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Corsair Cockpit

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Corsair Cockpit
Posted by bbrowniii on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 6:49 PM
Hey all,

I hope some of you can give me some guidance (and perhaps some of those witty comments I have seen in other replies as well Evil [}:)]

Anyways, I am builiding Tamiya's 1/48 scale F4U-1D Corsair. I have the Squadron "F4U Corsair In Action" book and Detail and Scale's "F4U Corsair".

My question concerns the cockpit. I am trying to add a little detail to spice things up a bit (not superdetail - that is a little too much for my skills at this point). Unfortunately, while both books have relatively good photos, the ones of the port and starboard consoles are at odd angles so picking out some fine details is awkward. Any references y'all could suggest?

Another question: in some of the color photos, the S&D book shows a tubular thingy (I stive for accuracy with nomenclature) on the port bulkhead along the canopy rails. It is attached to a coiled black cord (similar to a phone cord). This is the only reference I have that show this "thingy" Tongue [:P], but for some reason I think it looks really cool. Before I go trying to add one (OK, I admit it, I already spent an hour coiling brass wire for the cord...), what is it?

Sorry for the ramble...

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 8:20 PM
On page 36 of Detail & scale, vol 55, The "tubular thingy" is a cockpit light. In the top left photo of the instrument panel, you can see the red lens of the light.
Great kit, and great reference book !
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 9:57 AM
I wondered of that was a light. Hm, you learn something new everyday. There is also one on the starboard (right) side, but this one looks to be fixed against the bulkhead (do they call it a bulkhead on an airplane?) and directed at the instruments on the upper part of the starboard console.

Thanks.

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 10:03 AM
The cockpit lights usually come in pairs, left & right. (the bulkheads are fore & aft, cockpit sidewalls are port & starboard)
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 4:12 PM
Ahh, sidewalls... That's why I'm a grunt. Lot less technical terms to remember.

One last question. The pictures in the D&S book are from an F4u-1A. Do you know if the -1D had these lights? Was it something that was installed but promptly ripped out by pilots once the planes got in theatre?

Thanks for all your help.

And Happy New Year to all.

SEMPER FI

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 1, 2004 12:15 AM
bbrownii
couldn't help but get in on this as your handle is the nick-name I packed for years. I'm currently assembling a corsair and using the Aries detail kit. There is another one of those lights on the left sidewall providing night time vision "red lense"of the dials of that side. Maybe the stuff on the right side wasn't important enough to need night time viewing
Keep information coming on how the project is going
mkayApprove [^]
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: USA
Posted by weebles on Thursday, January 1, 2004 8:38 AM
Hi Boyd,
I did some research on the cockpit lights. Looking at some of the original factory drawings of the F4U-1A they don't show the moveable light with the coiled stretch cord. It shows two fixed lights on either side of the instrument panel. It could be what you're seeing in the D&S photos is a later modification by the factory, in the field or something that was installed later by who knows who. I have a friend who flew the Corsair and if it's important I can try and jog his memory for you.
Dave
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Central USA
Posted by qmiester on Thursday, January 1, 2004 11:12 AM
I think you will find that the fixed lights were replaced in the field by adjustable lights at some point and the factory was directed to make the change on the aircraft it was building. Even then, I have been told that individual pilots had their crew chiefs move them to suit their taste (seems that no matter where you put them, there is still at least one instrument which can't be seen). The use of these lights tended to fade after technology allowed the lighting of each individual instrument (eyebrow lights) although it seems that a few remain in use in military aircraft, largely as a back up.

The lights themselves are rather neat. You can change from red to white (ever try to read a map under a red light - won't work) and back. The beam could be adjusted from flood to beam by adjustment of the front lens and in some cases the light can be removed from the mount and used much like a flashlight.

If you can't find a reference photo and still want to install them, you won't be too far off by installing one on each side of the cockpit, just below the point that the fixed portion of the canopy meets the fuselage, angled inwards towards the instrument panel. Install a third light on a post just to the pilot's right (and maybe a little behind him) at about elbow height. That would light up the right hand console, which usually contained the electrical switches and radio controls.

As on who has shot at least one landing (in a 172) holding a Mini-Mag in his mouth (cause the cockpit lites shot craps 20 minutes earlier), I would almost give you a 100 percent guarantee that no pilot in his right mind would remove his cockpit lighting and then go flying at night. Move them around yes, remove them? No way!
Quincy
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: 41 Degrees 52.4 minutes North; 72 Degrees 7.3 minutes West
Posted by bbrowniii on Sunday, January 4, 2004 6:02 PM
Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info!!

Boyd

'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing' - Edmund Burke (1770 ??)

 

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