Tamiya 1/48 Douglas F4D-1 Skyray
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 3:07 pm
This is my second Tamiya kit to finish and I have to say that for the most part, it was well-engineered and thoughtfully designed. I started this Skyray about three years ago, only to put it aside about half finished in order to start my Hobby Boss MiG-17. I returned to it about a month ago and pronounced it finished last Saturday. Tuesday last, I took it and four other planes out to the Cameron Airport for a little photo-session. We have a new hangar out there and I wanted to use it for a background. It was quite hot even in the time I was there, 10-noon, building up to a heat index of 108 that afternoon.
The gull gray on top and insignia white underneath are Model Master enamel, and the wingwalks are Humbrol dark gull enamel. The leading edges were done with Humbrol matt aluminum. Paint was applied with my Paasche H using CO2. The paint scheme was deceptively simple at first but turned out to require a lot of masking, compounded by several mistakes on my part. The final finish is MM semi-glass acrylic clear and Future was used for a gloss-coat for decaling and weathering with Flory washes and pastel chalks. I used the kit decals for the most part with a few from my decal spares stash. EZ Masks were used for the canopy. It is pretty much all out of the box, with tape seatbelts and PE buckles added to the ‘pit. Originally, I intended to build her “clean” to show off the Skyray’s cool lines but in the end, I did gaudy her up with a full load-out.
Looking back on my recent progress, I realized that my last three completions were all 50s jets! Man, I just love the planes from this era. The Navy and the Air Force weren’t afraid of trying any new designs it seems now, and new designs were coming off the ‘boards at a fast rate back then. The Skyray has that "retro-futuristic" look down pat. Knowing the design was influenced by Dr. Lippisch's work, I can almost squint just so and see the airframe in German mottling, with the associated regalia. Perhaps an idea for a "what-if" project? When I was a tender youth, zooming their plastic lookalikes around my room and yard, they represented perfectly how a fighter jet should look. Thanks for taking a look at the “Ford”.
Gary
The gull gray on top and insignia white underneath are Model Master enamel, and the wingwalks are Humbrol dark gull enamel. The leading edges were done with Humbrol matt aluminum. Paint was applied with my Paasche H using CO2. The paint scheme was deceptively simple at first but turned out to require a lot of masking, compounded by several mistakes on my part. The final finish is MM semi-glass acrylic clear and Future was used for a gloss-coat for decaling and weathering with Flory washes and pastel chalks. I used the kit decals for the most part with a few from my decal spares stash. EZ Masks were used for the canopy. It is pretty much all out of the box, with tape seatbelts and PE buckles added to the ‘pit. Originally, I intended to build her “clean” to show off the Skyray’s cool lines but in the end, I did gaudy her up with a full load-out.
Looking back on my recent progress, I realized that my last three completions were all 50s jets! Man, I just love the planes from this era. The Navy and the Air Force weren’t afraid of trying any new designs it seems now, and new designs were coming off the ‘boards at a fast rate back then. The Skyray has that "retro-futuristic" look down pat. Knowing the design was influenced by Dr. Lippisch's work, I can almost squint just so and see the airframe in German mottling, with the associated regalia. Perhaps an idea for a "what-if" project? When I was a tender youth, zooming their plastic lookalikes around my room and yard, they represented perfectly how a fighter jet should look. Thanks for taking a look at the “Ford”.
Gary
That kit builds up SO beautifully! I do need to get one 
I can only imagine 108* out on the ramp... you are one hardy soul Tex. 
