1/48 Tamiya F4U-1A Corsair VMF 214 "Pappy Boyington" (FINISHED)

Looks like a good kit.  

Joe

I have this kit and I will reference back to this when I build it up. Looks super good, Joe.

BK

Damnit Joe...you're 190's are cool...but I'm such a sucker for PTO aircraft!! =D After I'm done the Wildcat I've got, I need to replace Vraciu's Hellcat I lost in the move. But then I plan to do another Corsair...I just don't know who's just yet. I've got a book on Corsair aces so I'll have to thumb through there again. The only other Corsair I have is Pappy's Tri-color scheme but I've just done two back to back Blue-grey paint schemes so I don't know. Maybe it'll end up being a birdcage who knows. lol.

You're a machine Joe. I don't know how you do it. Can't wait to see her come up!

I bet you a beer that you will finish your F4U before I complete my version...

Excellent start taking into consideration you have three builds on the go simultaneously.

You forget the taxes, electricty/gas cost, cost of housing, drop bears, sharks, mosquitos, politicans and gold diggers. So no, not really...

Hahahahahahahah

This WIP looks excellent!  I love the Corsair especially "Pappy"!

Toshi

damouav

You forget the taxes, electricty/gas cost, cost of housing, drop bears, sharks, mosquitos, politicans and gold diggers. So no, not really...

Hahahahahahahah

 

 

You can add those flesh eating sea insects to the list Lol. Joe, great job as always, I can't wait to see it finished. 

You've really got me considering those masks, Joe. I see you're using them a lot more lately and the results are fantastic.

The cockpit looks great!  Great subject, and great kit.  I did one in 2005, but I left the build in Africa.  I've been meaning to revisit it, because it was so fun.  

Your project is not allowed to shoot down my project.  

IMG_2177 by Christopher Ridle, on Flickr

Your deffinetly keeping busy. I dolike the Corsair, still keep meaning to get a 72nd one. Nice start on this. Will this be an all blue scheme of the 3 colour one. I have no idea which scheme applies to which variant.

Hey lawdog,

I have 2 of these on my bench at the moment. I'm waiting for some Montex masks myself. Your build is looking great, and I'm looking forward to seeing yours done. Sharp work so far!

Cheers!

-O

Nothing cheers me up more than to see someone building a Corsair. And especially you Joe. I know this will be an absolute treat. I need to get me some of those Aeroscale gauges. They look fantastic and will be a welcome addition when I get to my stable of 1/48 Corsairs. Thank You very much for continuing share with us.

Looking awesome as always Joe , Really like your office work!

Thanks guys.  Indeed, the Montex and Maktar masks are wonderful.  I have a quick update here.  I built that PW R-2800 radial and rigged it.  To see how I did it, check here:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/149327.aspx?page=2#1971620

Washed and weathered...

I hope to be painting soon.  

Looking good, lawdog!

Little bit of trivia for you: Pappy used to work for Boeing before WWII, and helped design the landing gear on the B-17. How 'bout that?! 

Gary Mason

Yeah, he grew up in Spokane, attended High School in Tacoma, and graduated from U-Dub before that. He's a local celebrity and a personal hero of mine. 

I've lived in all of those cities growing up here too. 

Its a shame that he faded into obscurity after the war. Alcohol ate him alive. I'd love to have had the chance to meet him.

M. Brindos

Yeah, he grew up in Spokane, attended High School in Tacoma, and graduated from U-Dub before that. He's a local celebrity and a personal hero of mine. 

I've lived in all of those cities growing up here too. 

Its a shame that he faded into obscurity after the war. Alcohol ate him alive. I'd love to have had the chance to meet him. 

Do you remember which tribe he's from, Mark? I'm thinking that I read somewhere that he's Nez Pirce, but I don't remember for sure. I always thought that was an interesting aspect of his life, as it is very rarely mentioned. 

He was born in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to a tribe of the same name. And yes, it is rarely mentioned.

His service with the AVG is often overlooked as well. 

He didn't fade into obscurity for me.  Certainly one of my favorite pilots. Heck, this is my third of his planes.  Fortunately us modelers can give these heros their due. 

Anyways, my Mission Paints for the tri-scheme finally arrived and I got busy.  First I mixed up some Non-Specular white with XF-2 Flat White and a bit of XF-19 Sky Grey.  Then I added the Montex masks for the starts and bars to start the insignia paintwork.

Then I sprayed my version of Insignia Blue....XF-8 Flat Blue with some Flat Black added.

Then the blue gets masked. I always "seal" it with Tamiya tape to assure there is no seepage at the mask joints.  Once satisfied, I fired down Mission Models Intermediate Blue.  Perhaps a bit grey to my eye?....or maybe this is the correct color and my normal Tamiya mix is off.  Blue Tac makes excellent demarcation masks.

Now the Non-Specular Blue looks dead on to me...

I added some of the Mission Models tan and faded it a bit.  Here we are with the masks off.  I love these Montex masks.

Here I weathered it with a postshade.  I didn't go crazy with it.  

Soon I'll gloss it for decals...

To start with WOW! You are the master and I kneel in your greatness. Excellent work mate, your on the home stretch, keep it up.

Secondaly, how did you find the Mission Model paints, did they AB well, good coverage, easy to thin and clean the AB? 

Thanks for sharing.

damouav

 

Secondaly, how did you find the Mission Model paints, did they AB well, good coverage, easy to thin and clean the AB? 

 

 

Thanks Damian.  I reviewed it in my 190 thread, but to summarize, go with 10 drops paint, 3-4 drops of their thinner, and 2 drops of their poly, which I guess is a leveling agent.  Great coverage and dries quick with the above mix.  It seems a bit thick, but looks are deceiving.  Don't let it dry in your airbrush and use their thinner to clean it.  

I guess the best way to decribe it is their paint is more of a "system".  

Thanks Joe.

I will go look over your other post.

Lookin' good, lawdog! I can barely make enough time to just work on a build, much less mask off and paint the national insignia!! Great work!!

Thanks guys...

I'm finally done with this.  To recap, It's Tamiya's 1/48 F4U1-A Corsair in the VMF-214 markings of plane "740", flown by Pappy Boyington on occasion in early 1943.  Pappy was a 22 kill ace and Medal of Honor recipient and again need little introduction.  He is one of my personal heroes.  

The Tamiya kit in 1/48 scale is very nicely detailed, but not exactly a scaled down version of the 1/32 kit (This one preceded it by about ten years).  I still hate the way the outer wings attach but otherwise a dream to build.  On this one I added an Ultracast seat and wheels.  I wired the engine as well.  The markings were painted on with Montex masks.  I still have to add the aerial wire.

The tri-scheme was done with Mission Models paint.  I think they did a decent job getting it right.

Thanks for looking.. 

Looks like I owe you a beer!

And apart from that, another wow moment. Truly excellent work, I only wish my could have turned out like yours.

That is a perfect rendition of "Pappy's" Corsair.  It's fantastic and I wish I can build a Corsair like that!  Great job sir!

Toshi