Airfix A50184 F4F-4 Wildcat & Mitsubishi Zero Dogfight Doubles

1
March 11, 2025
I use the AK markers where I can for cockpits and internals, and there is a Mitsubishi interior green in the set that was crying out for this!
2
March 11, 2025
I did look at photos of Zero cockpits for inspiration, and then (as usual with me) I just decided to prioritise fun instead
3
March 11, 2025
One thing I learned when I did my first Zero is that the pilot figure needs to have the feet cut off to fit in properly. I forgot to prime the pilot figure in the kit, so I used one that I have sitting in a little pot of primed but unused figures instead. The only problem was that this one needed to be cut off at the knees!
4
March 11, 2025
I used MIG Zinc Chromate Yellow and Green for the interior parts of the Wildcat. Not too sure why as the interior of the wheelbay would not be visible this time. Oh, yes, it's fun!
5
March 11, 2025
More fun, and I think, more chopped legs! Oh the pain...
6
March 11, 2025
It does seem as though a lot of Zeros were very heavily scratched, although most of the ones I've seen are green instead of grey/green, but I thought I would try to do a decent job of that, so after priming, I gave the model a few coats of black gloss from a spray can...
7
March 11, 2025
...followed by two coats of Humbrol metalcote polished alumminium. I have used this before and it looks good if the undercoat is glossy enough, but it doesn't in my opinion respond well enough to being polished, unlike the steel version. Good enough for my purposes though
8
March 11, 2025
I have read about Saburo Sakai and a very intense dogfight in which he was nearly blinded and how his very brave opponent that day (whose name I have forgotten) managed to survive against a lot of heavy odds and a very shot up plane, so I decided I would like the Wildcat to look a bit battle-scarred, with bullet holes along the fuselage
9
March 11, 2025
The first Zero I painted, I used Humbrol 'Hemp' and brush painted, but that paint did not like being airbrushed, so I tried to replicate it, and after a bit of messing about I found a mix of IJA Grey Green, GB Olive Drab and RLM Sandgelb in varying proportions looked about right. I was pretty pleased with myself! Again, these were MIG paints.
10
March 11, 2025
I was much more consistent and careful with gloss this time before applying decals and then after the decals had set, and the results were better than I usually manage!
11
March 11, 2025
I resolved to be as patient and consistent with the Wildcat as the Zero - usually I seem to get bored or something and start rushing things, but I managed to avoid that this time.
12
March 11, 2025
I wasn't sure how I would make the bullet holes look more realistic, so I tried a few things, but in the end I just dabbed a fine brush with polished metal paint lightly into the holes once the plane was fully painted and it actually worked OK
13
March 11, 2025
The artwork on the box features rust lines in all the panel gaps, so I had a go at replicating that with an AK medium rust weathering pencil. At first I really thought I was completely over-doing it, but actually on the finished plane it looks not too bad!
14
March 11, 2025
Again, I tried to be more careful and considerate on the gloss coats and I think that was worth the effort, so maybe I have actually finally learned a lesson instead of simply saying I have!
15
March 11, 2025
Nearly finished and I started thinking about how I wanted to pose the planes on the stand
16
March 11, 2025
I'm pleased with this, I have really started to exhibit useful skills like patience and thought, which are new elements for me! Am I ready for the Arma Hobby Hayabusa? Er, maybe...
17
March 11, 2025
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March 11, 2025

Comments

2 11 March, 20:26

Album info

I've built both of the planes in this kit before, the Zero twice; I think it is a beautiful looking plane! I got this set about a year ago in a half price sale and finally decided to do it as a it of practice for the new Arma Hobby Hayabusa and as a way of seeing if I think I have improved since doing the others, as they were all done quite early on in my model-building 'career.' Safe to say there were still plenty of mistakes, but I also tried some new things, some new ways of doing other things and generally had some fun with it. I'm pleased with how they turned out, and I do think these two planes really caught my imagination when I started making models, though I still don't know why!

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