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

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: South Central Wisconsin
Posted by Daywalker on Thursday, June 5, 2008 12:57 PM

dupes, Richie- Thank you very much fellas!  I painted mine a medium brown, then a VERY light drybrushing with silver to give it a metallic sheen.  Looks like aged copper up close. Thumbs Up [tup]

Fred- For the holes, I used a .25mm round dental bur, chucked into my motor tool.  The motor tool I use is a professional grade unit, with multiple roller bearings to support the shaft and eliminate any vibration.  Not sure if a Dremel would be smooth enough to try it.

John- Yes, that is a weak point with the Tamiya kit IMHO.  Those spar pieces don't line up very well.  I love the Tamiya kit, though there are a few areas where the fit could be a lot better.

Frank 

 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: galt, ca.
Posted by dirtball on Thursday, June 5, 2008 1:57 PM
John, the pit is looking good! Keep it up, my friend............Harv
"I once shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I`ll never know!"
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by darson on Thursday, June 5, 2008 11:44 PM

John that cockpit looks just fine to me.  I think you will find that the white will be a little less harsh once you apply a flat coat to the IP followed by a drop of Future into each of the instruments.

Cheers

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Friday, June 6, 2008 5:33 AM
Hey John - looks like we're in just about the same place on the same kit...gotta love that Tamiya pit! Working on the engine now, will post some WIP pics soon. Thumbs Up [tup]
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Saturday, June 7, 2008 12:53 PM

Hoped to post some pics up today, but apparently my camera is old enough that it isn't compatible with Windows Vista. Nice. Going to have to DL and edit the pics at home on XP, throw them on a USB key, and then try this again. Disapprove [V]

Lots of good stuff done, though. Pit is finished, and almost done with the engine wiring. Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Saturday, June 7, 2008 8:03 PM

OK, Dupes, I got my camera going and the engine wired and painted and the fuselage all closed up.  That's what happens when you are retired and having fun, right?  This is a very nice kit.  I think they must have quit refining the wing join parts or fired the guy doing it, they needed some mods.  I don't understand what their plan was there.  The wing spar braces needed a lot of trimming to butt up properly to the wheel bay spar that didn't fit too well for me earlier.  Perhaps if they had made the wheel bay and outer wing panel spars one part, with two types, wings folded or extended, things would be more direct, and less work would be involved in getting the two wing ribs settled up close to the wheel bay like they should be.  But, boy do the wing panels fit together nice, and the fit to the fuselage is really good.  Much cleaner, and much stronger than on the Hasegawa F4U-4 I built some time back.

Anyway, I had a little cleaner engine in my mind's eye that I ended up with, certainly doesn't look as nice as Frank's engine.  Maybe I'll do better next time.  I like the wires, but I seem to end up making enough glue messes to lose the crisp look.  My fingers look really big under the magnifier!  The wires are 34 gauge craft wire painted black.  I drilled out all the spark plug holes in the cylinder, that simplified things because I could more or less do two wires at once, it was easier to get the lengths right and hold them in place while I glued them to the harness on the nose case.  I used a #80 drill but a smaller one would be better.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by simpilot34 on Saturday, June 7, 2008 10:25 PM

Looking good there John!Thumbs Up [tup] Well done!

Cheers, Richie

Cheers, Lt. Cmdr. Richie "To be prepared for war, is one of the most effectual means of preserving the peace."-George Washington
  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Sunday, June 8, 2008 12:52 PM

John - no fair! AM seatbelts! That's cheating! Laugh [(-D]Laugh [(-D]

I'm plugging away with you, should be sealing up the fuselage tonight. Here's a few pics of the engine and pit:

I'm pretty happy with how both of them came out, although next time I need to use some larger guage wire on the engine. It looked right when I started...but by the time I was halfway through I knew I shoulda gone with something bigger. 

