Eduard 1/48 F4F-3 wildcat

[paddy]

Well here goes with my first  MSC forum build.....
This is an Eduard kit and i have also purchased their own upgrade kit to include engine, guns and wheel wells.






This is a first for me using Eduards new printed upgrade parts






A good pair of sprue cutters will see the  print framework removed. Certainly a lot easier than sawing and fileing resin pour blocks off with the bonus of no dust.




Its not that i dont have faith in this conversion.....but
I decided to perform minor surgery (without anaesthetic) on the fuselage before i go too far because if i get that wrong their is little point in continuing :-)




















I think i got away with that ...I can fine tune the fit of the engine bulkhead later, its not to far off.

[Joe Rix]

Oh Yeah! Great selection of a kit to build Paddy. Love that you are going all in with the Eduard AM parts. I have this kit so I am definitely following along with you. Not to mention that USN WWII aircraft is my subject of choice.

[kyledehart5]

Excellent! Looking forward to watching this one come together.

[deafpanzer]

I definitely will follow this. My boys got me this kit for Christmas and it looks like a great kit. Good luck Paddy!

[buddho]

Following this as well. The printed parts look really good. Nice job on the engine bulkhead surgery.

[406 Silverado]

I saw these kits everywhere when I was at the Nationals a few weeks ago and they were selling like hotcakes. Really looking forward to seeing this one built up with the 3D printed goodies that you've got here Paddy.

[handiabled]

Sweet, I look forward to seeing this one come together. Nice job cutting in the bulkhead. Looks like the am parts fit so far.

[Medicman71]

Nice! Can't wait to see more. I'd like to get one of these.

[paddy]

It looks like i am powering ahead here but bear in mind the engine at this stage is basically just 3 parts. If this was the equivariant resin engine from Aires for the Hellcat it would be nearly 40 parts

[stikpusher]

Great work on the engine! Isn’t it wonderful that 3-D printing can take a complex multi part assembly, and replicate it with the same level of detail or more with far less assembly required?

[Medicman71]

The engine looks great!

[deafpanzer]

3 parts Vs 40 parts?!? Heck give me 3D printing set any day now. Engine looking great by the way!

[chromdome35]

That engine is sublime, great work!

[paddy]

Sept 11, 2023 20:02:14 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

3 parts Vs 40 parts?!? Heck give me 3D printing set any day now. Engine looking great by the way!

 This is the Aires set for the later Hellcat . without a jig to mount the cylinders and to cut them all to the same length you are into problems from the start. (  ask me how in know ) 

[stikpusher]

no thanks.... Those warped gun barrels don't look so swift either...

[kyledehart5]

I must agree. I’m noping right out of the Aires engine. Your engine looks incredible with much less headache. Technology is wonderful.

[TJ]

The engine looks great.

[406 Silverado]

I've built up more than a couple of radial engines the old way and can attest to the fact that they are a "bear and a half" to put together and get right. It is indeed amazing to see this level of detail from just a few parts and this is one of the best radial engine build ups that I've ever seen. Beautiful work and a LOT less effort to get it this way I'm sure Paddy.

[Joe Rix]

Oh Yeah. That makes for one sweet looking engine. Great job on enhancing the excellent molding Paddy.

[ogrejohn]

Jeez that engine looks great!

[paddy]

t looks like a lot of possible detail will be hidden if i follow the instructions. The section between the engine bulkhead and the 2nd bulkhead that the undercarriage mounts on is hidden apart from any view via the wheel wells.
I did a search for this area and all i found was this




Which shows an access panel removed over this section so thats a possibility like thisie: i could cut along the pencil lines ?

[Joe Rix]

You know you have to do it. It is too tempting.

[handiabled]

I opened this area up on a 1/32 F6f5 Hellcat I am currently building and have been stuck there for some time now scratch building everything the kit didn't have. I look forward to seeing what you do with this either way

[deafpanzer]

Good move if you can create some openings so everybody can see the amazing details!

[paddy]

So this is where i have got too
Its basically a series of sub assemblies and i have to say the fit of these 3D parts is Excellent so far




The framework that will be the engine mount is super fragile, its hard to grip this enough to pick it up and not crush it, fortunately its not as fragile as the old cast resin parts.

[paddy]

Mocking up the engine mount there is definitely a lot of lost detail once the engine bulkhead goes on opening up at least one panel will be needed

[406 Silverado]

Oh WOW!! Now THAT......is a lot of detail right there. I've gotta say, I'm impressed by this 3-D update set that you have for this birdie Paddy and am glad to see the AM world catchin' on that resin was great when it was in but this 3-D stuff really brings detailing to a whole new level.

[paddy]

When i started this i had a look on amazon and bought some really decent tweezers, glad i did now

Starting to look a bit like a Lunar module....

[paddy]

Note to self....stop using thumbnail as a mixing palette and for drops of superglue...

[stikpusher]

Wow, they sure did some great detailing work in there! Right down to the bicycle chain style mechanism for operating the main landing gear.