To Those who have built-Which Tamiya F4U Variant?

[Citadelgrad]

I was looking at Ebay to judge the extent of the current Tamiya USA deal on their P51D/K and saw that the Tamiya F4Us in various configurations can be had for...well, a lot less than any I have ever seen locally, let's put it that way.  I know that these represent the pinnacle or near it of 1/32 kits, I don't want to irk anyone, but the Corsairs certainly are very fine examples of kits in this scale.   I worry that I might miss the boat on these, and decided to snap one up.  

 

My question is, which kit to get? I don't like the looks of the Birdcage version, I was raised on Baa Baa Black Sheep, and I really like the looks of the later two, the F4U-1A and the -1D, so it's down to those two.  I have a vinyl cutter so markings don't really tip the scales either way. 

 

Is there any advantage of one over the other kit?

 

Thanks,

 

Bill 

[Dave Williams]

Not really.  Like the birdcage F4U-1, they are just different versions.  Personally, I prefer a tri-color -1A over a GSB -D, but it’s just a matter or personal taste.  Also prefer the Corsair in a clean fighter configuration, instead of ground attack.  Underwing rockets just don’t do anything for me.  Again, a personal choice.

[monthebiff]

Don't think it really matters, they build beautifully as long as you follow the instructions carefully around the outer wing sub assemblies. 

 

Regards. Andy 

[LSP_K2]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

Not really.  Like the birdcage F4U-1, they are just different versions.  Personally, I prefer a tri-color -1A over a GSB -D, but it’s just a matter or personal taste.  Also prefer the Corsair in a clean fighter configuration, instead of ground attack.  Underwing rockets just don’t do anything for me.  Again, a personal choice.

 

I agree, it's the -1A for me, definitely.

[chrish]

Had that problem too…..decisions decisions hmmmmm which one….oh hell, bought them both 

[Daywalker]

I've built all three, and prefer the -1A as there are so many variations in the camo schemes you can most certainly find you like best!

[cbk57]

if you want to go to town on weathering, you should rethink and do a -1 Birdcage, those Guadalcanal corsairs were really rough and ready.   Otherwise for me a -1a so far I have built a -1 and a -1D both great builds.  I have a -1a on the shelf ready to go.

[Woody V]

Very early -D's were painted in the 3-color scheme, so there's that.

[npb748r]

I know little about the Corsair really, a supplementary question from me Bill if you don't mind.  Are any of the Tamiya kits suitable to build as a Fleet Air Arm aircraft ??  I seem to recall the wings were clipped on FAA planes, not sure if this is included in the Tamiya offerings  ?  

 

thanks

neil

[Christa]

I have Tamiya's F4U 1 and their F4U 1A beside me, for modelling each in FAA 1833 Squadron's livery 1943 -45, shipped aboard HMS Illustrious with similarly trained and equipped 1830 Squadron. (See 'Carrier Pilot' by Norman Hanson)  

 

Royal Navy FAA F4Us had wing tips clipped due to fleet carriers' hanger height. Tamiya's F4U 1 and 1A wing tips are not clipped, but it is a dead easy mod because the wingtips are separate items. in effect the curved tips need squaring off a little.

 

You might like to view the book 'The Time Capsule Fighter; Corsair KD 431' by David Morris, Curator of the Fleet Air Arm Museum, UK. Superb read and astonishing detail source. Also 'Taming the Beast' on You Tube, being film of FAA F4U carrier operations.

 

Hope that's useful Bill.

 

Chris

[BloorwestSiR]

My favourite would be the -1A as well. Like the OP, I grew up with Baa Baa Black Sheep and that made quite the impression. 

 

Plus if you can't decide on GSB or tri-colour, you can do both on the same -1A :

 

 

Carl

Edited September 28, 2022 by BloorwestSiR
Fix typo

[CRAZY IVAN5]

10 hours ago, BloorwestSiR said:

My favourite would be the -1A as well. Like the OP, I grew up with Baa Baa Black Sheep and that made quite the impression. 

 

Plus if you can't decide on GSB or tri-colour, you can do both on the same -1A :

 

 

Carl

That sir is one very nice build! I've built two birdcages , great engineering 

[BloorwestSiR]

8 hours ago, CRAZY IVAN5 said:

That sir is one very nice build! I've built two birdcages , great engineering 

 

Thanks @CRAZY IVAN5! I've built the birdcage as well. There's another -1A languishing on the bench of doom plus 1 of each in the stash. The Corsair is my favourite prop fighter. 

[The Dude]

I have built several tamiya corsairs, all versions. They are all awesome kits if you follow the instructions as Andy said above.. If you want the ultimate weathering project, get the birdcage in two tone camo. If you want the popular legendary corsair camo get the -1a. If you want the easier monotone  paint job with mostly clean appearance (there are exception though) then get the -1d. You can't go wrong with any of them.

Edited September 29, 2022 by The Dude

[cbk57]

The -1D is deceptively hard to finish.  with a GSB finish that was very durable, you just don:t see as much room for weathering.  There is not a lot of evidence of paint fading or chipping even in photos from above the wing walks tend to be in good shape and you don:t see as much paint scuffed away from boarding and servicing.  I found it very challenging to make for a visually interesting paint finish and for me this matters.  I don:t want to just spray it gloss sea blue and have all the panel lines and so on disappear.  That is not a very satisfying appearance to me.