F4U-4 Korean War 1/48th scale

[centaur567]

This was a Christmas gift to myself. The copyright goes back to 1963 when I was 13.
I'm going to try and motorised it with an electric motor taken from a wand yard sprayer.
I started by gluing the engine cowling to the left fuselage half in order to align the electric motor later. Gary S.

 

[moon puppy]

You better think about controls on the flight surfaces with that motor, it's big enough to move the thing!
Have fun with it Gary

 

[hamchuck]

Oh yeah, that's going to make some torque.
I can't wait to see this one come together.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Zoom, Zoom!!

 

[centaur567]

The motor is epoxied in, the basic cockpit awaits paint, the antennas installed and the tail wheel doors are glued shut. The antennas needed to be shaped or else the looked like a couple of 1 x 2's stiking out in the breeze. I decided to make the model gear up and not fool with the micky mouse gear. Gary S.

 

[moon puppy]

This should be fun.

 

[Rhino]

Gear up is a Good Plan!

 

[Barney]

Last time I built one of these, I blew it up!

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Last time I built one of these, I blew it up!

That long ago eh?

 

[centaur567]

Last time I built one of these, I blew it up!

Me too. Gary S.

 

[centaur567]

Filled in from the inside of the tail wheel bay with Bondo. Then when it dried a coat of crazy glue was used to reinforce the Bondo. Some sanding will be rrequired. Gary S.

 

[moon puppy]

This kit had working landing gear also didn't it?

 

[centaur567]

Yes, but not very well done. It has folding wings too but they will be glued down. Gary S.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

If it is the kit I think it is, I remember building it back in the late 60's along with the 1/48th Helldiver kit. Both had working landing gear and folding wings. Yeah, the Corsair landing gear was pretty much crap, but the Helldiver worked great.
Watching with interest you making a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

 

[Brokeneagle]

I didn't bother with the motor. I built that old Revell 1/72 Dam Buster Lancaster, filled it full of crackers and strapped an exploding sky rocket to the belly. It flew well on launch and was anillihated at 100ft....ahh the early 70's when you could still do stuff. Now its all banned or controlled down here so 'no one gets hurt".

 

[centaur567]

If it is the kit I think it is, I remember building it back in the late 60's along with the 1/48th Helldiver kit. Both had working landing gear and folding wings. Yeah, the Corsair landing gear was pretty much crap, but the Helldiver worked great.
Watching with interest you making a silk purse out of this sow's ear.

Thanks. Maby not a silk purse, but a nice naugahide one. Gary S.

 

[Rhino]

The cockpit differs from the original Monogram kit. Neet-O!

 

[centaur567]

I think the reason that this model gets blown up is the fit of the canopy. This I'm trying to address by masking off the outside of the clear part and taping it on the inside of the rt. half to hold it in place. Then applying epoxy in the gaps. The other fuselage was then taped on in order to get the alignment better. It looks messy now and hopefully I can clean it up. Also, the cockpit got some painting done. Gary S.

 

[centaur567]

Only partial success with using epoxy as a filler. a the upper curved area filled in well. The pilot and cockpit are painted and installed along with decaling the instrument panel. There's a large gap anterior to the tail wheel that will be filled with a strip of plastic along with the excess space between the doors. Looks like the pilot is holding on to his "joystick" and not the control stick. Maybe he needs the relief tube or just a little privacy. Gary S.

 

[moon puppy]

At least the pilot fits. I remember a lot of those guy having their legs cut off to get in the cockpit. Or it could have been my piss poor modeling skills back then.

Looking good Gary.