Wildcat Groupbuild-Grumman/GM FM-2 Crop sprayer N58918
Late versions of FM-2 and both crop-sprayer has wheels with 6 spokes. Fortunately Tamiya designed his wheels with separated hubs. So it’s possible to replace the kit hub (closed dish) with an aftermarket item (modified hub for P-47).
Fortunately I can use my own research material from 1998 🙂
Tamiya released its Wildcat 1994. 27 years later despite Sword, Hobbyboss & Co this kit is the first choice for me to build each version of the Wildcat. Because of that I will go the same way as 1998.
0,7 mm cooper wire as reinforcement (because the cowling is made of several parts).
FM-2ˋs cowling is shorter and larger and has only 2 cooling flaps on the upper side.
Fasteners “punched” with flattened 0,5 mm needle (orange).
Wright R-1820 made by Metallic Designs. Very well created in resin, with very fine cylinder ribs. I found the pushrods a bit too thin and replaced them from 0,5 mm rod. Fasteners for the ignition wires (0,15 mm wire) are well visible. 4 x etched carburetor inlets (modified configuration compared with the F4F.
Ignition wiring in place. New research results: both wires of each cylinder were installed on ONE pushrod. Except cylinder No.1 (12 o’clock).
I already talked to the farmer about manure…🙂
Propeller from the kit. Only the hub will be used after rotating 180 deg.
Left: TBF prop (AM), blades from the same prop shortened by about 5mm. Modified hub. The very forward part is a half of a 250 lbs bomb in 1:72
Completed FM-2’s prop minus usable axis on the rearside.
Kit parts plus a about dozen of instrument bezels made by aero scale. Else 0,0 extra parts 🙂
DF HeloStuff’s harness.
Enlarging of the tail completed. 2x2x0,4 mm wire as enforcement included.
Red arrows: position of the pylon.
Each cylinder of the R-1820 has an own exhaust stack. No "bulge" on lower removeable panel (notch filled with plastic).
2 x 2 stacks on the lower side.
2 exhaust stack on the left side.
Wright R-1820 (Metallic Designs)
My special technique for installing radial engines in cowlings: in most cases 3 and this time 4 pieces of 0,4 mm wire glued with CA into the cylinder heads.
The alignment of the engine is very easy and allows precision.
5 minutes later: prominent ends of wire removed and surface cleaned with 800 grid flexifile.
I add a 1 mm heigh ring of plastic for clear installation of the wheel disc without mess.
Very subtle weathering on the blades (radial brushed with a wide brush and dark aluminum on the leading edge)
How to install the new cowling & engine to the rest?
Masking tape trimmed in shape via template of 0,28 mm plastic. In this picture masked 2nd time for black.
Sometimes you are just lucky: an old sheet with black letters by Carpena had exactly the correct letter size.
The ant skid walk way made as usual of painted decal (undiluted dark grey and very low pressure).
It seams that both crop sprayer used T-33 aux tanks.
Not sure if the tanks were 1:1 used or equipped with a 2nd fin.
Few maintenance hints.
The sole 3 stack-group on top right.
10 spraying „stacks“ per side. 0,5 mm brass tube.
3D printed tanks. N58918 has no fins: notches filled with plastic. Pylons made of 1,5 mm thick plastic. 4x0,55 mm wire as attachment.
After sanding the first “off white” coat. The 3D printer steps are well visible.
Unfortunately I lost the rectangular kit part and have to scratch them.
Result of the (mini)groupbuild: N1352N and N58918 ready for next spraying task.
Comments
50 29 June 2021, 16:19
bughunterWow, the paints on the previous project are not hardened completely the next wave is rolling 👍 And with a great start! I'm in!
23 August 2021, 13:48
Sergej IIf you will not add proper manure in the model, I am not your friend anymore 😄 Great start and grabbing popCORN! 👍
25 August 2021, 20:11
JEAN-LUC LELODEYI will follow with great interest this assembly, I just ordered this Tamiya kit. I was hesitant with the hobby boss kit but after watching more unboxing videos, I think the Tamiya kit is more finely engraved despite its date of manufacture.
28 August 2021, 16:02
Daniel KlinkFollowing with interest 👍
Couldn't imagine they were used as Crop Sprayers..
