HobbyBoss 1/48 scale
US Navy Furies Part Three

by Mike Robertson

HobbyBoss' 1/48 scale FJ4 Fury is available online from Squadron

Here is the third of my 1/48 scale HobbyBoss Fury builds. This is an FJ4 finished in the markings of Utility Squadron VU7 based at NAS Alameda in the early 1960s and is inspired by photos in Steve Ginters Naval Fighter Series No 25 FJ4/4B book. Additional photos, and inspiration, can be found in Detail and Scale No 68 FJ Fury by Bert Kinzey and Naval Air Weapons Meet 1956-1959 by Angelo Romano.

The Scheme

The Fury is finished in the attractive Utility Scheme of Engine Gray, Insignia Yellow and Insignia Red. Initially, I had intended to finish the Fury with the markings provided in the Grand Phoenix kit which features this Fury, BuNo 139290 “28”, carrying a Fluorescent Red Orange tail. VU 7 also flew Furies with an all Yellow empennage, a more colourful variation. By a stroke of luck, I found a picture of 139290 “28” in flight in the Kinzey book (page 8) carrying the Yellow empennage.

One vexing issue was the colour of the undercarriage wheel wells and interior doors. The photo of 139290 “28” sporting the Flurescent Red Orange tail in the Kinzey book (page 43) shows the Fury with Aluminum Interiors and gear legs. Further photos in the books feature the Yellow empennage Furies with White gear legs and interiors and indeed a wide variation on the many Furies featured. Which way to go? I opted to go the White variation which may well be incorrect for this Fury but was a possibility with a repaint.

Quite straightforward overall as noted in my previous builds. One issue that came to light with this build was the nose gear flipper door. My previous builds featured this door in the up position. For a variation I opted to build this Fury with the gear doors down.

Hobbyboss provide the nose gear flipper door as a rectangular piece which is incorrect as it should feature a notch on the forward edge. I duly modified the door and nose gear bay to reflect the correct appearance.

Overall undercoat in Matt Humbrol White, Testors Gloss Insignia Yellow over a Matt Humbrol Yellow undercoat, Humbrol Gloss Red over a Humbrol Matt Red undercoat and finally, Xtracolour Gloss Engine Gray. The markings were from the Eagle Strike sheet featured with the Grand Phoenix kit with one modification. The upper right wing “28” and UH code with the Grand Phoenix kit are Black. In flight photos in Ginter (page 50) and Romano (page 82) show these upper wing markings in White. I masked and sprayed the UH and sourced the 28 from a generic white letters/numbers sheet.

Limited weathering was applied and finally a coat of Xtracolour Semi Gloss varnish applied.

Oops Factor

Invariably, when I sit back and review the build once finished and re-look at the reference photos, I find an error/omission in the scheme or, construction flaw. In this case, the Squadron designator VU7 aft of the fuselage National insignia does not feature in the photo in Kinzey (page 8) and further, the upper and lower wing National Insignia are one size too large. More focus required next build.

Three down, one to go. A fun build that I’m happy with despite the issues.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 

Thumbnail panels:

Model and Text Copyright © 2011 by Mike Robertson
Images Copyright © 2011 by Brett Green
Page Created 14 March, 2011
Last Updated 21 March, 2011

Back to HyperScale Main Page