This
is my Testors 1/72 F4U-1 Corsair, finished as an ‘A’ version.
Construction
The
model was completed in 2 weeks, (which is a record amount of time for me) and
went together with no problems. I
had to file off the ordnance ‘stubs’ on the wing undersides to convert it to
an ‘’A’ version. The openings
for the wing guns were represented as ‘dimples’ on the kit, so I drilled
those out using my mini-drill. Other
minor scratchbuilding included the brake lines (beading wire painted black),
pitot tube (household pin), drilling a hole for the radio mast and making a
locating pin for the mast (brass wire) and fashioning and the aerial wire from a
strand of my youngest daughter’s hair, which I painted using Testors
‘Steel’.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Painting
and Weathering
The
paint is all hand-brushed (haven't done that in over 20 years, if not longer!),
with Model Master paints being used for the colors of Non-Specular Sea Blue,
Intermediate Blue and Flat White. An
acrylic wash using Model Master Acrylic Flat Black was applied to the
undercarriage and wheel wells. Black
pastel chalk was applied lightly behind the gun openings to simulate some
staining.
Decaling
The
decals came with the kit and I had no problems with them.
Champ Setting Solution was used to on the decals to help them conform
better to the model’s surface. The
'happy jungle' background was made by my youngest daughter, oh, sweet youth!
The
model represents VF-17 Squadron Commander Tommy Blackburn’s F4U- 1A ‘Big
Hog’ during the Solomons campaign in 1943-44.
Happy
Modeling!
Rick
References:
- F4U Corsair in Detail &
Scale Part 2, Bert Kinzey, Squadron/Signal Publications (1998)
- A
Handbook of Fighter Aircraft, Francis Crosby, Anness Publishing Ltd. (2002)
Click on
images below to see larger images
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