Voir et Savoir 1/144 - F4F Wildcat

[strobez]

This one is kinda like a bonus build.  I originally started this one for another project (part of the Leiji Matsumoto "Battlefield" manga series, if you want to know).  Everything was going along swimmingly until I realized I'd made one fatal mistake... that project called for F6F Hellcats.  Whoops~!

So this build went back into the box... until now.

What a sweet box... I expect nothing less from Sweet.



Such fine details. Lovely.  Their kits really are a joy to build.



A quick dry fit to get a look at things.



Space drilled out for the motor.



Engine painted... and then back into the box she goes.



Dragged back out of the box... everything looks fine. Let's carry on by mounting and wiring up the motor.



Apparently the pilot is shy... so no pics. But he's in there under the canopy masking. Now for a coat of black under shading.



Underside of the fuselage painted light grey, then masked for the top.



With the blue on, it's starting to look like a Wildcat.  Since it's basically a WHIF, I didn't bother trying to figure out the exact right shade of blue.



Ah yes, the propeller...

[NARSES2]

Must remember this is 1/144 

[strobez]

Heh, I always try to add a bottle of glue/paint to the pictures to make sure that the scale is understood.  It helps the viewers to be more forgiving.

Anyway, like my other Voir et Savoir projects, this one is wrapping up too.  After a quick engine test to make sure we're still spinning...



...then it was time for decals. Like the other two projects, I decided I didn't need to be a slave to the markings, so the white "16" became a white "15" since that's what came on the decal sheets. Good enough for me.

[NARSES2]

 

[zenrat]

Cool.

[Old Wombat]

Awesome weathering for tiny scale!

[strobez]

Thanks guys! This kit goes together so nicely, I don't feel like I can take all the credit.

Anyway, I update my blog with the final pics as well as a short video of the propeller spinning... have a look - http://strobez.ca/wp/index.php/2020/03/10/16-grumman-f-4-wildcat-2/