F4F-Wildcat...Racer

Talen

Talen

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Joined
May 6, 2009
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148
So I'll put this here now, even though I have not been able to physically start the model (my hope is tomorrow after I finish re-building my model area).

My thought was to make my F4F into a air racer...though, it appears that they never became such a thing, oh well, this will be a what if kind of thing, plus it will give me a chance to finally get over my fear of my airbrush...yes I have one, but have never actually used it to paint anything.
 
Hey Talen,
Dood, just go for it. You'll get the hang of it. Remember, it's all just practice.

Re-building a model area is fun...
 
The area is rebuilt, well, the construction area is, I have a new painting only desk I still need put together. I did do a tiny bit on the kit, I pulled it out of the box, looked over it, made sure everything was there, dry-fit some parts, and started making plans for the construction phase.
 
That was the most frustrating hour of fun I have ever had.

This kit is at least 24 years old, its stamped 1986 on the inside of the fuselage...and it fits like a kit that old.

I tried to put together the landing gear, ended in total failure the plastic was extremely thin, it warped and in the end broke apart, so plan A out the door, this becomes a in-flight model (now must figure out how to mount the kit to a base.

So I decided that something needed to be done so I moved the cockpit tub, the pieces didn't quite fit together right, the control column decided to fly off to who knows where, when I dry fit it to the fuselage there were huge gaps...so plan B out the door, this becomes a in-flight model with tinted windows since the cockpit is now going to become just a firewall so there is an attach point for the landing gear.

I really hope tomorrow is a better day. :)
 
Gameswork shop makes a flight base for the new "Valkyrie" transport model, this base IS avaiable separately and would make a easy in flight base for you.


 
About 40 mins of work was done today, all of which was sanding, and its only about quarter done. Oh..and I got myself in the thumb with the x-acto knife.
 
There is a undiscovered law of physics that small parts have the ability to time travel* and eXacto knifes will either cut your thumb or roll of the work surface and land point down in the top of your foot or the top of your thigh unless preventive measures are taken, it is simple workbench ballistics.


*years ago I read a article, I don't remember where exactly other than it was a model railroad related ( I remember something about springs in Walther HO railroad cars and Kadee couplers) or when that proposed a theory [that small parts have the ability to time travel The basis is when you are doing something delicate, especially if it is, either 1. hard to replace, 2. spring loaded, or 3 small that that part will slip and fly off into the aether, if it rebounds off your face in the process it will escape the gravitational pull of the "carpet" monster and even break through the time barrier! No matter how carefully you look for that part, NO matter how much light you use, You will not find that irreplaceable tiny part until you catch up to it in time. Then it will be in the most obvious place that you KNOW you looked at 12 times before, THAT is where it will be found, You just had to wait until WHEN it got there. (this is usually after you either made a new piece, when to town to buy a new piece or ordered a replacement piece)

to get back on topic, I am kind of curious to see how the racer turns out, Do you have a paint scheme in mind yet?
 
Not fully decided yet, but I'm leaning towards like sports car green with white stripes
 
You know... Grumman had a Biplane that the wildcat was heavily based on that was used in pylon racing. When the Wildcat came into service it was considered very hot. So hot in fact that it was the only plane that was used in the Yorktown's (or Hornet's) beam catapults. (The flung an appropriate aircraft out of the sides of the ship similar to how aircraft took off the deck lengthwise) I'd be willing to bet there is a racer somewhere in the Wildcat's history.
 
Ahh, that explains everything, Thanks Jeep!

Jeep said:
There is a undiscovered law of physics that small parts have the ability to time travel* and eXacto knifes will either cut your thumb or roll of the work surface and land point down in the top of your foot or the top of your thigh unless preventive measures are taken, it is simple workbench ballistics.


*years ago I read a article, I don't remember where exactly other than it was a model railroad related ( I remember something about springs in Walther HO railroad cars and Kadee couplers) or when that proposed a theory [that small parts have the ability to time travel The basis is when you are doing something delicate, especially if it is, either 1. hard to replace, 2. spring loaded, or 3 small that that part will slip and fly off into the aether, if it rebounds off your face in the process it will escape the gravitational pull of the "carpet" monster and even break through the time barrier! No matter how carefully you look for that part, NO matter how much light you use, You will not find that irreplaceable tiny part until you catch up to it in time. Then it will be in the most obvious place that you KNOW you looked at 12 times before, THAT is where it will be found, You just had to wait until WHEN it got there. (this is usually after you either made a new piece, when to town to buy a new piece or ordered a replacement piece)
Click to expand...
 
Hey Talen, I can understand how frustrationg all that can be, I've been there too. Just keep at it, keep the goal in sight (The goal is completion, not perfection) and you'll be alright. But most of all, dont forget to have fun with this one.
 
Got back out to the model table today. Felt a bit accomplished, the main fuselage is rough sanded, as well as most of the wing parts. I'll finish up the wings tomorrow then go from there.
 
Wow..I went to try to do some more research to see if I could find any F4F racers...and the first thing Google finds..is this thread.. *facepalm*

Another day of sanding, almost done with this round, just a couple more pieces and I can do some construction again. Then it will be back to sanding after putty/primer.

I'll try to get some pics up in a day or two.
 
Talen said:
Wow..I went to try to do some more research to see if I could find any F4F racers...and the first thing Google finds..is this thread.. *facepalm*
Click to expand...

Sorry man but that made me laugh.

but hey... you're famous! ;D
 
No modeling yesterday due to grocery day and family emergency. A little done today, a little more sanding, found out a piece was missing, but its an easy fix. Started working on the engine and prop as well.
 

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