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: South Central Wisconsin
Posted by Daywalker on Sunday, June 8, 2008 9:00 PM

John and dupes- Excellent work there fellas!  Glad to see you're enjoying that kit. Thumbs Up [tup]

John- Thank you very much, I am glad you liked my engine. Approve [^]

Frank 

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Sunday, June 8, 2008 10:00 PM

Great work, John and dupes Thumbs Up [tup]

Here's where I'm at - pretty much the same place as you two

The fuselage and engine (though it's not glued on)

 

A closeup of the engine.  I added some ignition wiring, but it's nowhere near as good as Frank's

 

And my landing gear.  I made the springs from some extremely fine wire copper and the brake lines are .015 solder.

 

Enjoy,

Fred

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by simpilot34 on Monday, June 9, 2008 2:13 AM

Fred and dupes, Great work fellas!!! Those mills look very nice indeed! Looking forward to seeing them in the final stages!Thumbs Up [tup]

Cheers, Richie

Cheers, Lt. Cmdr. Richie "To be prepared for war, is one of the most effectual means of preserving the peace."-George Washington
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Monday, June 9, 2008 2:21 AM

Springs on the gear struts, forgot about that.....Looks good, though.

Fred, a spot I had to go over twice is the top of the fuselage from the windscreen to the nose, I couldn't see it untill I had a coat of paint on it, but I had to go back over that area to get rid of a little peak on the seam area.  I used a flexifile and it went to the right contour pretty quick. 

Those spark plug wires are tedious things, and I have to fiind a smaller drill than I have now, I think. 

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Monday, June 9, 2008 5:03 AM

Hey John,

I used the back of a #11 to get rid of the high points.  A few quick scrapes and it was all good.

I didn't even bother drilling into the ignition ring.  I drilled into the piston casing, and glued the solder in place.  Once the glue had cured, I snipped the solder to length and put it behind the ring and then added a drop of CA to secure it.  I don't have the patience to drill some 36 holes (or even 18 just to do the front row) in that thing.  There'd be no plastic left.

-Fred

 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Monday, June 9, 2008 8:38 PM

Fred, I must have squeezed the fuselage too tight when I was mating the halves, I guess.  Here's some pictures of where I am now.  Have to be gone for a few days so Dupes and you can catch up.  As you can see, I'm doing an early F4U-1 with the flat contour birdcage canopy.  Must like masking, right?  The plan is to have a Corsair lineup with at least one model of each variant eventually.  The last will be the AU-1 in the Gull Grey over white, a sort  of inversion of this scheme of blue grey over light grey, which turns out to be the same as gull grey.

 

 

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Abbotsford, B.C. Canada
Posted by DrewH on Monday, June 9, 2008 9:52 PM
Looking great John! Thumbs Up [tup] Thumbs Up [tup] The weathering and feathered edges are superb! Well done! Make a Toast [#toast]
Take this plastic and model it!
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posted by ridleusmc on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 2:38 AM

I agree, Great Job,

I see your early model has the short lived belly window.  It's a very cool little detail.  Great paintwork.  

Semper Fi,

Chris 

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by simpilot34 on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 7:41 AM

Yes, Great looking birdcage there John!!! Love the feathered edge, it looks just right!Thumbs Up [tup]

Make a Toast [#toast], Richie

Cheers, Lt. Cmdr. Richie "To be prepared for war, is one of the most effectual means of preserving the peace."-George Washington
  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by Thunderbolt379 on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 8:42 AM

Hi guys,

Now that The Hunters GB is out of the way and the Big Cats and IDF are well along, I'm starting to think about something with wings, and that Hobbycraft Corsair (1969) is whispering to me. I've been surfing for AM sets to dress it up, and have been seriously considering the Quickboost engine and gear covers, as well as a True Details cockpit and wheels. For reasons of economy (there still being details to buy for other GBs) I'm thinking of going with the latter only. The bird looks like it should build well, has recessed panel lines, openable cooling flaps and canopy, and dropped flaps, so she'll build as a plane between missions, engine hot. The engine may be basic but there's not much visibility through the cowl. And I can always go to town dressing up another at a later date.

