1/48 Tamiya F4U1 Corsair

Gallery Article by Phil Mead on May 21 2012

 

 

I normally build Australian aircraft but my Daughter is about to marry a New Zealander so, in the spirit of that ANZAC Alliance, I decided to build him an Airforce. The good news is that I can justify building some great aircraft like the Corsair, Dauntless, Tempest and Avenger that the RAAF didn’t use and what better to start with than a Corsair?

 

Click on images below to see larger images

There should be Palm trees in the distance as this is Los Negros in the Admiralty Islands north of New Guinea and the only photo I have of this aircraft is at the beginning of a line of RNZAF Corsairs at the Mokerang strip in January 1945 (RNZAF the first Decade, Charles Derby, page 107). These aircraft regularly operated using RAAF Boomerangs as target markers so it will sit next to one in the cabinet. The aircraft were attached to 4 SU and provided to several squadrons starting with 23sqn in November 1944 then 25, 19 and 17. 

I often ridicule Tamiya for its unending production of Spitfires and P51 variants but I would never question the quality so I was surprised that I found the engine a little bit wanting. A radial engine is a large part of the aircraft’s appeal and must look good. I suppose we are all a bit spoilt with all the great resin engines available to us so I bought one. Imagine, again, my surprise when I delved into the spares box and pulled out a F4F engine! This plane retains its kit engine with the addition of wire electrical harnesses . I was looking at other Kiwi Corsair models and found that the little step in the flap was not on the RNZAF aircraft (thanks). Photos confirmed this so I filled it with Milliput.

The Non-Specular Sea Blue was faded by adding the Light Grey I used under the fuselage and wings and extra Sea Blue was then added and sprayed in patches. This aircraft and other Corsairs I have seen photos of had a panel on the forward fuselage repainted in Sea Blue so I added this as well as the cowl front. I have no evidence of the condition of the right side of the aircraft so I assumed that it had not been re-sprayed. Who knows? The Intermediate Blue and Light Grey were sprayed as they were and faded by a very small amount of Light Grey and Radome Tan in clear matt with lots of thinners. I bought Mr Colour Intermediate Blue but thought that it was too grey so used the Testors instead which, for me, was just right. This aircraft operated off crushed coral airstrips so I added a bit of white dust on the tyres and the wheel wells. 

The decals came from Areomaster and I was surprised how thick and lacking in adhesion they were. The decal sheet (SP48-10) contains decals for 12 individual RNZAF aircraft including the Dauntless, Avenger, Kittyhawk and Catalina. The other Corsair on this sheet is overall Dark Sea Blue.

This aircraft was originally coded “U” but when “P” crashed on the 4th January 1945 the “U” was painted out and the “P” applied. I guess that it must have been important to someone to have a “P” on the line! The condition of their paint was appalling and I should have weathered it more but I really love this colour scheme and so decided to compromise a little. A lot of people say that the Dark Sea Blue faded to a Grey colour. In a book called simply “Cockpit” (there are so many!) Airlife ISBN1 84037 067 X, Pages 114/115, is a great colour photo of a line of Corsairs in this scheme with the first five faded and the sixth just out of the factory. It is worth a look.

Phil Mead

Click on images below to see larger images

      

Photos and text © by Phil Mead