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TAMIYA 1:48 F4D-1 SKYRAY
Reviewer: Geoff
Goldfen (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review
submitted:
January
2001
Aircraft:
The Skyray started off as a project emanating from the German aerodynamic
research captured at the end of WW2, and the US Navy was particularly interested
and impressed with the tailless delta planform, which seemed to offer great
potential for a jet-powered interceptor needing a high rate of climb and good
performance at altitude. In 1947 the US Navy contracted with Douglas for
initial work into such a machine, and in late 1948 ordered two XF4D-1
prototypes. The first of these flew early 1951 with an "interim
Allison turbojet engine" because the planned Westinghouse one was not
ready.
The second prototype was powered by the planned engine and set a world absolute speed record of approximately 1212 km/h (753 mph) in October 1953. The F4D-1 production type with an updated Pratt & Whitney engine set several world time-to-height records and the type entered service in 1956, with about 419 aircraft delivered to the US Navy (including Reserves) and US Marine Corps squadrons. Most of these were for continental defence from land based units.
In 1962 the aircraft was redesignated the F-6A and remained in first-line service up to the late 1960's and is considered one of the more important aircraft types that saw limited, if any, real time conflict action.
The Kit:
The Tamiya name in models is synonymous with 'exquisite quality' and is
perhaps arguably the only company a modeller will know what he gets when he
opens up the box in terms of fit, quality and accuracy. Tamiya to me are
the Kings of the modelling industry and while consequently you pay through the
nose for their engineering feats you know that the outcome is worth the dollars
you spend - instead of the hard effort!
So now I have given them a wrap I suppose I better give you a quick insight into what you see when you open up the colourful looking kit. The light grey injected plastic looks beautiful and is superbly detailed and engineered. Panel lines are engraved and well scribed and of course there is no flash whatsoever (a forbidden word in Tamiya circles!).
Construction:
You get a reasonable amount of detail in the cockpit that would satisfy
those who like the bare essentials but not interested in much more. To
start with you also get a pilot figure who is a little more realistic than
you're likely to get in other kits. You also get a seat, some side console
detail (which is apparently incorrectly shaped), stick and an instrument panel
that has raised dials on it that can be picked out by drybrushing
techniques. A decal is also provided to slap on the panel if you like. For
the detailer, you will need to think about doing some work yourself, such as
harnesses, throttles etc as these are not catered for by the kit. Tamiya
does provide a detailed shelf behind the pilot to help enhance the cockpit
area.
At this point I would generally harp on about the fit of the components and where this falls down but being a Tamiya kit, well the engineering of the kit ensures one is not troubled by anything worth mentioning in this regard, it simply goes together easily and hassle free - almost like a jigsaw with instructions!
Fuselage halves go together well and encase the cockpit nicely and the wings can be sub-assembled and placed on the aircraft without too much trouble. The wings can also be displayed in the folded position, and at the join enough detail is provided for the internal hinges and so forth. The leading edge flaps on the wings can be positioned in the form of open or closed profile as well.
Stores options for the kit is actually quite generous and features a full load for the NORAD equipped versions of the Skyray, which includes NAVPAC pod, sidewinders, rocket pods and external fuel tanks.
The canopy comes in two parts - windscreen and main canopy and these are clear and well defined. They attach to the aircraft as they are meant to but there are no actuating struts to display the canopy open, so these will need to be scratchbuilt from spares if you want to represent an accurate depiction.
Finally the undercarriage was attached to the underside of the aircraft with relative ease. The wheel wells receive a little bit of attention as far as detail is concerned, such as rivets but there is no actual plumbing, and the gear doors have detail molded on the inner side. The undercarriage is a little on the basic side, although still much better than what, say, an Airfix kit is likely to provide.
Versions & Decals:
The kit provides for two versions to be built, and provide the decals on
separate sheets for each example. The boxart features one of the subjects
that can be replicated with its colourful yellow lightning bolt over a blue
starlit background that stretches along the spine. This version is VFA-3
and the one which I chose to replicate. The other example is a Marine
VMF-114 aircraft. The decal sheets are in excellent register and they conform to
the models surface very well with Decalfix. The only concern is that they are a
bit on the thick side, which is typical for Tamiya, and the large blue starlight
decals needed a bit of patience to position and allow to dry before sealing with
gloss cote.
Accuracy:
Dimension-wise the kit falls into a very acceptable range and is
just a millimetre or two out in both length and span. It looks flawless to
the eye and I must admit that I haven't been able to detect any problems in
profile or other aspects of the kit. It looks very convincing and only the
absolute stickler for accuracy is likely to find anything wrong with it.
Overall:
Well, it's Tamiya and its accurate - need I say more? The
only drawback is its price, but at least you know that you will get what you pay
for here, it is an impressive and superbly engineered kit that is highly
recommended for all skills. It is also an excellent representation of an
often overlooked important aircraft of the 50's and should you be looking to add
this subject to your modelling cabinet, Tamiya's version should be your first
and only choice.
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