1/32 Trumpeter F4F-4 Wildcat

by Leslie Choy

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I built this kit almost straight out of the box.  Eduard photoetch (32 109) was used mostly in the cockpit.  Radio control boxes and its switches were scratch built using wires and stretched sprues.  I also added  some control handles.  The cockpit floor was removed and an additional frame was fabricated to look just like the real thing.  The 6 gun charging handles were also scratched build, the red handles under the pilot seat.

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I was able to obtain AIRES M2 .50 cals (ae 2012).  The kit's gun barrel was grafted to the resin body and added brass tube for the muzzle.  I scratch built the shell ejector mounted on the outer gun.  I paid some attention to the left wing.

The gun bay and wing panel padding was made with some tissue soaked in white glue and trimmed after it was dry (a little trick I've learned from the Armour community in my country ........ thanks guys). The gun charging cables for the two guns were made from sewing threads that were connected to the two inboard guns with the third one lying inside the gun bay unconnected.  It depicts the different stages of a gun going through servicing. The centre gun is almost ready with a round in it's breech.

The dorsal spine lights were replaced.  I used 8lb spider fishing wire for the antennae wire.

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The rest of the model was built as depicted in the instruction sheet with Gunze Intermediate Blue and Light Gray (356622).  The colour for the control surfaces was lightened with a few drops of white for the bleaching of the fabric control surfaces by the Pacific sun.
The decal on the fuselage did not conform properly.  The star was sprayed on by masking.  The rest of the decals went on without problems after a few coats of Future, some silvering of the decal on the rudder was spotted.  Some washes of Raw Umber and for the final coating, I used Humbrol Matt Coat.  Pastel chalk was used for engine exhaust and gun powder stains.

Leslie

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Photos and text © by Leslie Choy