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1/18 Scale Blue Box F4U-1A Corsair Modification


JayW

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You're very hard on yourself Jay and obviously set yourself high standards. That should pay dividends in the long term as I am confident that you'll overcome your hurdles and produce a cockpit that is the equal of everything else you've done so far.

 

It's not a race so hopefully you are enjoying all aspects of the process from the research all the way through to the fully finished article. 

 

Personally,. I'm enjoying your journey. 

 

Keep it up. :thumbsup: 

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On 12/29/2020 at 10:14 AM, JayW said:

All - I can no longer avoid some decal applications to cockpit parts, so I am ginning up some decal designs.  For those of you who have experience making your own decals, what is your favorite decal paper?  I have always used the only thing my LHS carries which is Testors white or clear inkjet paper with Testors 9200 spray bonder.  I am not totally satisfied with it - it doesn't stick all that great even to gloss surfaces.  Even with a final spray of flat coat or semi-gloss after application and microsol/microset, sometimes I get peeling.   

I have never made decals, but was perusing the surprisingly well stocked single aisle at a Hobby Lobby the other day.  They had very few kits, but they did have clear decal paper.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Model-Kits/Tools-Adhesives/Water-Transfer-Decal-Paper/p/1158

 

it doesnt appear to have a brand name.  I cannot vouch for it, but you might give it a try?

 

excellent work as always. 

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37 minutes ago, Citadelgrad said:

I have never made decals, but was perusing the surprisingly well stocked single aisle at a Hobby Lobby the other day.  They had very few kits, but they did have clear decal paper.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Model-Kits/Tools-Adhesives/Water-Transfer-Decal-Paper/p/1158

 

it doesnt appear to have a brand name.  I cannot vouch for it, but you might give it a try?

 

excellent work as always. 

 

Thanks for that CG.  Citadel huh?  I did two years at USMA eons ago....

 

I think very few people make their own decals!  At least, not for high quality airplane models.  Peter (Airscale) does his own but has the luxury of working with professionals.  I searched the internet and some modelling sites (including LSP of course) for advise as to the best stuff to use with little success.  What I did find is tons of you-tubes  on how to make DIY decals which is good but I didn't learn much (been doing it for years now).  One guy stated unequivocally he was unimpressed with the Model Master decal kits, and said he liked the BareMetalFoil product better.  So that is what I am going to try - if it will only show up in my mailbox!!!!  If I get fed up with waiting, I will take a trip to my local HobbyLobby and try that out.

 

Of course the other thing is laser printer versus inkjet printer.  Several comments that the laser is better for decals. I am not going to make that jump (yet).  My inkjet printer works just fine for everyday uses, and I'd have to drop some pretty major coin for an equivalent all-in-one color laser.  I'll hold that move in reserve (stimulus check?)  :) 

Edited by JayW
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2 hours ago, MARU5137 said:

as I read earlier pages (where I  left it) some one mentioned Brian  Cauchis F4U build  and since I like BENT WINGY THINGY  I know that thread .

 

here : by bcauchi. :yahoo:

 

Oh I know!  I went through that a couple months ago.  Amazing, and in a smaller scale than mine.  He did quite a job on that engine compartment - something that awaits me! 

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'The actual fabricating of the parts takes less time than all that research work!'

Truer words were never spoken.  By tenfold, at least.

 

'That side console you see there is going to get ALOT more complicated.'

Truer words we never spoken.  By tenfold, at least.  What?!

 

Nice piece, Jaybo.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

HI Jay

Great job done so far.
Very useful in the construction of my 1:24 scale engine, not having the book on the r2800 there were gaps, I also find the AirCorps Library site very useful, an inexhaustible source of documents, I have practically stripped the Hellcat sector between drawings and manuals, too bad I didn't find the P&W r2800 book in time, I'm almost done by now, but I hope I can disturb you if I have any doubts.
For now I am waiting for your updates :popcorn:

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Well - a bit of a milestone.  The very complicated side console (LH side) is done, as well as the LH side auxiliary instrument panel.  Many many "doo-dads" had to be created.  Nothing too fancy; just using rod and strip, measuring, trimming, filing, sanding, drilling, painting - all under heavy magnification.  An example (two gun charging cylinders, a landing gear control quadrant, and a hydraulic valve that mounts underneath the side console:

 

VqUVK3Al.jpg?1

 

Here is the LH side aux instrument panel which will soon be installed.  I have identified the features:

 

iwxB8EGl.png

 

And the LH side console:

 

wmzVlYvl.jpg

 

My gosh I thought I'd NEVER finish these things.  So  much to it!  There are three versions of the console - one for the birdcage Corsairs, one for the earlier -1A's, and one for the late 1A's and D's.  My aircraft gets the middle one, and the assembly and installation drawing was too faint to be read.  But the equivalent drawings for the early and the late versions were much better.  So I had to do a heckuva lot of research with the part catalogue and photos to come up with the right stuff.  For instance, that silver bomb release quadrant is a government issue unit used on the -1's and early -1A's, but was replaced by a Vought designed unit on the later models.  Similar configuration difficulties with the aux panel.

