Tamiya F4U-1 Birdcage Corsair

[David Hansen]

I think the gentle sanding looks a lot better, but i think the YZC primer should show underneath first, and this effect should be confined more to the leading edges of the wing where the most airflow (and foot traffic) will wear the paint away first. I think the chipping, aft of the wing spar is still way too excessive. Aside from climbing up on that part of the wing to fuel the plane, the foot traffic wasn't nearly as much. But just my opinion. The thing about weathering is, its very easy to overdo. Less is definitely more. Don't discount using Prismacolor silver pencils either. Very easy to clean up, if you go too far.

 

-d-

[David Hansen]

In the meantime, a Corsair parts explosion on the workbench.

 

 

I'm trying to paint the inner wing parts before assembly so hopefully will have more progress soon.

 

Carl

I've seen this crime scene before.

-d-

[David Hansen]

BTW i've looked at the whole progress arc on this build, and everything else looks good to me. I don't want you to think i'm hen-pecking/ micro managing your project to death.

 

Just trying to pass on everything i know, and try to relate past Corsair rookie mistakes i've seen in the past so you can better avoid them.

 

BTW: Did you decide on exactly which Birdcage you plan to build?

 

Fly Navy!

 

david

[Guest Peterpools]

Hi Carl

Following your weathering dilemma with great interest. Not being a weathering guy other then a bit of some flying time showing it's light staining, I am very partial to your sanding approach and something I will be trying in the future.  I also like the idea of layering the paint: primer, aluminum, zinc chromate and then the top coat so both the zinc chromate and aluminum will show randomly.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

[The1971Show]

I think you're on to something with the sanding followed by some more restrained chipping. I'll be watching your progress with this as I've been thinking along similar lines for my Ki-61.

 

P.S. I was in your neighbourhood yesterday, getting a haircut at Benny's up on Keele at Dundas. It's been a year since I moved over to the east side, but I still can't find a barber I like!

 

Darren

[Guest]

Gonna be a nice one!

[BloorwestSiR]

I think the gentle sanding looks a lot better, but i think the YZC primer should show underneath first, and this effect should be confined more to the leading edges of the wing where the most airflow (and foot traffic) will wear the paint away first. I think the chipping, aft of the wing spar is still way too excessive. Aside from climbing up on that part of the wing to fuel the plane, the foot traffic wasn't nearly as much. But just my opinion. The thing about weathering is, its very easy to overdo. Less is definitely more. Don't discount using Prismacolor silver pencils either. Very easy to clean up, if you go too far.

 

-d-

Thanks for the feedback David. Actually, I figured since I knew I was going to repaint the wing I would try sanding the top coat first to see what it would look like. So the chipping that you see was from my first attempt and not yet the second try.

 

And no, I don't think you're nitpicking as this is really the first plane I've weathered to any significant degree. My builds are usually pretty clean so the advice and suggestions are very appreciated.

 

Edit: I forgot to say I'm thinking of doing Reluctant Dragon from VMF-213. I've got the Monokio sheet for it.

 

Carl

Edited December 11, 2016 by BloorwestSiR

[BloorwestSiR]

Hi Carl

Following your weathering dilemma with great interest. Not being a weathering guy other then a bit of some flying time showing it's light staining, I am very partial to your sanding approach and something I will be trying in the future. I also like the idea of layering the paint: primer, aluminum, zinc chromate and then the top coat so both the zinc chromate and aluminum will show randomly.

Keep 'em coming

Peter

Thanks Peter. I'm like yourself, I build'em clean usually so this is new territory for me. I'm going to put a coat of YZC over the base coat when the time comes and then the top coat and see how that works out.

 

Carl

[BloorwestSiR]

I think you're on to something with the sanding followed by some more restrained chipping. I'll be watching your progress with this as I've been thinking along similar lines for my Ki-61.

 

P.S. I was in your neighbourhood yesterday, getting a haircut at Benny's up on Keele at Dundas. It's been a year since I moved over to the east side, but I still can't find a barber I like!

 

Darren

Thanks Darren!

 

I think the chipping effect I ended up with would work on a number of Japanese planes especially those seen towards the end of the war. It's too harsh here on its own though.

 

I might have just missed you add I was at Indie Ale House getting our growler filled. That's right around the corner.

[ScoobyDoo]

I like the technique, but i think the weathering is in the wrong places. Not for a lack of effort or execution; its just that the paint chipping is too large an area, and not in the right places.

