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Pacific Corsair

Final Assembly

Basically all the dangley bits left off during the weathering process, so they didn't get damaged. Don't forget to include these bits during weathering. Sometimes they will require temporary attachment during weathering, like the flaps for the cordite staining. There were no real problems, but I should mention a couple of things. The folded wing assembly is very neat, before sliding the outer wings on to their respective arms, make sure that the slots aren't to tight. If they are and you have to force the wings you will probably break off the arms. I don't think you will have a problem, apart from the last 1/2-1mm, which is tight. I think this is just the excellent engineering, a little "force fit" to hold the assembly. The wings were very slightly out of alignment, but adding the braces, which aligned the wings perfectly, solved this. Before adding the wings I attached the antenna wire. I wanted to try and replicate the prototype assembly; this consists of a hook fixed to the rudderpost, holding a spring that the wire runs through. One end of the wire is fixed to the mast, in front of the cockpit; the other end enters the fuselage behind the cockpit. I could make the hook, but it was either out of scale or not strong enough. As it was very small I settled on a ring, made from 0.005" stainless steel wire. To make the ring I wound the wire around the shaft of a 0.2mm drill bit, then twisted the ends together. I drilled a 0.2mm hole, through the rudderpost (this should have been done before any paint was applied) and super glued the ring into position. I wanted a working spring, but settled for wrapping the invisible thread, used for the antenna wire, around itself, after passing through the ring. The 2 ends of the invisible thread were anchored in position using super glue, with a modicum of tension. A pin, held in self-locking tweezers, was heated to red hot, and passed under the thread neatly shrinking it and causing it to become nicely taught.

Will I build another Tamiya Corsair? You bet, I have the 1D version, nice overall Gloss Sea Blue with a yellow nose. I will be obtaining the 1A version as well. If you like the Corsair then you will love building this model.

More pictures can be viewed here.

  • F4U-1Antenna
    Model by Mal Mayfield
  • F4U-1Antenna01
    Model by Mal Mayfield
  • F4U-1Corsair3024
    Model by Mal Mayfield

About the Author

About Mal Mayfield (Holdfast)
FROM: ENGLAND - SOUTH WEST, UNITED KINGDOM

Hi, my name is Mal Mayfield and I have been modelling seriously for about 25 years. My main interest is 1/48 scale second world war. I build all types and all combatants. I have built 1/35 scale "targets" and 1/72 scale modern aircraft, plus a couple of cars. I have also dabbled with figure painting...


Comments

The F4U Corsair, my favorite plane of WW II and Korea.
OCT 18, 2003 - 03:17 PM
:-) Thanks guys and gal. I really enjoyed build this model :-) Taylor If I managed to translate this correctly I got the kit from Model Base, in Worksop England and it cost £14.99 (The shop owner gives me a little discount so it cost me £14.00) :-) Wayne If you want to clarify any details just drop me a line :-) Mal
OCT 19, 2003 - 12:17 AM
MAL, I've heard rave reviews of the Tamiya kit. AND YOU HAVE done an OUTSTANDING job. I love your shading and weathering . suttle but affective. You article composition is great and very easy and informative. JOB WELL DONE. I like the colors better than the Dark sea blue scheme any day. KUDOS Todd
NOV 10, 2003 - 05:36 PM
:-) Thanks Todd, I enjoyed building the model and writing the article. Not sure I agree with you about the colours, I like the tri-colour scheme. I built the kit with these early colours to show, eventually the progression in camouflage. The colours are quite nice though :-) Mal
NOV 16, 2003 - 03:56 AM
I believe that Marine's Dream was painted in a field applied three tone scheme comprising sea blue/intermediate blue/white Mark Styling
JAN 14, 2004 - 03:52 AM
Simply breathtaking in its ghostly colours. And a great write up to boot. Shows the armour boys a thing or three...joke guys...only a joke.... Congrats...mines a 12 year old single malt. Cheers Peter
JAN 14, 2004 - 04:02 AM
verry nice work!!
JAN 14, 2004 - 04:39 AM
:-) Interesting, Mark, maybe at a later date than the scheme I have done? If not then Aeromaster might be interested in your research :-) Welcome to Armorama Thanks Guys Mal
JAN 14, 2004 - 09:13 AM
Highly unlikely the plane ever appeared with the added bars to national insignia whilst still in the earlier two colour scheme. Much more likely the scheme was modified when insignia was updated (like other F4Us of the period). Can't prove it as the only photos ever seen of this plane was when it was written off at Torokina Dec '43 and at that time it was in the three tone scheme. The only ace I knew that flew this airplane had no recollection of its scheme. Aeromaster have already used my research, but still managed to include errors in their decals. Mark Styling
JAN 15, 2004 - 02:58 AM
:-) Thanks for the info Mark, I still like this scheme (cos I aint gonna change it now) and as I wasn't there when this plane was around who really knows. There's possibly a million things wrong with it? I like the model, I like the scheme I like what I did with it, so at least I'm happy. In the end that's what matters to me :-) Mal
JAN 15, 2004 - 08:37 AM