hi,

I'm now ready to put the final touches on my latest Vought corasiar 1D, nevertheless there's still a little problem.
Here is a picture,notice the gap in the underside.The instructions say it has to be covered with a little window.Is this true? and why was this window used??



cheers Q.

I'd say it's a window to check the target before rolling in on it, but I could be wrong.

The "F4U Corsair in Action" book reveals nothing...

Could be a camera equipped version for photo recon, that would actually make it a 1P ?

That's what I thought, but pictures of -1P I have show the camera door further aft.

I think the purpose was that the pilot could see the carrier on landing approach because the nose is very long compared to other naval aircraft and thus the carrier will "dissappear" at a certain stage of the landing.

I don't think so, since the standard carrier approach during the war for the Corsair was developped by the British and was called "Curving approach".

The whole approach was made in a turn as to not loose sight of the ship. And to see something through that wee window, you have to be quite high over it.

The window was to afford the pilot a view beneath the aircraft, to spot enemies below or targets. I can not find the mark where the window was done away with but it was not uncommon for them to be painted over in the Dash 1 (Birdcage) version. The Corsair did not have a cockpit floor until the Dash 4, allowing the pilot to look down into the fuselage and out the window, when in place or not painted over.

Many US carier aircraft had glass bottoms. I do not have the Tamiya 1-D though I do have the Birdcage kit which shows that the frame around the clear portion is to be painted the fuselage colour. Perhaps your instruction sheet has a clue somewhere. Sorry I can not be of more help.

mmm thanks guys ...did some research nothing came up.
Ithink i'll paint it over.

cheerz Q.

In my kit this window is shown painted over in the airframe colour. I believe, but do not know in fact, that this window did not exist on this version, painted over or otherwise. I have been trying to find out if this is the case. I think Tamiya have shown it like this so as not to have to re-tool for a new fuselage. This is fine by me, until I find out otherwise I will be fitting the window, filling any gaps and sanding it smooth, then painting it along with the rest of the fuselage.
Mal