northport, but lived in East Northport since 1992 to 2005. I think I will need lots of your help when I start building my aircraft kits. I build mostly armor kits.