 

Here is a shot of both components roughly positioned:

 

PvpdLVGl.jpg

 

It's going to be just fine.  Don't you worry!  Oh BTW - I am very happy with my decal sheets from BareMetalFoil.  They behave pretty darned well for inkjet decals.

 

I have decided that the best way to go forward from here is to make the Sta 186 bulkhead, which is the bulkhead the seat and armor plate is attached to, and which is the aft closeout for the cockpit.  I will split it in half - a LH half and a RH half.

 

Take care; I'll post soon.

 

 

Edited by JayW
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Awesome!  Brilliant scratch building and I LOVE the labeled photos. For some reason I get immense satisfaction looking at cockpit diagrams.  Always amazing to see how things developed over the years. From this to HOTAS / HUDs.  Three different trim wheels to a coolie hat on the control stick!  Thanks for taking the time to share!

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Hello,

 

Just found this thread.  As has been said before "WOW" just doesn't seam adequate to cover this amazing build.  Incredible attention to detail and fantastic research information you are sharing.  I have the Tamiya 1/32 scale kit in my stash and will be using your build as inspiration when I actually start putting plastic together.

 

Thank you for sharing your work with us.  I have to admit it is good to see someone such as yourself who is willing to share when things don't go well and what you did to overcome the errors.  It gives hope to those of us (me anyway) who are basic modelers and struggle with the hobby.  It helps keep the mo-jo going.

 

Stay safe,

 

Chris

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So where am I?  To review, I am trying to get as much done in the cockpit as I can before the bottom must be joined to the sides.  The bottom, as I have stated before, is the wing center section.  Sooooo, if I am to join that to the fuselage in order to complete the cockpit, the center wing itself must be completed - a huge job (LG bays, and the wing fold if I choose to try it).  A sequencing nightmare of sorts.  

 

So I have been concentrating on the LH side of the upper cockpit for quite a while now, and I have some progress to show you.  Last post I said that the Sta 186 bulkhead (seat and armor plate bulkhead) needed to be there in order to stabilize the side console.  Here is the bulkhead, already fabricated and installed into the fuselage, including the horizontal beam that the seat and armor plate attach to:

 

AecOKZUl.jpg

 

ZX0irMBl.jpg

 

You can see the fittings for the seat frame attach.  Also note the chord flanges protruding aft in that first shot.  That will aid in joining the aft fuselage when the time comes.  So I glued the horizontal beam to both bulkhead halves after gluing each half to its respective fuselage half.  This assured a good level orientation.  Fabbing the bulkhead details to closely match the inner contour was no easy thing.  As is usually the case, laying it out took more time than making it.  All the parts you see are of course made from plastic sheet or rod  or angle stock.  But now, I had to disassemble the fuselage again.  To do this I cruelly snipped the horizontal beam in two:

 

 JIsECRWl.jpg

 

I will join the two beam halves back down the road.  It won't be visible at all - it will be behind the armor plate.  Now to get back to work on the LH side.  It was time to get in some more bracketry, and then finally the aux panel and side console.  Voila:

 

 3unFZ3Ql.jpg

 

Q3SqpHMl.jpg

 

On top, you see the canopy rail structure, all finished up with its support fittings at each frame, and the detent plate lying on top.  This allowed the canopy to be slid back to any of several partially open positions.  Just below that is the engine control quadrant mounting bracket, with the horizontal bend in it.  The quadrant itself is coming soon.  And below that of course is the freshly installed LH side console and all its gadgets.  Forward of the side console is the LH aux panel, also freshly installed. 

 

Time to see what this cockpit is starting to look like:

 

 IwY3Fi4l.jpg

 

nphlCMql.jpg

 

ns2o1Kql.jpg

 

There is SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE!  Stick with me - it's going to be a long and interesting journey.  So far so good.   

 

  

 

  

Edited by JayW
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