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Jim Sullivan
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1/48th Hasegawa F4U-5 In The Markings Of VF-44 In 1949

June 3, 2014 · in Aviation · · 30 · 2.3K

I just finished this yesterday. It's the 1/48th -5 done in the 1949-era markings of VF-44. The kit is very well engineered with the exception of the fitment of the cowling where it joins with the fuselage. The cowling has three tabs that mate up with three slots on the fuselage. Only two of the three tabs would line up and the third one was about 1/16th of an inch off. Since the slots and tabs were molded in the kit, I'd have to access that problem to the kit manufacturer. I resolved the issue by sawing off the non-fitting tab and re-positioning it to fit properly. Other than that is was a smooth no-hassle build. The model was airbrushed with MM enamel paint and the decals were pieced together from ye ole decal stash box. I used the TD weighted wheels with some of the bulge taken off. The photo at the end of the batch is a shot of the plane I was modeling.

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30 responses

  1. As always...nice-lookin' build, Jim.

  2. Jim, beautiful job on the ultimate Corsair. I do like the looks of the -5, with that special cowling. That's neat that you were doing the model of one you had seen, always makes one try to do a perfect job, which you did!

  3. That cowl does smooth out the Corsairs lines. Do you know if this aircraft took part in the Korean conflict?
    Sharp & cleanly built.

    • Hello Al...I don't have the aircraft history card on 121928 but I don't think it served in Korea. Several sources show it as going to Argentina and is still there in a museum...On display
      F4U-5 121928 - Museo de Aviacion Naval, Bahia Blanca NAS.

  4. Nice job! I love the later model Corsairs. I have a few of these kits in my stash

    • Hello Ken...Aside from the cowling issue, it's a fine trouble-free kit to build. One thing I forgot to mention in the original post was that Hasegawa left the two fuselage side areas from the top of the consoles up to the canopy frames blank...no detail. Easily corrected with the True Details F4U-5 cockpit set which does include those sidewall panels. I hope you'll decide to build one of your F4U-5 kits.

  5. very cool plane and well done model, thanks for sharing - it makes me want to try a Corsair -

    • Thanks Ralph and I think you wanting to build a Corsair is great. I'd suggest one of the 1/48th Tamiya kits for smooth trouble-free build.

      • I think I'd do anearlier ersion but yours is real nice - is that color MM "Dark Sea Blue" enamel? If so its the color I used on my Wildcat that I really liked.

        • The 1/48th Tamiya kits are earlier versions. They offer the F4U-1, -1A and -1D. The color used on my F4U-5 build was Model Master Dark Sea Blue which carries the Testors TS1717.number.

  6. said on June 4, 2014

    Nice build. I finished mine a ten years ago. I do not remember cowling fit problems but I had to adjust wings joint with plastic strip .25mm.

  7. Very nice! Brute of an aeroplane! over 2000 Hp I think in the F4-5?

    • Hello James...The F4U-5 was powered with a P&W R-2800-32W engine and was the fastest production version with a top speed of 470-mph. Not bad at all for a prop fighter that came out soon after the end of WWII.

  8. Really nicely done. Gotta love the Corsair in all its versions 🙂

  9. Very, very nice. Like the finish.

  10. another fabulous effort jim...beautiful scheme

    • Thank you Bob and I agree that the GSB finish with the white lettering certainly jumps out. I have always liked that combination as seen on USN and USMC aircraft from 1945 up to 1956.

  11. Very nice work Jim. The paint job is sweet and I really like the look of the antenna wires. Beautiful -5.

  12. A lovely clean finish on a very graceful bird Jim.
    Well done sir.

  13. Jim,
    One of my favorite Corsairs. A marvelous looking model to which you have done justice. I really like your work. I built two of these and I agree they are great kits.

    • Thanks Frank...I have a bit of an obsession with the Corsair and that model was the 24th Corsair to go on my shelves. Most are 1/48th but I have built several of the larger 1/32nd F4U's. I have the big Tamiya birdcage but haven't started on it yet.

  14. Corsairs always seem popular, especially on iModeler, great job, Jim.

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