As most people already know, the kit is really, really nice.

Here is my inbox review of the kit.

http://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/review/9381

This blog will be about my building of this kit.

The first steps in the instructions are the cockpit. Now the kit's level of detail is a very good start, it was very obvious from looking at reference photos that the real Corsair's cockpit was very busy with hydraulic lines and cables. Dry fitting showed that kit's pit is actually a little barren. I decided to remedy this by adding some lines and detail to make it at least look busy. To this end I added lines made from copper, lead, and evergreen styrene tubes. What I have noticed is that most of the hydraulic lines come in and run along the left side of the pit. The right side seems to have some lines and details that don't connect to the firewall as much as the left. The right side should be much easier to detail.

Another detail that needs to be addressed is the control stick. Tamiya has molded the stick so that it is fixed in the neutral position. However, I will be tipping the control surfaces some as it tend to looks more natural. This means I need to modify the control stick. It's easy enough to do, just make a U joint out of the base of the stick, and make a replacement for the assembly that the stick mounts to out of Evergreen rod. Now I can move the stick to any position I like .


I still have a ways to go, but this is what I have done so far.








Quite a ways to go still..
Thanks for looking

Looks very busy and really nice.
Keep posting.

Tony

Frank, a very impressive start. The amount of detail added to the already well detailed cockpit should make for one outstanding front office. Looking forward to your next update.
Joel

Nice level of detail! Great start and am looking forward to pictures of your progress.

Hi Frank

Great start. The extra cabling and pipework is really impressive - as is the throttle unit. I'm looking forward to seeing it all painted.

All the best

Rowan

Now that is candy for the eyes. And inspiring too. Looking forward to the next update.

A little progress on the left side of the pit - got a little paint on that as well.

I added a map light and attached the throttle. I still have a little bit of work to do but that will actually have to wait until the sidewalls are mostly painted.





I'm not sure I like the color though - it's the mix tamiya provided, it looks a little too green to me.

That looks impressive Frank, I like the extra cables and pipe work and the throttle does look good, were the kit levers on it that bad? Do you have a scheme in mind?

Hi Frank

Looking great - the Dull Dark Green mix certainly appears about right on my screen, but of course you have the benefit of seeing it with the naked eye.

All the best

Rowan

Frank, the Tamiya mix for Interior Green looks dead on. Maybe a dark wash and some dry brushing will take it to the next level.

Joel

Thanks all -

Mal - it's not that it's "bad". I just felt it needed to be better. Nothing about this kit is "bad" - well except the steel seat belts... :-)

I'll probably do the early scheme of a marine land based Corsair (blue over grey ) and will weather the bejezus out of it :-)

So why have you not asked for paint masks for this? You know that it is the only way to go

Here is a small update to this build..

It's finally cold and nothing else to do but model :-). I bought the very nice F4U book by Marcus Nichols and found some terrific photos of the F4u-1's cockpit.

I was kind of surprised to learn that the layout that tamiya provided is actually inaccurate for an F4U-1! Unfortunately the pit's right side has a slightly different layout than is shown in the reference photos. It you are really looking to have this 100% correct, get this book and check out those photos. It's an obscure detail that won't really matter to most though - I'm not changing mine as it too late to fix it. However I did add the correct style oxygen regulator and rebuilt the control box located at the rear of the left console.

Anyway I am happy with how the detail turned out. The pit is adequately busy - now on to detail painting and weathering..



More wires added to the left console



Right side of pit - note that the layout of the boxes above the consoles is actually incorrect for an early corsair. I added a few details to the lower portion.

The level of detail is simply amazing.
Joel

Great stuff Frank,
The use of cables makes such a difference. I wouldn't worry too much about the shade of green, a little highlighting here and there should make the detailing really stand out, looking forward to seeing it done, and in 32 scale too, wow!