Dark Blue Killer - Tamiya F4U-1D Corsair

[John1]

Last few pics, couldn't get them to fit on the previous post:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!!

[zaxos345]

Awesome build John!!

[LSP_Kevin]

Very nice, John! Expertly done.

 

Kev

[Out2gtcha]

Exemplary work! 

[misha71]

beautiful finish

great looking model

[ShotMagnet]

Absolutely beautiful.

 

 

Shot

[Fvdm]

8 minutes ago, ShotMagnet said:

Absolutely beautiful.

 

 

Shot

+1

[LSP_Ray]

Beautiful! Weathering looks great!

[John1]

Thanks much guys.   A few retrospective notes on this build:  I didn't do a good job on the upper engine cowl.   I left it loose so it can be removed but for some reason the gap between panels is wider than I would have liked.   If I had to do it over again, I'd have just bit the bullet and glued the upper cowl in place and filled / rescribed the gap.  I recall a few other builders mentioned this problem, so I really can't say if it's due to the fit of Vector cowl flaps or the Tamiya bits.  Also, I wish I hadn't rushed the engine build.   I should have installed the oil lines that run across the top of the cylinders first, then the ignition wires.  Also, for anyone else replicating the folded wings, do your self a big favor - finish the entire kit (including antennas)  before you add the folded wings.   They block access to a good portion of the upper fuselage.   I should have also used aftermarket national markings.  The Tamiya decals are pretty thick and don't show the underlying detail as well as quality aftermarket decals like those from Fundekals.  

 

Lastly, if it helps any fellow builders - here's a full list of all the corrections and updates I incorporated into my build.  Not saying it's the complete list of every modification the kit needs or that all of these are even necessary.  Some are just to update the kit to the late -1D variant I was building.  Just posting in case it helps anyone else.

 

• cockpit flare gun deleted entirely
• Delete upper wing ID light
• Delete lower wing landing light
• Add left side armor plate (installed to protect the pilots throttle arm) 
• Add under seat armor plate (installed when the Corsair gradually started performing air to ground missions). 
• Add left side windshield hand grip 
• Add a thin metal bracket on top of seat for seatbelts
• Fill in cockpit vent in fuselage (this mod was only seen on post-war Corsairs, with maybe a few limited exceptions). 
• Fill in wing fuel tank fill ports (these tanks were deemed an explosion hazard and were gradually eliminated from later production runs). 
• Drill out cockpit frame lightening holes
• Add rudder pedal adjustment levers
• Added multiple hydraulic lines on forward cockpit bulkhead
• Added pins and retaining cables for pilot's back armor plate
• Drilled out top tubes on pilot's seat mounting frame
• Removed moulded on seat adjustment lever and replaced with scratchbuilt part. 
• Drilled out lightening holes on footrest support frames.
• Added multiple electrical lines underneath instrument panel and side consoles
• Used awesome Barracudacals cockpit decals
• Used thin acetate between kit instrument panel and decal, instead of thick kit clear part
• Added hydraulic line to cockpit accumulator 
• Added large heating duct to right side of cockpit
• Added stubs of pencils sticking out of map case
• Used pilots oxygen hose, to run from regulator 
• Thinned levers on throttle assembly
• Drilled out opening of pilot's relief tube and added drain hose
• Added HGW harness instead of kit PE
• Added bomb emergency release lever on left side of console
• Added very basic 2D radio behind cockpit seat 
• Added multiple electrical cables to radio and IFF control boxes on right sideway of cockpit
• Added rocket control panel (kit part R-44 but not shown in instructions)
• Added rocket firing handle on upper left side of cockpit
• Added electrical lines for MG switches on glareshield
• Sand down the fabric stitching on wings and control surfaces
• Added Vector cowling set.  Fiddely but in my opinion, well worth it if you are leaving the cowl flaps open
• Added cowl flap actuator rods and linkages
• Added engine ignition lines, with clips to hold the lines together
• Added oil drain line on bottom of crankcase
• Added curved oil lines at top of cylinders (see my comments above)
• Added larger diameter lines that connect cylinder tops to each other
• Added electrical and hydraulic lines to main landing gear bays
• Carved out openings at bottom of main landing gear retraction struts
• Drill out lightening holes in main landing gear bays
• Thinned kit exhaust openings
• Opened lightening holes in sides of flap panels
• Open up lightening holes in LG oleo scissor links
• Added Barracuda resin wheels 
• Added ignition "pigtail" leads to HVARs
• Added Brassin resin 500 lb bomb in lieu of kit 1,000 lb bomb (thanks Jennings!!)
• Added arming wires to front and rear bomb fuzes
• Added scratchbuilt wingtip navigation lights
• Added multiple hydraulic and electrical lines to wing-fold area
• Added emergency release handles and linkages to interior of canopy frame.
• Used those awesome Fundekals decals.

I think I listed everything.  Hope this is helpful and thanks for looking!

 

 

[nmayhew]

that's super helpful

 

thank you for taking the time and trouble to do that

[John1]

So after 8 months sitting on the shelf, I decided to tinker a last bit with this build.   As noted a ways back, I really wanted to feature the "mix and match" ammo doors on the wings.   Long story short, USN Corsairs had custom painted ammo cans installed in their wings.   These were painted appropriately depending on if they were under the national insignia or the gloss sea blue part of the wingdd (or on occasion, they were painted in earlier camo colors).   However, in the heat of battle, they were installed haphazardly, leading to some very unique combinations. See below:

 

I didn't feel comfortable masking on top of the national insignia decal so I only had one mis-colored ammo can.   A while back Fundekals decided to offer a really cool (and cheap) set of ammo can cover decals.  I'm going to give it a shot.  Decals have been ordered and I'll see how many I can add with the wings glued in the folded position.  Wish me luck!

 

For those that are interested, here is the link to the decals, as well as a very detailed history on this subject:

 

http://fundekals.com/corsair_AmmoCan.html

 

Picture above courtesy of Fundekals.

[John1]

Bringing back this long dead build.   From my last post 3 years ago, I mentioned that I wanted to replicate the "mix and match" colored ammo bay covers that were present on many (nearly all?) late war carrier-deployed Corsairs.   Finally got around to it.   As always, the Fundekals decals went down perfectly.   I couldn't do as much as I'd like, given how difficult it was to place these with the wings folded.   Too much of a risk that I'd break something. Regardless, I was able to put down enough to accomplish the look I was shooting for.  Sorry for the out of focus pictures.  My camera had a tough time focusing on the wing.

 

For due to the lack of insignia on the right wing, most of the covers were standard GSB.

 

Left wing has more going on, including a single panel still wearing a color from the older 3-color paint scheme.

 

 

 

 

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that's it for updates on this model, thanks again for looking!

[bdthoresen]

Dang, John that looks great. Beautiful work as always!

 

-Thor    

 

[JayW]

Bad to the bone John.