1:48 K & B BOEING F4B-4
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BOEING! BOEING!
The stubby Boeing F4B-4 was designed for the US Navy and the first example was delivered in July 1923. Seven first-line units were equipped with the type to serve on five carriers: Enterprise; Langley; Lexington; Ranger and Saratoga. The particular K & B example available here is a 1972 re-issue of the original Aurora kit from 1957 and contains 31 parts moulded in grey styrene-including a transparent windscreen. Good surface detail overall but some parts will require a little thinning, but at least there are none of those pesky embossed markings' positions! The contents, including a typically colourful decal sheet, are virtually mint although the box has been put through the wringer at some point! We have attempted to restore it to a more presentable condition using period -style materials.
ONE of seven non-WWI 1:48 scale aircraft kits produced during 1956-1958 by Aurora was their Kit No.122,the Boeing F4B-4 US Naval carrier-borne fighter. Moulded entirely in light grey,it included a tiny clear windscreen, obligatory ground base with a standing mechanic figure and, unusually for Aurora aircraft kits from this period,no embossed decal locator lines.The kit featured Jo Kotula box art with decals for an aircraft of VF-1B, Fighting Squadron One,the 'High Hats', aboard USS Saratoga circa 1932. Highly colourful with Chrome Yellow upper wing surfaces and red wheel discs, fuselage band and Townend ring,the markings were actually applicable to an earlier F4B-3 version. Basically accurate in outline with reasonably good surface detail overall, the simplified radial engine; airscrew and undercarriage elements demanded a fair amount of refinement. The moulds were copied by Marusan of Japan in the 1950s and by Entex in 1975...
Roll back to 1972 when Aurora revitalised the kit themselves within their revisionist 'Collectors Series'-the plastic was unchanged but the original ground base was replaced by the ghastly boulder strewn vacformed tray-modellers would have been better served with a section of carrier deck. All-new decal sheet featured markings of FB4-4 9012 of VF-2 aboard USS Lexington during 1934-35 with Lemon Yellow markings and Pegasus unit emblem. New box art by John Amendola was truly stunning.
Plastic content of our example is mint with all 31 parts present and correct protected in zip-lok bags to avoid loss-many having parted ways with their runners. Decals have not faded and appear to be in good condition which is more than can be said for the box! At some point over the years it has been badly crushed and we have semi-restored it with gummed paper inserts for the lid and an entirely new tray cut and folded from stiff card. Results are not completely perfect but a great deal better than before! This particular kit (No.-1122-190) was packaged under the K & B label for distribution in the UK and Europe-those for domestic consumption mainly bear the familiar Aurora trademark.
