The
Italeri F4U Corsair family is just about the best (only) 1/72 scale model kits
of post-WWII Corsairs. Re-released by Revell of Germany, their F4U-5
kit is identical to the Italeri F4U–5N kit and contains the all the parts for
the night fighter. For these models, I backdated the Italeri F4U-4B kit to
represent Capt Phil DeLong’s USMC F4U-4 Yak killer and built the RoG F4U-5 kit
to represent, Navy Ace, LT. Guy Bordelon’s USN F4U-5N.
Before you begin, you will need scale drawings to locate the details and pick
off the correct measurements for the improvements. I used the drawings in the
Detail and Scale volume for late version Corsairs. I made Xerox copies of
the drawings so they would lay flat and I could write on them. A great
discussion of the modeling techniques I used for these models and very
comprehensive “how to” are in the Mike Ashey’s two aircraft modeling
books. See the bibliography for the details.
The
–5 kit is noticeably short in the fuselage forward of the cockpit. The first
order of business, then, is to lengthen the fuselage for the –5N model. The
principal modification to back date the –4B kit to represent –4 is the
deletion of the 20mm cannons and drilling the holes in the wing edge for 6 50cal
machine guns and cutting out the associated shell ejection slots under the
wings. Most of the improvements apply to both models.
The
Fuselage:
The
F4U–5 and -5N was 34 feet 6.15 inches long; the F4U –4 was 33 feet 8.25
inches. After some ciphering, we have to lengthen the fuselage 4 mm. The obvious
place to cut the fuselage is on the engraved line of the cowl flaps.
I placed the parts together and used a piece of tape to make a template for the
exhaust ports. (1) (2)
NOTE:
If you have or can find the Italeri F4U-7/AU-1 Corsair kit, you can skip this
fuselage work. This kit has the longer fuselage. Alas, too late for me!
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Cut
off the engine cowls and glue 0.8x2.0 mm plastic strip on the inside of the
edges to be stiffeners for the plug. The bottom of the fuselage is molded with
the wing bottom. Glue a1x4 mm strip flush with the bottom of the wing. Laminate
4 pieces to the front to ensure coverage. (3)
Add
the 1x4 mm strip to the front of the fuselage pieces. Fill and sand the old
ports and the seams. Sand the wing bottom to shape. I glued the cowl
together to make a front piece, so when I glue the sides together, I can square
up the cowl to the plastic plug. (4)
Before
we glue the fuselage together, the cockpit and engine need to be put together.
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The
Cockpit:
Paint
the fuselage insides, seat and deck interior green (FS 34151). (5)
Dry
fitting the fuselage halves together, I realized that the bulkhead and headrest
molded in the back of the cockpit has a huge gap that is, almost, impossible to
clean up. So, I cut them out and traced replacement bulkheads on plastic card.
(6)
We’ll
make the head cushion material, now, so it will be ready when adding the
details. Fold
a tissue into a square. Mix white glue and water in a 50-50 mix. I used a
medicine dose cup. Place the tissue on a non-porous surface (I used a jar lid.)
and pour the white glue mixture on it until it’s completely saturated. Let it
dry until it’s hard. I placed mine on a window seal that faces the afternoon
sun. While we’re at it, let’s replace the gun sight, too. Cut off the
kit representation of the gun sight.
The
kits’ instrument panels have raised dials. The panel face should be flat
with counter-sunk, not raised, gauges. On the –5N, there is no lower-center
panel and the radarscope dominates the front of the dash. We’ll
scratch-build a better representation. Use the kit part to trace TWO
panels for each model on WHITE plastic card. No center-lower console for the
–5N. (7&8)
Take
a panel and drill a small hole with a pen vice for each gauge. Use a rattail
file to open the holes to different diameters. This will give you more precise
control than trying to use different size drill bits. Just as an aside, there
does not appear to be any order to the –4 gauge layout. The artificial horizon
should be in the center of each panel and the largest hole. On the –5N, it
should be below the radarscope. For the radarscope, drill a hole in a
piece of 1.5mm styrene strip. Open it up with the rattail file. Cut out
this circle so it’s bounded by a square. Glue it to the top center of
the panel. (9)
Paint
the panel pieces flat black. When dry place the panel with holes over the
other one. With a sharp fine needle, scratch the paint away from the bottom
panel inside the holes to simulate the dials’ markings; remove the top
console. Coat the bottom console with Future Floor Polish to simulate the glass.