 

First of all, i grant that no two aircraft weathered exactly the same, and the conditions on Guadalcanal were worse than average, resulting in some very dirty and knackered-looking aircraft. Having said that, i'd start looking at as many photos you can find of F4U-1s from this time period. Books like the F4U in Action series by Squadron, Corsair Aces of the Pacific by Osprey, and Dana Bell's Volume I on the Corsair are all good reference points.

 

The Corsair fuselage and wing center section was primed with Yellow Zinc Chromate primer prior to painting, so some of that should be visible. Corsairs had prominent walkways made of an anti-skid material ( i don't know exactly what), and while it held up pretty well, the material seemed to come off of the numerous spot welds in little "dots". Also, there is a trapezoidal, spring loaded step (hinged along the aft side), that experienced heavy wear.

 

As a generalization, the wing root, up against the fuselage skin, near the front part over the ducting for the air/ oil cooling inlets seemed to have suffered the most wear. Vought manufactured work platforms that hooked into the lip of these inlets and a rod at the opposite end of the platform plugged into a hole in the nose ring on the cowling (you can see this on the nose ring of the kit if you look closely). There was a lot of foot traffic up close near the fuselage, where big sheet metal panels on the sides were frequently removed to gain access to the stuff behind the stainless steel "dishpan", like throttle linkages, Oil tanks, Hydraulic accumulators, etc.

 

Going further: this wear pattern was even worse on the right hand side, than it was on the left. Partly because the right side had the same removeable skin panels, but also because the right side was where the oil filler door was, as well as the hydraulic reservoir access door, and most importantly.... The Shotgun Starter access. Plane captains had to climb on and off the forward right wing a lot to load and change these things out. As a result, Plane Captains would often climb onto the tyre, and then onto the wing at its "low spot". Finally, the pilot boarded the plane from the right hand side, sometimes by putting a knee up on the trailing edge of the wing, but always assisted by the spring loaded hand grips on the wing and fuselage sides. When de-planing, the pilot had to slide his foot down the fuselage side until he found the spring loaded step, so there's a fair amount of grease, boot rubber, handprints and worn paint, especially on the step door itself (its why they put a vertical stripe on the side of the fuselage only on the right side).

 

One last thing: The machine gun access hatches were locked in place by these weird sort of crank/bayonet pins, and these were popped out and cranked almost 360 degrees to move the bayonet pins in and out. Repeated use would often lead to circular paint scratches along the path that these cranks were turned.

 

I know i threw a lot at you, but having this information, i think you now have a better idea as to what to look for and i know that when you start reviewing photographs you will zero in (no pun intended) on the areas of interest i mentioned.

 

Good luck in your efforts and do keep us posted.

 

david

Totally agree.

[BloorwestSiR]

Gonna be a nice one!

Thanks John!

 

Carl

[David Hansen]

"Reluctant Dragon" is a Corsair i don't know much about. I know Montex included a decal for it with their paint masks. However, it should be nice change of pace from the endless streams of "Daphne C", "My Bonnie", "Marines Dream" and "Viva!"

 

-d-

[BloorwestSiR]

"Reluctant Dragon" is a Corsair i don't know much about. I know Montex included a decal for it with their paint masks. However, it should be nice change of pace from the endless streams of "Daphne C", "My Bonnie", "Marines Dream" and "Viva!"

 

-d-

That was a bit of my thinking too. Something a little different.

 

It only took a minute or two to strip the wings back to bare plastic using Tamiya lacquer thinner.

 

 

I then put down a new base coat of Duralumin. Next will be some yellow Zinc chromate.

 

 

Carl

Edited December 12, 2016 by BloorwestSiR

[David Hansen]

You might want to consider putting a coat of clear or future on top of the aluminium first. Metal finishes are extremely thin and you might blast right thru the metal undercoat to the bare plastic by accident. Ask me how i know this, LOL

 

So, what I would do is: bare metal, protective clear coat, yzc, then camouflage paint.

 

Having said all that, the wing root otherwise looks great.

 

-d-

Edited December 12, 2016 by David Hansen

[KUROK]

I have some more comments on chipping paint.

Years ago an old timer said that silver paint is far too bright for chipping effect, it's distracting.  In fact, for 1/72 scale he suggested light gray!

Perhaps a  half and half mix of silver and light gray?

I have not experimented on this subject but thought I should offer it.

 

Also in the case of a Corsair, yes, you'd see a layer of primer under the paint too.