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Jeff Brundt
9 articles

Review: Tamiya 1/32 F4U in-work

August 24, 2013 · in Reviews · · 7 · 1.9K

I received my new -1 Birdcage a few weeks ago and I've been making steady progress on it. The thing that strikes me the most with this kit is just how well engineered this kit is. The first picture shows all the major assemblies built; flaps, outer wings, center wing, horizontal stabs, elevators, ailerons, vertical fin, rudder, main landing gear doors, main landing gears, tail wheel/hook assembly, engine and engine cowlings.

The remaining pictures show all these assemblies dry fit together, with no glue or tape.

Tamiya has raised the bar even higher than I thought possible with this kit. Until now I thought their F-16's were the pinnacle in injection molded kits but this Corsair far surpasses those.

When they release the inevitable other variants it's going to be like a license to print money.

Reader reactions:
1  Awesome

6 additional images. Click to enlarge.


7 responses

  1. Unbelievable...I didn't think Tamiya could GET any better. When I finally get mine and reach this point, I may not use any glue AT ALL if everything fits this well (less chance of gettin' it somwhere I don't WANT any glue, ya know?). Besides, ain't nobody gonna be handlin' it anyway. Be sure to keep us up to date as the build progresses - it's one of the best Corsairs I've seen goin' so far. I gotta get me one of them.

  2. That's looking really nice Jeff. You appear to have missed all the hang-ups I found.

    • You mean to say you had "issues" with this kit...after all the good things I've heard about it? Please...enlighten us. I've not heard ONE 'bad' thing said about it - until now.

      • how about ridicules price

        • Yeah it is spendy, but it will come down in price at least some later on if you can hold out. Me I just can't justify the price for one kit, but of course if you can hold yourself to one kit at a time (I have trouble there!) then it is not so bad for what you get. Between the Academy F-4B, the ship kit I am building and the Tamiya 1/25 Tiger I bought I spent at least that much, toss in a $40 PE set for the ship, and decals for the Phantom I am over the cost of the Corsair easily...Just about how you spend you hobby dollars.

  3. I''m with you on the non glueing policy, I only apply it if necessary, with Tamiya kits it's often not necessary, despite what Tom says, but I suppose it depends how the model's going to be handled after completion. As for value for money, if you spend a lot of money, but also spend a lot of enjoyable time building it, then I don't think it's expensive.

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