I've actually re-created this particular thread in an attempt to bring the pictures of the build together and make it easier for everyone.  Hopefully, that's okay. 

     As I've said elsewhere, this is only the fourth model and the first "big boy" model I've built since getting back into modeling in November.  This includes one incredibly newbie attempt at the same plane.  After looking at Lawdog114 and Bvallot's build of 915 and 883, I was inspired to make this attempt, and to get it as accurate as possible.  With one or two minor exceptions, I think I got it about as close as I could.  Also, I want to thank Lawdog for all the suggestions and information he provided, and a special thanks to Bvallot.  Britt, gave me several pointers and encouragement to try newer and risker (to me) things that really made the build look much better. 

     "Finished" is a bit of an over statement.  It's actually about 98% complete.  I'll add the figure after I complete the P-40 Boyington flew while in the A.V.G.  I've already got a diorama planned out in my minds eye, as an homage to "Gramps," so be looking forward to that.  Mind you, that I'm fully aware that he was a love'em or hate'em type of guy.  But for me, he was a hero during my teen years.  Yeah, he was a self admitted "bum," a poor father and husband,  and alcoholic, but the guy could fly and fight better drunk, than most guys could do sober.  For a 15 year old kid in the Civil Air Patrol attached to the 42214 the "Black Sheep" squadron, he was a demigod... 

     I actually got Tamiya's F4U-1A for my birthday in late January, and started the build late in February.  Like lawdog and bvallot, I was impressed at the OOB, with the possible exception of the seat.  I actually ordered Ultracast's aftermarket seats, the pack comes with two, but unfortuantly one was damaged in shipping and the other I broke while working with it (lesson learned: Dremel purchased).  I took this as a challenge and ended up painting some address stickers a tan color, trimming them at about 1/8", making buckles out of jeweler's wire, and attaching them to the seat in order to make the harnesses.  The cockpit itself is outstanding as OOB.  I hit the I.P. with some Tamiya Flat Black XF-1, the main cockpit assemblage with an interior green I created, and the control panels with the flat black and various other colors for the knobs and switches.  ***A word of caution.  The kit actually comes with two armor plate backing for the seat.  One triangular, one round, and the instructions call out only the triangular.  Check to make sure you are using the right one if you choose to do this kit.***  It 's not a big deal, but it's one of the few inaccuracies that I wished I'd caught in time.  Here's a look:

     Next, I started on the P&W R-2800.  Once assembled and after priming, I hit the cylinders with Tamiya's x-10 gun metal, the fire wall with xf-1 flat black, and most of the front part of the engine housing with xf-23 light blue.  Then I went back and weathered the cylinders with a very thin flat black dry brushed in; followed by highlighting the metal tubing that runs along side of the cylinders with chromate.. After that I dry brushed the areas painted light blue with XF-3 Yellow Green and a very light coating of Tamiya's smoke.  I mixed some chromate and red/brown, x-64 I think, along with a smidge of red to create a rusted metal color and dry brushed the bolts and the sides of the prop plate.  I added the ignition wires using thinned sprue, and wrapped up by hitting the hole thing with Tamiya's smoke.

     I assembled the main wing assembly, installed the cockpit, and joined the two fuselage halves, and attached the cowling and power plant.   ***Another word of caution here.  When adding the cockpit, special care must be taken to ensure placement is perfect.  Otherwise you'll have problems when you add the two panels just behind the armor plating.  I had to perform minor surgery to fix this, but luckily the glue hadn't cured.*** 

     I wasn't quite comfortable with removing and re-attaching the all the control surfaces.  However, pictures from the December photo shoot show the rudder in a slight left hand turn and I thought I'd at least try that.  So, with butterflies in my stomach, I took an exacto knife, with a fresh blade, and slowly worked my way through, then cut a small spacer from a sprue label.  Next, I cut about a 3/4" piece of brass rod, crushed one end leaving the other round, heated the round end over a candle, and inserted the rod (round end first) so that the crushed in would slide up into the rudder.  I also carefully heated the rear wheel so that I could turn it in the same direction.

     Then I added the wings.  ***A certified pain the rear, this.  By everyone's account***  I also cut six pieces of brass rod about 1" long and two sprue labels about 1 1/2".  The labels acted as spacers to level the "gun barrels."  Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of this... don't know why.  Sorry for the screw up, guys.  After finally attaching the wings, adding a little putty, sanding, and re-scribing, I hit the hole thing with Tamiya's primer and added some preliminary shading with flat black.

  For the paint layers I worked from light to dark, using Tamiya's white with a bit of base added.  For the intermediate shade of blue I mixed Tamiya's Sky Blue and Medium blue, and for the darkest blue I mixed Tamiya's Sea Blue and Medium Blue along with about 25% of their Base to give it that oxidized look. For those of you who saw the original thread, there was a great debate on the border for the roundel bars.  I was hoping that a friend at the Astronomy Dept. at Texas A&M would be able to transition the black and white photos into color, but no such luck.  Not with the accuracy I was needing that is.  Luckily, Bvallot was able to locate a paint scheme that possibly shed some light on this.  The legend accredited the scheme to Boyington himself.  Maybe, maybe not???  Who ever created it did appear to have some first hand knowledge of the plane because it confirmed my suspicion that the borders were not blue as they should've been by that time.  It appears that they were over painted with blue and the red bleed back through.  I took this as the closest color scheme I was going to get, and went with it.

     Flaps came next.

Then a set of Ultracast exhausts, along with shading and weathering...

I masked the canopy and shot it with the sea blue I created.

     Finally, I began final shading and weathering.  For the blue I added a VERY flat black, like three drops, to darken it for one mix, and used some light blue for another mix, and created a wash that alternated to really make that blue pop.  For the white, I mixed first some smoke, then adding a bit of red/brown, and finally a drop or two of flat black, again creating a wash, and layered it down the bottom and around the engine cowling.  I dry brushed a little chromate silver and the interior green for worn primer, in several areas to really show this as a very tired war weary bird.  Additionally, the control surfaces I painted a lighter blue, shaded with an even lighter blue to show a faster fade rate for the fabric covering.

     And finally, I added the radio wire, again using thinned sprue.  None of the pictures show the front antenna, and the only fairly clear pic of the wire that I've seen is of this poor bird sitting in the scrap yard.  It shows only one wire running from the tail to the back antenna.  Here's the completed project.

     Whew!  I hope you guys enjoyed this journey as much as I did taking it.  As always, constructive criticism is welcome.  Thanks, Raymond