African Group Build - The Official Thread

Here's my F4U-7 Corsair, Algeria, 1952. It's taken a while, but it's done at last. Eventually I detaile d out the cockpit, added a resin engine, scratchbuilt the pitot, added rigging and built the thing.

Cheers

Tony

It seems like I've been building this thing forever, anyways, spent some time on it over the weekend, and it's edging closer to completion. The prop is just positioned for the photo, it's not attached yet. I need to add the undercarriage bay doors (again), do the exhaust stain, some wireless rigging, detail the guns and some other minor things, and attach the ordnance.

The weathered appearance is created by scratching the paint to reveal the bare metal finish underneath, and use of chalk pastels for panel shading, although it hasn't shown up well in the photos.

Cheers

Tony

Hi Vance,

There's a couple of reasons, the main one being that I have a multitude of GB commitments that I don't want to let anyone down on. I try to get at least one model done for each GB within my areas of interest. That being said, I think  I still have 7 or 8 to get done this year so I'm looking for quick finishes.

Then, I found that I had already attached the hard points for the rockets, and found that the Suez stripes intersected with many of them meaning that it would be a complex masking job that may not end up with the best result. Being time poor, as previously described, I opted out.

Finally, I really liked the look of the aircraft in the colour photo above, and decided that I really wanted one. Having now nearly got one, I'm glad I did. I love the look of it.

I'm a colours and markings kind of guy, so I have already planned to get another F4U-7 and do the Suez thing, but I'll paint the stripes BEFORE fixing the hard points. I'll just need the right GB to get it onto the list. Maybe I'll run a Suez GB at some stage.

Cheers

Tony

taxtp

Changing from Suez markings to this one, Bata Airfield, Equatorial Guinea, 1952.

Cheers

Tony

Uh-oh... what happened to the Suez markings???

I've gone for a different aircraft rom 15 Flotille, under the assumption that it was also located at bata at this time. 15 Flotille also had there F4U-7s and then AU-1s at  Algeria later in the 50s.

Cheers

Tony

Changing from Suez markings to this one, Bata Airfield, Equatorial Guinea, 1952.

(Edit 3 Dec - fixed the link to the photo below)

Cheers

Tony

Primed with Tamiya Acrylic XF-16. There are only a couple of minor fixes to be made before I re-prime. I've seen some really good finishes with this paint, but for me it's always a little grainy. Perfectly fine as a primer though :)

Cheers

Tony

Ready for masking and priming, hopefully tonight's job.  I think I'll mask and spray the stripes.

Cheers

Tony

I have to resurrect this old GB to finish off my build. Better late than never ! It's almost ready to prime, after I fix up a couple more things and give it a wash. I'm vacillating between using the kit 'Suez Crisis'  stripe decals for a quick finish, or painting them myself.

Cheers

Tony

Err, I've excised the nose of the Corsair, and started prepping the Pavla resin engine that I bought to replace the kit  item. It's pretty ugly at the moment.

Cheers

Tony

Now there is a fun word, 'Rhinoplasty'. After it's done I'm going to stuff about 3 miles of bandage inside it, just like the real thing.

I actually wasn't happy with the positioning of the kit engine,not sure if it's the kit or myself at fault. This time I'll set it a little deeper inside the cowl.

Cheers

Tony

taxtp

I've just returned from some business travel to Spain. I'll get back to the Corsair immediately. Before I went,  I let my dissatisfaction with the kit engine get the better of me. I pulled it out and bought an aftermarket resin one.

Problem is, as the cowl is now mounted to the fuselage, I'll have to do some surgery to get it in place, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run.

Cheers

Tony

lol, a little "Corsair Rhinoplasty" in your future then??

I've just returned from some business travel to Spain. I'll get back to the Corsair immediately. Before I went,  I let my dissatisfaction with the kit engine get the better of me. I pulled it out and bought an aftermarket resin one.

Problem is, as the cowl is now mounted to the fuselage, I'll have to do some surgery to get it in place, but I think it'll be worth it in the long run.

Cheers

Tony

The full size SAAF Puma I moddeled was interesting as it flew into Angola to support SADF and 32 Bn forces. Just before landing they lost the tail rotor but the crew managed to land safely.

A replacement tailboom was flown in and manhandeled into place in field.

The aircraft # is 156 while the new boom wore # 143.

Humbrol 29 and 30 enemals. More pix in the French GB.

Theuns

Not a problem Tony.

I might have to park the Corsair for a week or two. I've agreed to build a Mosquito B Mk IV for a club event, and I have exactly 4 weeks to complete it. Hence it gets priority for a little while.

Cheers

Tony

I was thinking the same thing - just your head sticking out, but actually looks like a fair amount of room once inside the cockpit.

The one thing American drivers could not complain about was the lack of office space!

T

Looking good Tony!

Another update on the Corsair...

Cheers

Tony

Progress update  on the F4U-7. More work on the cockpit, although I'm not done yet, and the prop and wheel wells.

Cheers

Tony

ahhhh - glass on a chopper! Isn't that the most fun part??? Man, that Mirage is pointy on every corner possible isn't it?!? Shaping up nicely.

I have been working on the Puma's canopy as the fit is really not good. I eventually managed to get it acceptable....I think.

These pix of it before sanding

Mirage wings on...

Theuns

Tony, that wing join is a little gappy isn't it! Nothing a little styrene or putty can't fix though.

Found some time to work on the Corsair tonight, here's the result.

Added some framing to the cockpit, It's curiously truncated as thats where the cockpit tub meets the sides. It's just getting a coat of green zinc chromate now. The silver blobs are where I tried to mark the fuselage for where the tub would meet it.

Started priming the Wright Cyclone R2800. They only give you one row of a two row engine, and not much detail on the crank case. It's probably a good candidate for an aftermarket resin replacement, but then you have to move the firewall too. I might just add some detail, I might not, haven't decided. Painted silver, ready for some detail painting and washes.

Cockpit tub, just added a front rim to the seat so far, belts and stuff to come.

I joined the upper and lower wings. The upper wing has a deformity at the leading edge which will be dealt with in due course. It could have been worse I guess, should be simple enough to fix.

That's it for now.

Cheers

Tony

Hi Theuns

Replacing rivets sounds  about as much fun to me as water boarding. I'll be keen to see how you do it, as I'm sure I'm going to bump into it again one day soon. I think when someone starts a new GB, I'm going to have to try and find a helo. I've seen anumber around lately on here that have fired me up.

Cheers

Tony

taxtp, theuns - nice attention to the details!  I like seeing little things like that done to improve the final product.

The SAAF used different sponsons and I had to mod the round ones.

Theuns

Howzit guys?

Tony I built that same Corsair (in Marines sceeme) earlier this year and it is a really nice little kit, only hassle is that on mine the decals fell apart in the water.

I have been batling all day yesterday with the front canopy on my Puma. It needs allot of work to get it to seat well, lots of filling and sanding to be done. This needless to say removes the rivets tha I then need to replace !

Theuns