While still wet (the Future acts a glue), carefully place the top console to the
bottom one. Place a drop of green paint in the center of the radarscope; when
dry, a drop of future for glass. Much better than the kit parts, aren’t they?
(The flash washed out some detail.) (10)
The
side consoles are black and molded as one piece with the cockpit deck. I
have a hard time painting a perfectly strait line freehand, and the part is too
much trouble to try and mask. So, I outlined the side consoles with black
decal stripes to give me a sharp line. (11)
Fill-in
the sides with black paint and dry-brush the details. (See Steve Bamford’s
excellent treatise “Dry
Brushing” in the Tools’n’Tips section. Hey! It
never hurts to suck-up to the web-master.) After painting the seat cushion
black, add belts and hardware to the seat. (See “Detailing
Ejection Seats” in the Tools’n’Tips section. Yeah, I
wrote that one; it’s a shameless plug. Oh! Since I’m struttin’, you may as
well read "Amazing
Canopies" and dip the clear pieces in Future now.)
(12)
The
shoulder straps are attached to the headrest bulkhead. Save enough material, so
you can add them with the final details.
Engine:
The –5N was powered by a P&W 2800-32W radial engine. I substituted the kit
part with an "Engines & Things" resin engine.
For
the –4, we’ll use both kit parts to make a better representation of the
radial engine. File away the plastic between the pistons before painting the
engines. (13)
I
spray painted all the engine parts Testors Gloss Gray (in the ¼ fluid ounce
bottle; not the Model Masters line). Since this is gloss paint, let
the parts dry at least overnight before you handle them. (14)
After
the parts dried, I started with the resin after market engine and applied
Testors Model Master Steel metalizer with a small brush on the piston housings.
This paint is meant to be air brushed; it’s so thin that it acts as a wash.
This technique pops out the detail. Paint push rods black. The back piece of the
resin set has some bad air bubbles. However, when put together they are
pretty much covered and not noticeable, so, I didn’t bother to fill them in.
(15)
Using
a very fine drill bit, drill a hole through the upper-face at the top of each
piston. Using the same drill bit, drill a pair of side-by-side holes in the
crankcase in front of each piston. (Yes, it’s mind numbingly monotonous,
tedious, repetitive, and…. Well, you get the idea!)
Recovered?
Now, thread fine copper wire through the piston and into the hole in the
crankcase. Place a wire in the other hole in front of the piston and loop
over the top of the piston. Repeat until all the piston housings are detailed.
Glue the 2 parts together. Whew! Now is a good time for a quick jog!
(16)
When
dry, drill out the hole in the engine front for the propeller shaft.
The
–4 was powered by the P&W 2800-18W engine. The kit part is a pretty good
representation; however, the parts only show the front row pistons. After seeing
the kit parts next to the resin after-market engine, I wish I bought a
replacement for the –4 version, too. Ah well, let’s see how it looks
behind the propeller. I combined the engine parts from the two kits to make two
rows of pistons. Paint the details as above and detail the pistons on one part
with copper wire (again!)
Cut
the crankcase off the front of the other engine part and glue the parts together
to make a twin row radial engine. Be sure the back pistons are offset from the
front ones (17, 18).
In
part 2, we’re off to the wings!
Bibliography:
Decals:
-
F4U-5N: Super Scale International 72-244 Korean War Aces
-
F4U-4: Super Scale International 72-700 F4U-4, F4U-5, F4U-5N Corsairs
References:
F4U-5N
line drawing:
http://www.vought.com/heritage/1532_005.jpg
Detail
& Scale F4U Corsair (part 2: F4U-4 through F4U-7) by Bert Kinzey, Squadron /
Signal publications, Carrollton, Texas, USA, 1998.
Detailing
Scale Model Aircraft by Mike Ashey, Kalmbach Publishing Co, Waukesha, WI, USA,
1994.
Model
Aircraft Tips and Techniques, an Illustrated Guide by Mike Ashey, Kalmbach
Publishing Co, Waukesha, WI, USA, 1998.
RJ
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