SPA Modeler

Looking good Tom. But I might suggest doing the engine crankcases in gray. That was the standard color used on US engines.

Here’s a Wright R-1820, same engine type as used on the F5F, on a C-47

Thank you. Yeah, I kinda questioned myself on the color call out in the instruction guide. Oh well... not gonna go back and repaint.

LyleW wrote:That is looking great!

Thank you Lyle. Almost thought I lost the instrument panel but thankfully I found it in the weirdest spot. My aircraft parts spares box.

Now I can’t seem to locate the clear parts, particularly the canopy since I did mask it. I’ll do a search soon. Would be better to paint it while it’s on the fuselage. If no luck finding it, I’ll have to find a replacement canopy in a form of vacu form canopy. I’ve found a couple hobby sites that has them.

No pics but some progress made. Props have decals for 3 color prop tips (red, yellow blue)... all 12 - 2 per prop blade - front and back. Screw that. I painted them instead. I need to touch up some spots where flat black pulled off the tape, yellow mist on black prop blade or two, and a couple blue stripes needs touching up. Overall, it looks pretty good... definitely better than decal prop tips.

Engine cowls painted, engines installed, top cowling need to be glued to lower portion before attaching to wings. Fuselage needs to be glued to wing, and find the missing canopy/clear sprue.

I can never get those prop tip decals to work out. Then never seem to fit properly. Good to see you are modeling after my style.

Yellow Wings Decals makes a sheet that has the three color prop tips and propellor company logos. They work well enough being in squares to fit most any size prop in the scale, and you just trim them up once dry. I used them on my TBD build several years back with no problem. Probably will be using them on my Buffalo as well, as the kit decals look like they will fall apart once they hit water

Even with liquid decal film? Geez! I don't blame you for going aftermarket!

Progress pics I promised

Fuselage side and nose views.






Top and bottom engine nacelles






Dry fit of assembles nacelles on wing.




Propellers painted! Painted on tips looks better than using decals.




A close up shot...




I measured the tip bands of the decals. They're exactly 1/16th of an inch each. I cut a few strips of tape using Frog Yellow Painter Tape. First paint is yellow after I masked off where 3/16 ends from the tip of the blade down. - 3 mist coats and let dry.

Next, I take my first 1/16th strip and mask the center yellow stripe - both sides. I cut mine wide enough so the front strip tape will mate to the backside of the prop blade. Just press them together back to back to get a nice uniform look.

Now paint the bottom bar blue and let dry - 2 mist coats should suffice.

Once dried, mask the blue stripe just as I did with the yellow.

Paint the tips red tips - 2 light mist coats.

Once it's dry, remove the tape strips carefully. Don't let it dry overnight or the tape will pull up your color stripes.

Another tip: don't burnish the tape strips - just let the excess tape touch each other to hold in its place. Airbrush in light mist coats. If you do this, you won't have runs underneath the tape. Worked for me.

Great work on those prop tips Tom, the build is coming along nicely - I really hope you find your canopy and clear parts!

Heh... I haven’t looked for them yet. But I will soon. The only hint I’ll have is they’re already masked up and ready for paint.