Tamiya 1/48 F4U-1
I do enjoy building other subjects than P-40's especially when an actual person can be associated with a model. This is my rendition of Cpt. Edward"Bud" Shaw's Corsair when he served with VMF-213 with the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal. Shaw was from Spokane, Washington, and although he was originally rejected by the Navy he was able to get his wings from the Marine Corps. His first duty assignment as a fighter pilot was with VMF-213, The Hell Hawks, His first engagement in the Corsair was on June 30, 1942 where he shot down two Japanese float planes plus a Zero. During the next 13 months he would score 13 1/2 kills before rotating back stateside. While stateside Shaw was flying a Corsair at a training base and was unable to pull out of a power dive, crashed and was killed. He was 23 years old.
The Tamiya kit is well know to have excellent detail plus no fit issues and was fun to build. The only after market item added was an Ultracast seat because I hate working with PE belts. Since all the retail hobby stores are closed I worked with the paint I had on hand. So the Intermediate Blue and Light Sea Gray are Model Master rattle cans. A Pitt Pen plus home made washes were used to dirty her up a bit. Nylon thread was used for the antenna. The best research I could find suggested Shaw flew Number 4 as that's how his unit roster listed him, as pilot number 4. I'm sure he flew various Corsairs while on Guadalcanal and that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Furthermore, I'm sure his A/C never had 13 1/2 kills on the fuselage so it's modeler's license to give him due credit.
The base is my recent try at replicating PSP along with sand. The PSP is counted cross stitch fabric sprayed with the color steel then dry brushed with various browns and rubber color paint. The sand is from model railroading dio ballast. The little rocks are small pieces of shredded rubber. It's a long story how I ended up with it. In conclusion if you haven't built a Tamiya Corsair I highly suggest you give one a try.
Stay safe out there modelers.
That's a great build, Tom, of a great plane, flown by a great man. I think your colours are spot- on.
All the best!
Really nice, Tom. Great job! Love the paint job.
Hello Tom...Always good to see a well done Corsair and you did a fine build with your F4U-1. The base and background look good too. In addition the model is complimented by fine photography. All very nicely done.
Jim Sullivan Thanks for your help especially the pic showing two Aces with VMF-213, leading me to believe #4 was Shaw's Corsair
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
That Tamiya Corsair is indeed a great kit and yours looks terrific. The “Bad Medicine Men” newspaper clipping is an extra nice touch!
Great looking early Corsair!
Nice Corsair Tom! They were just kids, 1000 year old kids if they lived.
As always a very thorought background to your posts. Great build, story and pictures!
Excellent build and presentation Tom!
Wow, really nice build. I'm was still looking for a good F4 kit and looking at yours, I know which one I will get.
You did honor to this ace, Tom. Great build and dio! Fine idea!
You’re on a roll, Tim! My favorite Corsair variant!
Great job, I like this!
Interesting long nose P-40 with a radial engine!? It looks really good in the early paint scheme.
Nice job Tom ! @tom-bebout
I could tell right away it was one of yours by the very first picture...
It's nice to hear the story behind the pilot of this plane. All too often we see models built of a more famous pilot, but these guys deserve to have their stories told as well. Do you happen to know which Stateside training base his fatal crash was at ? I have found several listed from nearby Cecil Field that had circumstances that very similar to his final flight.
Your F4U looks right at home on that signature display base. Well done buddy... "liked"
Great work, Tom. this is one of Tamiya's best and one can never get tired of them, even 22 years later since the kit was first released.
I think you mean "1943" not "1942" - the Corsair didn't show up in the Solomons till February 1943. Another case of "Old Fumble Fingers strikes again" - happens to me all the time.
Nice job all around Tom @tom-bebout, as usual. The kit, the dio, well done.
"Liked"
Corsairs are another subject I never tire of seeing! You did a great job on this one.
Gentlemen, thanks to all of you that made such kind comments on this post I appreciate it
Congratulations Tom. A really fine build and a poignant story at a time when we are all thinking of the months during which that war ended. It is a great time to reflect. No better way than with a truly stunning build and tribute to a brave young flyer!
fantastic