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

[RLWP]

On 6/27/2021 at 3:17 AM, KiwiZac said:

That almost looks like Games Workshop plastic, the quality is excellent!

 

It's remarkable, isn't it. I was very surprised

 

Richard

[Bobs Buckles]

Superb! 

 

von B 

[chuck540z3]

On 6/23/2021 at 12:50 PM, JayW said:

 

I am terrible at weathering.  These items look too clean for a dirty muddy dusty airstrip in the South Pacific.  Water color - not that effective.  Powder - it tends to disappear over time.  Maybe some dry brushing....  Accepting advise

 

 

 

Looking fantastic Jay!  3D printing has sure helped our hobby and all those new parts really look great.

 

As for weathering, what you have done already looks good, but if I might make one suggestion (and for anybody else), use Tamiya pastels in "Oil Stain", which comes in the Item # 87088 tri-colored palette that comes with Burnt Blue and Burnt Red.  I use Oil Stain on just about everything, and the greeny-grey color really makes tires look more natural with a flat finish.  Brushed on the landing gear will look good too and remember, all Tamiya pastels dissolve in water, so if you don't like what you've done, you can always wipe it off with a damp rag.  Dissolved in water, I often brush Tamiya pastels on parts like paint, so these pastels give you many weathering options.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

[frank83]

Just found this thread! Absolutely stunning you are doing sir, the wheels are superb. Looking forward to seeing how it moves on.

[JayW]

6 hours ago, chuck540z3 said:

use Tamiya pastels in "Oil Stain", which comes in the Item # 87088 tri-colored palette that comes with Burnt Blue and Burnt Red. 

 

Ah!  Thanks Chuck!  I am currently using 87089 for the first time (sand, light sand, mud).  I must get me the 87088 item.  Tell me - do you wet this stuff down, or what?  It's rather hard and the applicator doesn't get into cracks and crevasses.   

[chuck540z3]

14 hours ago, JayW said:

 

Ah!  Thanks Chuck!  I am currently using 87089 for the first time (sand, light sand, mud).  I must get me the 87088 item.  Tell me - do you wet this stuff down, or what?  It's rather hard and the applicator doesn't get into cracks and crevasses.   

 

The foam applicator is good enough for broad areas like tires, but for smaller detailed application, I use small microbrushes.  Oil Stain isn't very hard, so it should apply fairly easily and as mentioned, you can thin it with water.

 

HTH,

Chuck

[Uncarina]

Just catching up Jay, and I have serious respect for your modeling skills! Your Corsair is becoming something any museum would be proud to display.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[JayW]

23 hours ago, Uncarina said:

Just catching up Jay

 

Hi Tom.  At this point, what impresses me most is folks actually making great progress or actually finishing.  It is summer, and I'll bet the average modeler slows down in summer.  But right now I am having a tough time getting going.  I hope to impress you fine modelers with more soon, so you don't get bored and go away.

[Ironwing]

4 hours ago, JayW said:

 

Hi Tom.  At this point, what impresses me most is folks actually making great progress or actually finishing.  It is summer, and I'll bet the average modeler slows down in summer.  But right now I am having a tough time getting going.  I hope to impress you fine modelers with more soon, so you don't get bored and go away.

Jay

Get bored and go away?" Whuts da matter wich you boy? This one of the best threads going. No one is going anywhere so keep going. Your investigation and the skills youre demonstrating have been a pleasure to follow. I cant wait to see your build on its gear. Its a pity that anyone looking at it, who isnt aware of the work youve done, will miss all the effort behind it all. I for one applaud you.

 

Best

Geoff

[JayW]

A little more progress on the RH side cockpit.  It's getting busy!! 

 

 

 

There is some radio equipment represented.  But the big stuff is still to come (to occupy the spaced called "Alot of stuff goes here"). 

 

You should see some similarity to this picture:

 

 

Clearly, it's going to get busier still!  What a mess!!  

 

That picture directly above is all I can find showing a middle run F4U-1A radio configuration.  From what I can tell, and this is a bit oversimplified, there are three primary radio configurations for the F4U-1 series, and that doesn't include the Royal Navy variants.  My aircraft gets the middle configuration, which is oddly missing from the parts catalogue.  The drawing that defines it is available from Air Corps Library, but sadly is so faint as to be unreadable.  Maddeningly I can get good info on the early birdcage radio's, and the -1D radio's.  So there is going to be some guesswork involved in my radios.  

 

What is better than the wheel/tire/strut I showed last time?  Why two of them:

 

 

 

 

Chuck should be pleased that I have applied some "oil stain" Tamiya paste per his recommendation.  I might do more.  As is often my custom, I show the original 21CT part that is to be replaced.  Haha!  

 

Next post I will either have the radio stuff done, or I will have digital modelled the landing gear upper strut fittings, drag struts and actuators so that they can be 3D printed!

 

Stay tuned.

Edited July 2, 2021 by JayW

[Wolf Buddee]

Hi Jay,

 

The majority of the radio equipment is behind a fold down plate that can’t be accessed unless the pilot’s seat is removed. 100% accuracy is not going to be necessary or even noticed by anyone if the seat and harness are in place. That should take some of the self imposed pressure off. However I don’t imagine that makes much difference to you based on what you’ve already done so far! 
 

Amazing!

 

Cheers,

Wolf

[Gazzas]

Mighty fine looking office!

[chuck540z3]

Much better Jay!  Those wheels/tires now look real- just like the rest of this build!

 

Cheers,

Chuck

[JayW]

14 hours ago, Wolf Buddee said:

The majority of the radio equipment is behind a fold down plate that can’t be accessed unless the pilot’s seat is removed. 100% accuracy is not going to be necessary or even noticed by anyone if the seat and harness are in place.

 

Wolf - I should have clarified.  Yeah I am not worried about the radio compartment behind the armor plate.  I may not even make anything back there (then again I may, if some of it can be seen through the gaps in the 186 bulkhead).  No, what is bugging me is the lack of data for the stuff in the cockpit on the RH side, which is very visible.  Wonder what Tamiya did there....

 

I have decided that the most accurate picture I can find is this one ("Inboard Profile - Fuselage Installation"  drawing number VS-33600):

 

   

 

Seems an unlikely place to be deciding on a radio config, but this drawing is the next higher assembly for the radio installation drawing that is too faint to be read, but that I know is effective on my airplane.  The drafter and engineer back then were good enough to draw the radios into the field of the drawing, as you can see in the red box. So I have good reason to believe what we see is right.  The good news is that I recognize most of the individual components - they are present in other configs, are better defined there, but merely relocated.  For instance I know what that large one is with the three ovals on it (Type BC-450 receiver control box), and I know what that diamond shaped smaller one is (IFF junction box - it's even defined by its own Vought drawing).  But the two items between them - I just don't know what they are.  So I am going to model what you see here circled in red (from the Dana Bell volume 8):

 

 

"ZB Homing Set" and "a junction box".  Note this config doesn't look like the one above it, although some components are shared.  Those two units seem to have the right shape at least, but that's all I know about them.  If someone has a better idea, I'd love to hear it!  

    

Edited July 2, 2021 by JayW

[Wolf Buddee]

Jay,

 

Do you have Dana Bell’s book(s) on the Corsair? There may be something in there that has good photos of the radio equipment on the right side of the cockpit.  

On second thought I’m guessing you do as the photo above looks like one out of his book……..

Cheers,

Wolf

Edited July 3, 2021 by Wolf Buddee