Vought Chesapeake
One of the first SB2U-1 kits, with the godawful short-shot fuselages. I wanted to go "Yellow Wings" here but needed to take the viewer's eye away from the filling of the fuselage "canyons", so decided to do a "Chesapeake." These were the French Vindicators that had not been delivered by the time of the fall of France, that were delivered to the British. The camo is Vought's attempt to do FAA camo with US paint - Olive Drab for Dark Slate Grey, Neutral Grey for Dark Sea Grey, Sky Blue for Sky. This later formed the basis for the "US Equivalent" colors used on the Corsair IIs and Eastern-built Avengers and Wildcats.
The Chesapeake was found to be "wanting", with a performance that didn't even match the Skua. Eric Brown wrote that he never flew an airplane with heavier ailerons. It was quickly sent to training units where it ended up as a target tug, since flying straight and level was its strong suit.
Decals from the dungeon, based on a photos of the first one delivered in one of the old Air International issues with Brown's article on the airplane.
Very nice and interesting to see the Vindicator in British scheme and markings. I have already added this scheme to my bucket list.
Nice save-looks good to me.
Very nice. I've never seen it in those markings.
Nice build Tom. No mention of scale. 1/48, I assume?