discussion Tamiya 1/48 Douglas F4D-1 Skyray

[Dave Ward]

This caught my eye in the stash last week, and after finishing the HobbyBoss Lightning for the P-38 GB. I retrieved it for my next build. Not a very complex build, but nicely engineered in the Tamiya style.

The pilot has gone AWOL, but I do have a small Eduard PE set, mainly to dress up the cockpit.
I'll put up some detail shots tomorrow - a lot of parts are off the sprues already, but nothing assembled.
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

The model dates from 1998 - it has nice engraved detail - a few sprue shots..................

The main airframe is split top & bottom

Cockpit isn't bad............

Detail isn't bad - state of the art in 1998!

Normal Tamiya instructions


The Decal sheets are rather nice - I think I'm going to go with the boxtop finish.............

I have the small Eduard PE sheet


Build options are folded wings, and extended/retracted slats - I'll see how things pan out
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

After a little edge clean up - 14 parts later - the main airframe is pretty complete
Assembly was just TET wicked into the joints. I'm making it with extemded wings & slats ( If you fold the wings, you have to retract the slats }. Looking to be a quick build ( so far )
Dave

 

[Guest]

I like the look of US Navy planes of this generation — they manage to look at the same time sleek, quaint, futuristic and archaic.

 

[Guest]

Hi Dave good clean start, nice snug fit to, great looking decal sheet.
Hope you on the mend and feeling better.
Pete.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Good looking bird this one......so following along....

 

[Dave Ward]

The office has the PE instrument panel fitted - very old school, all dials..........

The ejector seat, I guess is a Douglas model, looks different to the M-B seats. Just waiting for me to fit the seat belts....

I see no mention of nose weights in the instructions - there's plenty of room in the nose, so I'll add some as insurance...........
Dave

 

[Jim R]

Hi Dave
I can well understand how that box art caught your eye. Nice decals but some are rather large so hope they go on ok. I like the top/bottom body rather than the left/right one - less clean up of joins hopefully.
Jim

 

[Dave Ward]

The top/bottom is engineered so that a lot of the joints are hidden - mainly behind the slat housings, but the fit is so good, that there is minimal clean up.
The decals may be a bit tricky, but I think that doing them more or less one at a time, allowing plenty of drying time between decals, and using a decal solution should be the best technique
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Belt added to the seat
Boy, it looks rough, when you magnify it!!!!!!!!!

I added some ball bearings before joining the front fuselage halves, sandwiching the cockpit tub. Absolutely no fit problems!
Dave

 

[rtfoe]

That's quick Dave.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Guest]

It is a Tamiya kit, though …

 

[rtfoe]

It is a Tamiya kit, though …

Yup forgot about that. It helps really.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Dave Ward]

Yes, not many parts, and the fit so good, that it really fall together. When you consider it dates from 1998, it must have been really state of the art moulding then!
Dave

 

[papa 695]

Nice work so far Dave. The wing and tail section reminds me a little of the flying sub from Voyage to the bottom of the sea.

 

[Dave Ward]

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea started in 1964 - so no doubt the model makers had seen the Skyray......................
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

The nose, fuselage joined, and the inlets added - lust a little easing needed with a sanding stick, as it was a bit tight
I'll let this dry overnight, and it may need a little smoothing, with some fine emery paper, but no filler will be needed.
The control surfaces, underside, wheel wells, and undercarriage are all white, so I'm going to add as much as possible before using the white primer, and giving it an overall coat.
Dave

 

[Dave Ward]

Everything's all white......................

Next, I'll spray the underside, and the control surfaces with insignia white
Dave

 

[Fernando N]

Nice work Dave, going for the boxart version?

 

[Guest]

That was quick Dave to this stage, looked to be very clean on the sprues.
I'm waiting for those decals.