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MONOGRAM 1:72 BOEING F4B-4 (MODEL 235)
Reviewer:
Richard Stracey (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted:
21 October 2001 (#25)
Aircraft:
The F4B-4 was the end result of many years of Navy fighter development alongside the Army P12. The first of 92
machines was delivered in July 1932 but, surprisingly, fourteen went into
service with the Brazilian Air Force even before US deliveries were complete. So
close was the relationship with the P12E that some later aircraft used P12
wings. A life raft was stored in the head rest hump and floatation bags in the
upper wing. The belly tank contained 55 gal of fuel. The F4B-4 was the last US
Navy fighter with fixed undercarriage. Many finished up as radio controlled
target drones. Armament consisted of either two .30 cal or one .30 cal and one
.50 cal machine guns and provision for a 116 lb. Bomb under each wing. The span
was 30’and length 20’5”.
The Kit + Construction:
Monogram Kit 6795 - 1/72
The Monogram kit, which dates from 1968 is a bit heavy on detail and very simple
to construct. Consisting of twenty five parts including a pilot and stand. The
carbine struts are part of the fuselage halves making the placement of the top
wing “child's play”. Not much to be seen in the cockpit, not even a seat (Aeroclub
VO55 seat and stick would come in handy) but a decal for the dashboard is
supplied. Feeling lazy and not having an Aeroclub seat, I filled the
“hole”up with the pilot. I glued the cowling (8&9) firmly and set it
aside to dry without adding the engine. This made it easier to tidy up and
paint. I am not sure how Monogram intended the tail strut (16) to fit, certainly
it requires being cut into two separate struts. As it was I replaced it with
Contrail aerofoil section. As I said "a simple model”, so not much to say
concerning construction.
Versions & Decals:
Monogram just refer to the colours as light grey, blue, yellow etc. The
yellow on the top of the top wing (don’t forget the underside of the ailerons)
is Humbrol 188 / Testors 1707 Chrome
Yellow (not 1790 chrome silver as the Humbrol colour chart claims) . The cowling
is True Blue, Testors 2030 / FS15102 and the tail surfaces Humbrol 99 lemon
yellow. For the fuselage I chose Humbrol 147 (Tamiya XF14/Testors 1732/FS36495),
anyway, a very light grey. For the lower wings and undersurface of the upper
wing I used my trusty “Aluminum
Doped Fabric Mix” of Tamiya XF16 Aluminum
with approx. 20% XF2 Flat White added. The decals are very thick and glossy and
don’t lay down snugly even after a soaking with decal softener. The blue of
the fuselage stripe and the wing “V”was lighter than true blue (perhaps it
matches Humbrol 14 French Blue?) so I overpainted them to match the cowl. I also
tried to trim off as much of the large areas of carrier film as possible. The
fuselage stripe meets at the top, rather than underneath, which is the more
usual practice. A pity, as I prefer to hide my joins underneath out of view! I added ariel posts to the top of the rudder and starboard
wing tip with an ariel between them and some simple rigging. May I call the
result “cute”or “pretty”? For the first time in living memory I actually
used the stand.
© Richard Stracey 2001
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