28 August 2021, 16:03
Bernhard SchrockIm very glad that the first row is filling up🙂
Sergej: I already talket to the farmer (see picture 14🙂 )
JL L: on original pictures it's the typical fuselage structure with overlapping panels well visible. Tamiya has done an excellent job reproducing this overlapping structure. This is the reason for my choice.
28 August 2021, 17:18
JEAN-LUC LELODEYyou are absolutely right Bernhard, we can see it well in this photo (Photo 1) Divers | Album by Jlele
For my part here is why I chose this kit (Photo 2)
Divers | Album by Jlele
I am now doubly satisfied...
28 August 2021, 20:07
Hanno KleineckeEngine ready for preflight runup, looks like it will run smoothly ! Throttle to idle, mixture auto-rich, magneto check 👍 🙂
9 September 2021, 15:11
JEAN-LUC LELODEYI am really impressed with the modifications made to adapt an FM2 from an F4F-4 base. 👍
9 September 2021, 18:34
Bernhard SchrockThank you mates.
Hanno: es hat sich gelohnt die Blätter steckbar zu machen und sie getrennt zu lackieren. So habe ich eine saubere Kante zwischen schwarz und Aluminium.
10 September 2021, 16:45
bughunterGreat build again 👍
The engine is not bad, but a Small Stuff shows more details in 1/72 ?
smallstuffmodels.com/p/products.html#!/1-72-Pratt-&-Whitney-R-1830-Twin-Wasp-Engine/p/129578076/
Really pity, that it is not available in 1:48.
11 September 2021, 14:57
Bernhard SchrockThe moveable clear part is actually to big because the material thickness. Tamiya made a compromise: the idea is to enable closed or open configuration.
I decided on the closed configuration and corrected the height of the part to match the windscreen contour.
11 September 2021, 15:55
Gordon SørensenAnother great looking project, Bernhard! I really like the idea for mounting the engine in the cowling with rods.
15 September 2021, 19:02
Robert PodkońskiPerfect paintjob, I wish I had a half of such abilities (and patience...) Looking fabulous!
16 September 2021, 05:51
Eduardo ArguijoNever stop surprising with the detail on your builds! Excelent Work!
16 September 2021, 06:01
Bernhard SchrockTreehugger: a mix of middle grey (50% saturation) and middle brown as base. But I used not overall the same mix to break the uniformity. I used the middle grey here and there a bit lighter grey and here an there a bit darker grey.
19 September 2021, 10:22
TreehuggerRe. photo 62. I've ordered one of the second batch of 1:32 Viggen's from JetMads and I strongly suspect the 3d printed parts will require some surface treatment. Although the largest parts are (hollow) resin parts, the tail base is 3d printed. I plan to use liquified vallejo putty, or consider using that, to try level the surface, with minimal sanding, as the liquid putty should self level, but has poor filling quality the more it is thinned. Then I can apply the more liquid'dy putty with a small brush to avoid the mess that one typically gets if just smearing putty onto a model. Casual sanding of a surface is bad for the details and the edges tend to get rounded off if one isn't careful.
20 September 2021, 13:59
Boris BGreat project and beautiful build ! I like your modifications to FM-2 and then to civilian service. I would only suggest that the seat would gain from being thinned down (or made from photo-etch), but that's a minor detail. The rest is inspiring indeed !
And I didn't know there was a Wildcat group build. I may join with an old project for a yellow-wing F4F-3 (Hobby Boss kit).
20 September 2021, 17:39
Bernhard SchrockBoris: you are welcome🙂
Hanno: Danke. 4 Augen sehen mehr Stutzen als 2…🙂
21 September 2021, 18:25
Hanno KleineckeFirst class result here - beautiful ! That is the way a proper spraycat is supposed to look like 👍
22 September 2021, 18:45
bughunterAgain some pictures of the original plane at the end of the build thread! WAHNSINN!
22 September 2021, 19:09
Hanno KleineckeThe new photos do even more justice to this pretty little yellow fatty 😄 😄 , beautiful !
26 September 2021, 15:10
Robert PodkońskiI am just overwhelmed with the quality and time of this built, not mentioning the beauty of the subject and fantastic photos. Simply perfect! Chapeau bas encore, Bernhard!
26 September 2021, 16:40
Bernhard SchrockThank you mates! I'm glad that you like my Spraycat. After several helix with a lot of extra parts it was a welcome change. 🙂
26 September 2021, 17:26
Album info
Participants welcome
