(Drumroll) Presenting….. The Tamiya Corsair
Here’s a few shots of the model completed today. It’s done as Ken Walsh’s first “No. 13,” BuNo 02350, in which he may have scored a couple kills (records are unclear), but it definitely became an “ace’s plane” when he scored #5 and they put the stickers on it so he could sit in the cockpit and smile for the photographers.
Full review at M2 on Wednesday.
4 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Nikola Pentić said on August 18, 2013
Quite impressive. I like the weathering, it’s spot on.
George Williams said on August 18, 2013
Very impressive! What’s M2?
Bryan W. Bernart said on August 18, 2013
Modeling Madness.
Tom Cleaver said on August 18, 2013
Modeling Madness Webzine
http://modelingmadness.com
Eric aka The Yankymodeler said on August 18, 2013
Well done!
Bryan W. Bernart said on August 18, 2013
Superior work. Like it a lot.
Bill Koppos said on August 18, 2013
Yeah, that looks pretty Paciificed weathering wise, great fading and staining. Might have to git me one.
Phil Steele said on August 18, 2013
Smashin’ !!
Drew Tarter said on August 18, 2013
Brilliant build, Tom! Your weathering is superb!
bob mack said on August 18, 2013
a beauty
Stephen W Towle said on August 18, 2013
TC,green with envy with this kit, and its neat that you painted in a extra gun on the wings. I’m sure Weds story will tell why the Marines painted the extra guns . You and Togla are raising the modeling bar . I’ve been working on a Revell Ventura and every time I read something on this site …I either go back a do something to the kit again or find some new technique to add to the kit.
Dan DeSilva said on August 18, 2013
Gorgeous job as usual tom. I think looking at this build I have decided to do mine wings down, flaps up….
Looking forward to your writeup on mm.
Bernard Wylie said on August 18, 2013
Lovely job, did you use the kit tyres or aftermarket?
Tom Cleaver said on August 18, 2013
I used the kit tires. The only rubber tires that were ever a problem were the AMT tires for the F7F Tigercat, due to bad chemistry. I have tires on Trumpeter kits from 2003 with no problem, and on these Tamiya kits since the first Spitfire.
Of course, if it weren’t for “uninformed opinions,” 95% of modelers would be mute.
John Healy said on August 18, 2013
Nice paintwork Tom. Looking forward to Wednesday on MM!
Frank Cronin said on August 18, 2013
Tom,
Looks very nice. It sure does look like a well worn island Corsair.
Tom Cleaver said on August 19, 2013
Walsh flew it to Guadalcanal on February 12. Their tour ended on April 2 (the day after he shot down three in it). When they came back on May 12, 02350 had been flown to death by the guys from VMF-213 and was considered “shot.” He scored 2 more in another airplane to become the first Corsair ace, and had a mechanic put the 5 Jap flag stickers on it, then sat in it for the photographers, making it forever, “Ken Walsh’s Corsair”, even though it was junked a week later. That’s how those airplanes got used up there.
Steven Davis said on August 19, 2013
WOW! thats amazing, great build. Has they “real” look without looking overdone.
Tom Cleaver said on August 19, 2013
The first thing one learns as an artist is “less is more.” Unlike too many of our fellow muddlers who believe “too much is not enough!”
It also helps to have been around airplanes a lot and know that while they do “weather” and “age”, it’s very infrequent that it’s as dramatic as many modelers create (unless you’re talking about late war Japanese aircraft or Skyraiders, then “too much is not enough” is in fact the rule).
Craig Abrahamson said on August 19, 2013
So…….what color are the wheel wells? lol – 🙂
Tom Cleaver said on August 19, 2013
The main wells are underside grey, the forward sections and the spar are Salmon, and the tail interior is Salmon, like the Lake Michigan F4U-1.
Stephen W Towle said on August 19, 2013
TC, I hope your article and expertise on the subject of the color Salmon gets clarified or simplified or better defined on the historical significance on why the way things are in the wheel well dept. We modelers tend to perpetuate either truths or half truths based on what other modelers have done. Like to read a historians/academic point of view.
Maxim Bylkin said on August 20, 2013
Excellent Toning of! Loved how the model is painted!
Walt B said on August 20, 2013
Very nice build Tom. I have to say I really like the overall finish and weathering. It is incredible the abuse that the pacific land based planes took. I think you have done a great job of modeling that on this kit.
Sgt. Ray B. Hall said on August 20, 2013
Tom .. as usual you have ANOTHER classic,
AWESOME build .. my Dad would have loved
to see this model .. he flew with VMF 215 .. “over there” !! he said he grew to HATE the
dirt/MUD strips they flew from !!! when it wasn’t blowing DUST it was blowing mud on/around the fuselage MY COMPLIMENTS . RBH