Scratch build Boeing F4B-4

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Just a quick update as the Boeing project gets closer to being complete.

I added spark plugs & electrical harness.

Brass wire was used as harness. I cut up a prototype brass wire & fitted it to one of the cylinders & made drivers adjustments until I got it just right. From there, it was just a matter of making duplicates for all 9 cylinders.

Small plastic tubing wrapped with thin strips of black electrical tape painted brass as spark plugs.

Because of all the fine detail on the cylinder cooling fins, combined with the engine being partially buried behind a faceplate & cowl ring, I wanted the electrical portion of the engine to really stand out & make a statement. I think I achieved that goal.
 

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I cut up strips from a relatively thick brass sheet to be used as brackets to retain the engine cowl ring.

I bent the tips at 90 degrees to hold the cowl ring inside.
 

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The brass strips were painted black to help hide them behind the engine.

They were attached to the "firewall." I also used a laser light to help get the cowl ring lined up to the fuselage datum line.

I knew that this model is for display only so I felt no need for heavy reinforcement on the brackets.
 

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A rubber band was used to help hold the engine & faceplate together as I temporarily placed the engine inside the cowl ring.
 

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Regarding the chrome painted blades, this was an area that caused me a lot of grief.

I decided the Molotow chrome paint would peel off if I used masking tape to paint the propeller tips.

Using a scrap piece of plastic, I applied the chrome paint & waited at least 48 hours to completely cure. I then applied masking tape to see if the chrome would hold or peel off.

I was right. The chrome peeled off.

So the next best thing was to make my own decals from strips of colors.

Unfortunately, I found out this chrome is also sensitive to decal setting solutions.
 

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When I tried running off the setting solutions, I made the situation worse. I ended up having to recover the blades….. four times!
 

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Finally!! Got a nice pair of propeller blades z

Just a word of caution; the Molotow chrome paint gives off a great highly polished metallic finish, but it's very sensitive to setting solutions & masking tapes.
 

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I received custom 3-D printed exhaust manifolds from: I Fly Tallies ( IFlyTallies.com ). They're great source for providing custom 3-D one-off's prints.

I painted a layer of flat black followed by a thin dusting of copper go give that heat & slightly rusted look.
 

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