I can put the wing together while the pit's on its way from GMW. I might get a start soon.

ADDENDUM: Quick question for Corsair-aholics: is there any hard and fast rule about tread patterns? Would a -1D serving in 1969 in the Third World be as liable to have circumferential tread as diamond tread? Need more F4U reference books...!

Cheers,

TB379

http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 8:51 AM

Holy cow! You're already painting! Shock [:O]

I may be able to catch up in a few days. Wink [;)]

Looks good, btw! 

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 11:20 PM
 Thunderbolt379 wrote:

ADDENDUM: Quick question for Corsair-aholics: is there any hard and fast rule about tread patterns? Would a -1D serving in 1969 in the Third World be as liable to have circumferential tread as diamond tread? Need more F4U reference books...!

Cheers,

TB379

In my memory the diamond pattern tires were not seen much in the 60's, most tires of that period had gone to circumferential tread, probably due to runways being paved most everywhere.  The diamond pattern was more common to WW II.  But, photos are king if you can find them.   Diamonds are better for dirt.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by simpilot34 on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 4:20 AM

Like knobbies on a dirt bike.Wink [;)] I looked through a couple of my books, US Navy Carrier Fighters of WWII and USN/USMC over Korea(both from Squadron Signal), and from what I could gather and MHO, I think they put on what was available at the time. If you have tires that fit and missions to fly are you going to scrub a mission because its the wrong tread??? I don't think so! Some of the pictures show diamond treads on planes in Korea and circumfrential treads. there were also smooth treads on some in WWII. Hope that helps some!Smile [:)]

Cheers, Richie

Cheers, Lt. Cmdr. Richie "To be prepared for war, is one of the most effectual means of preserving the peace."-George Washington
  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by Thunderbolt379 on Wednesday, June 11, 2008 7:43 AM

Thanks Jeaton and Simpilot,

I found a photo of a -5 serving in the same action in '69, a top pilot's plane that's preserved as a standing diaplay today. The tires look either smooth profile or circumferential, it's hard to tell, but they're definitely not diamond pattern... It was probably mix'n'match, as you say, it was a time of emergency, El Salvador was getting planes under the table, any way it could in the weeks running up to battle, and during the action too, so they probably came south with whatever tires they had on when they were bought.

I'll go for the circumferential tread if I can get it, that should be reasonably accurate. Also, I can get a -1 cockpit from True Details for only $7, it's the -1/1A cockpit and the only major difference for the -1D would be the drop switches for the underwing load, and the fuel selector for when drop tanks were carried instead of bombs. That's a very minor difference, details a milimeter across and I wouldn't even know where to look for them, so I'm inclined to forgive the discrepency and save the $13 difference on a cockpit set that features those bits.

Here's another question -- the kit is designed to feature dropped flaps. What colour were the edges of the flaps on Corsairs? Dark red in 1950s USN fashion? Interior green?

Thanks again, and I look forward to posting WIP pics,

Cheers,

TB379

http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posted by ridleusmc on Thursday, June 12, 2008 4:29 AM

Hey fellas,

It's good to see that participants are still rolling along and that some are getting started.  As far as tires go, the maintenance guys are just going to install the best of what they have or whatever they can get.  You could probably put different style tires on the same aircraft and it would be accurate. 

My latest struggle has been with decals.  I've been working on them for the last week or so.  They went on realatively easily (even with Micro-Set), but bubbles and silvering have been a plague.  Every night I poke some holes and spread some Micro-Sol, and every morning they look alittle better.  Here's how's she's looking now.  You can see what I'm talking about with the underwing pic of the "Marines" decal.

Semper Fi,

Chris

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by thuds1 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:45 AM

  Chris,

 All I have to say is just keep plugging along and you'll get through.

 Your F4U looks great so far .

 Frank C

 F4U almost painted (today maybe ? )

 P 47 finally painted !

