Jim Sullivan Memorial Group Build Started !
Hello everyone. This is a short note to let you know it's official.
Our website owner / admin Martin (the wonderful fellow who has made Imodeler possible), has kindly given permission for us to have this brand new group build, held in Jim Sullivan's honor.
It will last for one year. All are welcome to join us. No invitation is required.
Most of you will know that we lost Jim recently. He was an accomplished author an model builder. Jim was passionate about a lot of things, but the "Bent Wing" Corsair was his favorite... as it is mine too. Jim was always willing to lend a hand with a picture, or research. He has helped me on numerous occasions.
This group is now open for business.
Here is a link in case you are interested.
https://imodeler.com/groups/jim-sullivan-memorial-group-build/
Also, I will make some minor changes to our current Korean War group since it will be ending soon. These changes will allow extra time for you all to complete your projects should this be a problem. I will make a new rule for the Korean War Group stating that no new projects can be added to the group after the original ending date, but allowing us to work on them and post updates until these projects are completed.
Let's make this a good one, to honor our recently departed friend.
Thanks in advance.
An excellent idea to honor Jim, may he rest in peace.
I will definitely join this group.
I'm in as well.
Absolute...ly in.
My heartfelt condolences to Jim's family and our Imodeler community who has lost a dear friend. Jim was always willing to help with photos and expert advice when needed. I will definitely take part in this group build to honour the legacy of Jim Sullivan.
Tha best way to honor Jim.
I'm in. I looked through my Squadron "In Action" books and found several that will work. I also found two other applicable Squadron books that are more general in nature: "Bent and Battered Wings: USN/USMC Damaged Aircraft 1943-1953" and "Golden Wings 1941-1945: USN/USMC Aircraft of WW2". Both of these have a variety of aircraft, as well as color diagrams of some of the planes. Lots of possibilities in these books. I have a couple of planes picked out and hope to start as soon as I can finish my current build. Looking forward to seeing everyone's models.
Rest in peace brother.
I'll never forget what you've done for me!
Oorah, and fly high.
I'm in.
The Eduard re-release F6F-3 profipack.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
I am in- 1/48 F4U-1a Corsair
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
I've had this book by Jim Sullivan since I was 13 years old. My family took a road trip to visit my Mom's family in Chicago, and on the way home we visited the Strategic Air Command Museum at Offutt AFB in Nebraska.
Mom wanted me to pick a "souvenir", but I wanted this book because I had read a novel called "A Country Such as This" by James Webb - veteran Marine, Secretary of the Navy Webb - and one of the characters flew F9Fs in Korea. I didn't know what an F9F looked like, and there was no internet in 1986, so I was thrilled to find this book at the Museum gift shop.
Jim and i never met in person, but we corresponded quite a bit for many years. I sure am gonna miss him. He contributed enormously to the hobby before the internet and social media.
I have selected to build Hasegawa's Grumman F6F-5N Hellcat in honor of Jim.
In with a Tamiya 1/48 Corsair, lots of aftermarket including an amazing 3D printed R2800 from Resin 2 detail, the picture from their site doesn't do it justice. I will make one of the F4U-1A Corsairs with the no surround on the bars I have been looking into. Fundekals has decals that will work, the trick will be weathering
4 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Rob Anderson (@robertandy)
I recently built and posted a similarly marked Corsair, with the early surrounds, but it was a birdcage and came that way from the factory. It had been modified in the field like some were. Mine was from VMF-123 and the pilot was 1st LT. Mayberry, one of our local pilots who went to war and never came home.
I got this picture shown above from Jim Sullivan, that shows several of the Corsairs from this unit had two upper stars, with only one of them modified by adding the bar portion. This one didn't get the surround we normally see on the bar portion. Here again these are the early "Birdcage" version. Some have had one of the upper wing surrounds painted over, or possibly even had the outer wing changed out. Another slim possibility is the fabric could have been replaced.
Then I found another one online after some extensive digging around
Currently I'm working on two of Boyinton's rides
740 and
883 which are included in one of the Fundekals sheets you mentioned.
740 was also one of the planes you're talking about with the early markings that had been modified.
I found several great pictures of it, and you can clearly see how the US Stars under the wings have been modified. These were part of the pictures taken of the Blacksheep trading victory "kills" for baseball hats and bats with a Major League Baseball team, (I think it was the Cincinnati Reds).
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing your Corsair as it progresses.
Thanks for joining our group.