Ernest,
I'm signing on for the build as of right now.

Two years ago I built the Trumpy F4F-3 which was released by Trumpeter after the -4 version to correct some fuselage inaccuracies. One major issue with all the Trumpeter F4F kits is the wheel wells. There is no recessed lip as the wheel retracts into the concave opening. It's fixable, but takes a major effort to get right. I got close, but my efforts weren't by any means perfect

Joel

Very nice so far!

Watch out for the wings, if you aren't careful they will attach to the fuselage with no dihedral and look plain wrong. Just a heads up!

Michael

Ernest,
Excellent work on the cockpit. I really wish I used a AM set rather then spend months on the interior with bits and pieces.

The cockpit color for Grumman Bethage aircraft varied from that of other manufactures making F4Fs as paint was in sort supply and the USA is a very big country. It's my understanding that most of the F4F-3s and some of the 1st run of the -4s used a color close to what we call Bronze Green. it was made right here on LI so who knows what it really looked like. Everyone I know that worked for Grummans during the war has passed away at this point. The main run of -4s coming out of Bethpage should have had been painted Interior Green. But again, that color was mixed locally.

All Grumman aircraft including the inside of the cowl, the entire fuselage with the exception of the cockpit were painted in what is referred to as Grumman Gray. It's always fun trying to figure out exactly what that color was. Any shade of a light Gray more towards neutral Gray wqill work. Seems that Grumman's asked the Navy Dept, for a dispensation as Interior Green was in very short supply, and there was a ton of this light Gray available. The Navy said OK.

Jumping back to the kit, have you found AM decals, as the kit decals for the National Insignia is completely wrong, and just won't change it.

Here' a picture of my intrepidation of Bronze Green in my F4F



And here's the wheel well changes:





I hope that those pictures help as the Wheel wells are just plain wrong. To remove that lip all I did was find a wooden dowel that fit into the well and wrapped various grades of emery cloth around it, then sanded away. While my wells are far from perfect, they look way better then the kit ones.

Joel

Ernest,

Excellent job on those wing roots. Like you, I found all the time I spent in the cockpit not worth the effort as so much of the details are hidden within those curved fuselage walls.

Your pilot figure is most impressive. Looks great to me.

Joel

Ernest,
Great progress. I'm really impressed with the fasteners, as they look like they were molded not scratched out.

Can't see any real difference in the top color coat. I'd kill the direct lighting as it's the culprit no doubt. If you have a tripod, then soft, indirect light, and a long exposure will do wonders.

Joel

Hi Joel, thank you for the tips! I will see if I can clean up the lip. Interestingly, there was almost no lip on any of the wing insignia. Guess I got a bit enthusiastic with the paint on the fuselage.

Ernest