  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by Thunderbolt379 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:40 AM

Hi ridleusmc,

The silvering may be the result of the underlying paint finish -- the surface isn't a very high gloss, and most decals specify these days they work best on a hard gloss.  That said, I was amazed that the Echelon decals I just used on a StuG III, printed by Microscale, went on with no argument at all over a matt finish, and didn't silver in the process! Confused [%-)]

A technique I've used to bring up the finish (a proper polishing kit isn't available down here in Stone Age Australia) is to use automotive 2000-grit sandpaper, lubricated with pure liquid soap, and gently buff the surface. Of course, surface projections give you dead spots in the gloss and lose paint off themselves, so it's not perfect by any means. But it creates islands of higher gloss where decals can go, followed by a clearcoat to obtain an overall lustre. Clearcoat? Ahem! I guess I'll have to actually use one, one day... We can't get Future in this backward land, either!

Cheers,

TB379

http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: galt, ca.
Posted by dirtball on Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:52 AM
    John & Chris, both of you are doing great work! I havent touched mine in a couple of weeks and will be another week befor I can, Havent had a day of in 2 weeks and now we have lots of company here from out of state for FATHERS day! Also I need to get more done on my 105. But thanks for the pics, and keep posting!!..............Harv
"I once shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I`ll never know!"
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 12:16 PM

Chris:

What I do to get a high gloss finish is to put on a color coat, then sand it with a fine sandpaper to get rid of any embedded dust and other imperfections.  I don't try to get a high gloss finish when spraying the color coats, I find that leads to too much paint being applied.  When I'm satisfied, which may be after touching up a few spots, I apply a highly thinned coat of the gloss finish, and that will lay down nicely, so you will have very little orange peel or surface roughness.  Just get the light right and put only enough of the last coat on to see the gloss appear.  If the gloss doesn't appear while you are spraying, it won't be there later either.  I don't find this process so necessary with flat paints, but that's the way I do it with gloss finishes.  If I'm trying to end up with a gloss white, I usually put on flat white for the color coats because it applies much easier and covers better, then use gloss white for only the final gloss coat.  I give the thin gloss coat at least two days to cure hard in most cases before any more work.  If I am patient enough.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    March 2006
Posted by simpilot34 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 7:58 PM
 Thunderbolt379 wrote:

... We can't get Future in this backward land, either!

T,bolt I've used the 'Long Life' self shining floor polish on my Stringbag I'm doing at the moment. Works quite well, however, I've noticed it has a slight yellowing and microscopic cracking. A mate of mine uses 'Pledge One Go' and says it works quite well. When I was visiting mum and dad in the states I was going to get some future and #^##$@#! forgot.Banged Head [banghead] Whilst I was living at home I always used testors glosscote and dullcote in rattlecans. Never had any problems with them. Hope that helps some. Live in just outside of Geelong btw.

Cheers, Richie

 

Cheers, Lt. Cmdr. Richie "To be prepared for war, is one of the most effectual means of preserving the peace."-George Washington
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posted by ridleusmc on Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:06 PM

You guys are right.  My decals have silvered because the surface was irregular.  I have a Testors "Blue Max" AB compressor without a regulator.  I believe the pressure is pretty high, and to high for Future.  Little particles of Future dry before it hits the model.  I no longer need an excuse to get a better AB compressor.  

Semper Fi,

Chris 

  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by Thunderbolt379 on Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:08 PM

G'day, Richie cobber!

One-Go is something similar to Future, isn't it? I've not spotted any floor polish at all on shelves in Adelaide yet, and all I get is static from Johnsons when I bug them about bringing in Future!

Just my personal preference, but I've never trusted rattlecans, it's a question of control. I always feel I'll wreck an AB finish with frosty thin bits here and drippy globs there, so I've always gravitated to something I can put through the AB for precision -- not that I've ever got up the guts to try it very often...

I like the technique outlined a few posts back, using a flat coat for body then misting on a dilute glosscoat of the same colour to achieve lustre. I must try that!

Cheers,

TB379/Mike

http://worldinminiature.blogspot.com/

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