Starfighter Decals 1/72 Boeing F4B-4 Cockpit By Matt Bittner

When I first knew about the Starfighter Decals resin cockpit for the Monogram (and Accurate Miniatures) Boeing F4B-4 I was excited. Finally, someone willing to support in aftermarket one of the all time great kits of the sixties/seventies (the others being the Monogram P-6E and F11C-2, and Matchbox P-12E). First Starfighter released some fantastic decals for the F4B-4 and now they're following up with a wonderfully detailed resin cockpit.

The resin itself consists of nine parts: cockpit floor, two sidewalls (port and starboard), seat, instrument panel, "gun butt assembly", two rudder pedals, one seat adjuster and the control column. My example has no pinholes or any other type of flaw. These are extremely well done and worth every penny.

In the supplied photo you can see most of the cockpit pieces glued into a Monogram F4B-4. I was hoping to finish the kit for this month's issue, but alas, life suggested otherwise. I do hope to have it finished for the August issue, where you'll be able to see it finished not only using the Starfighter cockpit, but also using one of the markings from the decals Starfighters makes for the F4B-4.

This cockpit might also be used in the Matchbox P-12E (since it's basically the same aircraft as the F4B-4). That's something I hope to be able to check in the future to find out just what is needed to make the cockpit fit in the Matchbox kit.

My huge thanks to Starfighter Decals for the review cockpit. I have at least four more F4B-4s in my stash (along with two P-12Es) and I plan on picking up enough Starfighter cockpits to be added to all.