Wiring Tamiya 1/32 Birdcage Corsair engine for dummies

[Dainis 36]

I've not wired a scale model engine before. My various questions are: What material do I use for the wiring; a good example that I can try to mimic; and any tips on colours  and washes that I can use on the engine. Your input has always been invaluable to me. Cheers!

[Jennings Heilig 11,616]

By the time the Corsair came along, they were using pressurized ignition harnesses, so the wiring was contained within a sealed metal tube (to prevent arcing in the thin air of high altitudes).  So steer clear of “braided” type wire or anything.

 

Google “R2800” and you’ll find literally thousands of images of the engines that you can refer to for weathering.

[Dainis 36]

Thanks. So like..thin copper wire or something? I am the dummy in wiring engines. Just want to give it a shot to see how I can dress up an engine for the first time and want some basic guidance in the abcs of tarting up an engine to impress myself. you guys are like light years ahead of me for making an engine more realistic. Baby steps!

[Jennings Heilig 11,616]

Here’s a shot of a restored 2800 that shows you the wiring.  The pale gold color is the ignition lead.  Note the black painted circular part that they originate from - that’s the ignition harness.  Note that there is a spark plug on the front and the back side of each cylinder (because there are two separate ignition systems on airplanes in case one fails).  So two wires per cylinder x 18 cylinders = 36 wires.  The colors on this engine aren’t necessarily really representative of an original WWII-era engine.

 

[Gerhard 2,590]

2 hours ago, Dainis said:

Thanks. So like..thin copper wire or something? I am the dummy in wiring engines. Just want to give it a shot to see how I can dress up an engine for the first time and want some basic guidance in the abcs of tarting up an engine to impress myself. you guys are like light years ahead of me for making an engine more realistic. Baby steps!

I think Eduard can help you here. Lookup their website, they have plenty of PE that you can use. 

[John1 1,548]

10 hours ago, Gerhard said:

I think Eduard can help you here. Lookup their website, they have plenty of PE that you can use. 

I wouldn’t go with PE for this, especially in 32nd scale.   Way too flat.   Copper wire is the way to go.   

 

Before I built my Tamiya F4U-1D, I'd never wired an engine before.   It was pretty basic (but time-consuming) work.   Here's how mine came out.   It's worth investing the time to do this, as the engine is very visible.

 

Edited September 24 by John1

[Out2gtcha 30,176]

After having to do many of these, and recently being presented having to do two simultaneously in my 32nd F7F I invested in one of these engine upgrade kits (scroll down to the middle of the page for the engine upgrade stuff).  Some are a bit pricey, but you can get a smaller kit that has a lot of useful stuff in it if you like to super detail. This includes some very nice material for the engine wiring.

 

 

[John1 1,548]

30 minutes ago, Out2gtcha said:

After having to do many of these, and recently being presented having to do two simultaneously in my 32nd F7F I invested in one of these engine upgrade kits (scroll down to the middle of the page for the engine upgrade stuff).  Some are a bit pricey, but you can get a smaller kit that has a lot of useful stuff in it if you like to super detail. This includes some very nice material for the engine wiring.

 

 

Nice stuff but as Jennings noted above, braided cables weren’t being used on the Corsair engine so those parts aren’t applicable.    

[Dainis 36]

thanks for the info! At what stage did any of you attach the engine and their cowlings to the fuselage? It would seem its a bit early in Tamiya's instructions. Just wondering if I can attach the wing assembly to the fuselage before attaching the engine. Might make life a little easier.

[John1 1,548]

1 hour ago, Dainis said:

thanks for the info! At what stage did any of you attach the engine and their cowlings to the fuselage? It would seem its a bit early in Tamiya's instructions. Just wondering if I can attach the wing assembly to the fuselage before attaching the engine. Might make life a little easier.

I see no reason why you can’t put the wings on first.   Only word of caution is to go slow and dry fit the engine and cowling.   The fit (at least on my build) left a bit of a gap.   

 

Good luck!   

[Dainis 36]

Hey Thanks! Are you talking about a gap between the wing assembly and the engine and cowling? Or a cowling/engine fit issue? Oh, and nothing to with modelling, My wife and I spent some time in Boston the third week of August. Forgot how much we loved it. We always enjoy visiting any part of Mass. Cheers!

[Dainis 36]

One more question. What is an appropriate gauge of copper wire for the Corsair engine?

[John1 1,548]

4 hours ago, Dainis said:

Hey Thanks! Are you talking about a gap between the wing assembly and the engine and cowling? Or a cowling/engine fit issue? Oh, and nothing to with modelling, My wife and I spent some time in Boston the third week of August. Forgot how much we loved it. We always enjoy visiting any part of Mass. Cheers!

Was talking about the fit between the fixed front cowling and the removable side panels and the section behind them that the cowl flaps mount to.   Gotta keep things tight or you’ll have gaps.   

 

Boston’s nice but I’m a cape guy, especially this time of year.   Only downside this year were the sharks!   

[John1 1,548]

3 hours ago, Dainis said:

One more question. What is an appropriate gauge of copper wire for the Corsair engine?

On the motor I posted above, I used .020 copper wire.  Can’t say it’s a perfect match but looked ok to me.  Then painted tan and bits of silver foil used for the clips.   

[Dainis 36]

Thanks a ton for both pieces of advice. I'll go get some of the wire. And hey, the Cape sure isn't the worst place to live in the world. Wish I had a summer place in those parts.