1/48 Martlet Kit selection help please.

[s1chris]

Question for the experienced - following the link in Wojtec's post on how to convert the Tamiya kit.
I understand the removal of the intake but the cutting of the cowl has baffled me a bit.
If I read it correctly it says to cut off the area in between the red lines I have marked on the drawing and then attach the remaining cowl to the fuselage? Then cut in the new cowl flaps etc?

Cheers Chris

 

[fubar57]

Yep, just rescribe the new flaps, but before cutting make sure you measure how the cut cowl will fit the fuselage. Also note the different pitot tube

Geo

 

[s1chris]

Nice one Geo. I'm man enough to take that on for my second GB! Will probably source a resin replacement engine and just go into a panic about the prop and hope that it turns out ok in the end.

Fleabay here I come!

Cheers Chris

 

[fubar57]

Engines and Things make several versions of the R-1820 engine, though I don't know anything about engines or the mods you may have to make. They are for sale at Rollmodels.com.

Geo

 

[s1chris]

Again thanks. I'll manage to shoehorn one in there somehow.
Now just to identify the colours needed.

Cheers Chris

 

[Wurger]

Because Martlets were assembled in the USA and delivered to the Great Britain in ready finish these colours were made in USA. The Grumman factory used DuPont paint series. For tops - Extra Dark Sea Gray (DuPont 71-19324) and Dark Slate Gray (DuPont 71-19323, also can be found the number 71-9323), for undersides Duck Egg Blue (DuPont 71-021, it is the almost same Sky type S colour but just named differently by Grumman. According to my knowledge the DuPont Dark Slate Grey was a little bit lighter than the origin English paint. Also the DuPont Duck Egg Blue ( Sky type S ) was a little bit lighter and bluish than the British Sky type S.

 

[Lucky13]

Otherwise, I was going to suggest this bird....

 

[Wurger]

Oh ... I have forgotten ..

Extra Dark Sea Grey - FS36118
Dark Slate Grey - FS34096
Sky - FS34424

 

[Wurger]

However the FS36463 seems to be more adequate for the Sky colour although the DuPont Color Standards list with samples indicates the FS34424.

 

[Wurger]

And finally I found a pictiure of the front engine cowling of the Martlet Mk.IV. Not too close up but it is the same Martlet in picture posted in the #18. Also here a diagram for the Hamilton Standard prop.

The pic source - the net....

 

[s1chris]

Spot on Wojtec, that will be a massive help. Looking forward to this build now.

Cheers Chris

 

[Wurger]

Good Luck !

Oh.. Chris, I would like to pay your attention to the front area of the fuselage, starting from the back edge of the engine cowling and going to the leading edge of the wing. The Martlet Mk.IV had it longer comparing to the US F4F-4. Although the engine cowling was shorter in chord on the Martlet Mk.IV ,the total length of the kite was of 10cm shorter only than the F4F-4 one. As a result you may need to make the area of the fuselage longer. Please check on these drawings in the post #9. The difference is clearly seen.

 

[Airframes]

Chris, have a look at the Vector / Neomega site, they do a range of US radial engines, and their products are excellent.

 

[s1chris]

Terry - thanks. Will get that checked out.

Wojtec - now that could be a mod that I'm not capable of. So either I overlook it or buy a Martlet kit.
Confused.com.

Will get thinking.

Cheers Chris

 

[Wurger]

Wojtec - now that could be a mod that I'm not capable of. So either I overlook it or buy a Martlet kit.
Confused.com.

Will get thinking.

Cheers Chris

Take it easy. Judging by these pics at the site I posted the link to, the front of the fuselage seems to be enough long at the area. So there isn't the need of making it longer, methinks. Even if you had to correct that it wouldn't be difficult.

 

[s1chris]

Yeah maybe some playing around with panel lines could give the same effect.
I'll go for the Tamiya and just deal with it, also because I haven't found a Martlet IV kit in 1/48.

Then comes the decal questions! I may end up trying to make masks and paint the codes for this one.

 

[rochie]

i can help out there Chris see pic i still have the decals for FN121 so pm me your address and i will send them over to you and you can use the bits you can.
think i have serial numbers as well so should be able to give you the 4's to finish that off then all you need is roundels fin flashes and the P's

 

[s1chris]

Thanks Rochie, massive help.
Do you want me to send you down my almost complete sheet of 1/48 P-47 Decals in exchange?
There from the Tamiya kit and I have only used the very small decals for the exterior of the plane.
Starts and bars, codes and nose art are all complete.

Will PM my address over now.

Cheers Chris

 

[Wurger]

Yeah maybe some playing around with panel lines could give the same effect.

I don't think that correction of panel lines can help. According to my experience at a such works it may be a matter of about 3-4mm for the scale. Just one or two bulkheads made of plastic plate of the correct thickness and stuck to the front of the fuselage. Then some putty and sanding if needed in order to get the correct shape. Willy-nilly the rescribing of panel lines would have to be done too.

 

[s1chris]

I might even be able to use the cowl flaps that I cut off to make the cowl shorter to extend the fuselage.
I have just ordered the kit anyway so there's no turning back now.

Roll on December.