The Official F4U Corsair Group Build 4/01/08 - rolling end date

Hi.

 I was at my LHS today and the guy that works there was telling me about Trumpeter's 1/32 F4U-4 Corsair.  He said it's a great kit for a great price.  It costs $57 and it looks like something I'd like to build.  Has anyone here built this kit?  And if so, how is it?

darth!!! Fred should be along soon to officially indoctrinate you. Your bird is looking good so far!!!! Looking forward to more!!!

Just spent a couple hours on my pit with the @$@!^&/! PE bits. Lost one lever somewheres, not a drama really as I can make another more convincing sized one, but I know I put it on there.... lol. Coming along slowly but surely.

Cheers, Richie

Hey Everyone,

I'm new to the hobby & late to the party.  I've cut my teeth on 2 Revell models (P-51 & a B-25) over the past few months.  I'm taking this hobby seriously now, so I purchased my first Tamiya kit: F4U Corsair 1A (1/48).  Although I'm still very much a novice to the hobby, the difference between the Revell kit & the Tamiya is night & day.  I still have a few Revell kits on my shelf, I like their price, but it takes a little more work to make them presentable.

Not only is this my first Tamiya kit, it will be the first plane I spray with an airbrush.  I'm waiting for my Paasche H to arrive.  Already have my MM enamels, thinner, & Future.

Here's where I am so far:

Looking forward to working with you & bugging you with questions

Harv, that's a beautiful pit.  What is it a combination of, again?

-Fred

Harv that pit is awesome!!!!!! Too bad about the fit issues, but it doesn't seem like too much to handle. Looking GREAT mate!!!!

Cheers, Richie

  OK, I`m just about done with the pit. I`ve been trying to get the seat & rear bulkhead done. Need to dirty up a bit. BUT, I may have to deal with some fit issues. Seems a few of the detail thingys buy seat will have to go. Seat wont fit in. But they wont be seen anyway. Just hate to cut stuff out I spent sooo much time on. Also looks like the sides to front & rear bulkheads will need some TLC to get to fit right. But it will be worth it...........Harv

Gigatron wrote:

I think testors should stick to making glue and paint and leave models to the big boys.

Ahhhh, too funny! (Do they still make "new" kits?)

I had hoped to at least come very close to finishing the birdcage by this weekend, but it's going to have to stay on hold for a few more days - I'm forced to leave the workbench behind, taking a little trip to IPMS Nationals at Virginia Beach! I'm sure I'll be hyper-motivated to do a ton of modeling when I get back, so this will get first billing.

Thanks for all the comments on my build everyone!

Gigatron wrote:

I think testors should stick to making glue and paint and leave models to the big boys.

lol your right

Thanks Andrew!!!

Cheers, Richie

Thanks Fred I got the Dremel and the sandpaper out last night and cleared away the obstructions from the inside of the Hase fuselage and finished sanding the resin parts so I can complete the base painting tonight.

The color scheme I using for this bird is from this photo that I found but as it's in B&W I'll just have to take their word for it that it's chromate green.

I think its looking great so far, I bet it will be real nice with all that PE

As promised here are a couple pics of recent progress. First is just an overall shot of parts with the int. green poly.

This shot is of the pit with the PE rudder pedals in place. Now have to get to work on the rest of the office whilst the mill is in transit. With the PE set the pit part population is going from 4 to 31 when finished!

Cheers, Richie

  First off, Jacob, you did a GREAT job on a crappy little kit. I`d love to see what you can do with a good kit! Keep it up.

 I`m trying to get the pit finnished. Working on rear bulkhead with the Eduards seat. Need to know what belts to use on a -1D. Early or late stile? I have both from Eduards, also. Thanks all............Harv 

Yes, nice job jacob! I did a Testors 1/72 F-86 about 18 yrs ago that wasn't to bad actually. I have a few Testors kits in my stash as well that are 1/48 and look alright. I think the Corsair must have been a red-headed step-child or something. The toy-like prop isn't normal for Testors i don't think.

I put the interior green poly on today and it shot beautifully!!!!! I thinned it out pretty well and slowly built it up and the lower layers were getting tacky as I went from part to part putting the heavier coats on. No crazing at all, which was a relief! Will get some pics on later today.

Cheers, Richie

Nice job on a miserable kit, Jacob .  I think testors should stick to making glue and paint and leave models to the big boys.

Darson, be happy you caught it now.  I once caught a missing piece issue after I glued the fuselage together.  I had to cut an entire fuselage in half with an exacto knife to put the piece in.

As for color issues, it's a real PITA.  You can either; A) never find color pictures of the exact variation you're working on, or B) find 50 different examples of the variant you're working on - but each one has a different paint scheme.

-Fred

Nice job on the Corsair Jacob and after that glowing endorsement I don't think I'll ever be building a Testors kit full stop.

Btw, the Tamiya kit is very nice in 1/72.

I discovered a couple of little problems after base coating my True Details cockpit the other day.  The first and easiest was that I had used the wrong colors, my cockpit should be black above the side consoles and chromate green below.  Oops my bad I've painted the entire thing (except the IP) in Interior Green .  The second little issue was that as I was dry fitting the cockpit sections in the fuselage I realised a lot more sanding was required to the True Details parts as well as a little surgery to the fuselage. 

Oh well I look on the bright side that I'm glad that I picked this up now and not as I was trying to close the fuse halves together .

Cheers

I have a few other GB's to finish so it might be a while before I start another corsair

im done my corsair.  I'm really really sorry I couldn't get WIP pics up but my camera was screwed up and I just got it fixed today.  The kit went together horribly... I'm never building another testors kit

Build as many as you want, Frank .  The GB doesn't end until april '09.

-Fred