F4F-3 and F4F-4 by davec - Eduard - 1/48 - PLASTIC

[davec]

My next project is the Eduard 1/48 F4F.  I wanted to try some of their 3D printed parts, so went a little overboard and got most of the add-ons for the early F3F.  I’m not including a lot of pictures of kit contents as there are professionally done photos on the eduard website.  I will include some along the way showing the incredible detail in the printed parts and their comparison to the merely superb detail in the kit parts.

 I really like the prewar yellow wing paint schemes and wanted to build option A.

The kit comes with parts for both an F4F-3 and F4F-4.  I bought the double kit with two thoughts:

 

1-     Most of the parts are the same.  If I was struggling with the modifications for the 3d printed parts, I could use the extra parts to make sure I had was able to finish one model.

2-     If I got past the big part modifications without problem, I could build both models.  This would give me a chance to compare using the printed parts with building the kit out of the box (which in this case includes photo etch).

 

The biggest modification to use the printed engine is to cut off the firewall from the kit parts and get the 3d printed firewall to fit in its place.

I’ve included pictures of the new firewall and the unmodified fuselage.

I cut off part of the old firewall with a razor saw, used a sanding drum on a rotary tool to remove much of the rest of it, then used sandpaper glued to a board to remove the rest really slowly, being careful to sand parallel to the panel line that I was aiming for.  It came out OK, so I think I am OK for two models. 

The second one will be Lt Cdr John Thach’s plane as it was marked at Midway – seems appropriate as this is the anniversary of the battle.

I’ve been incredibly impressed at the detail in the printed parts.  I’ve just started on the two cockpits and will post pictures of them side by side as work continues.