Academy 1/72 F4U-1a New Zealand
I had decided to join the Jim Sullivan group build with a Corsair, and then saw a couple of other iModelers post builds of this aircraft assembled from the remains of two damaged aircraft that had worn different paint schemes. I found a set of decals of New Zealand Corsairs that included this aircraft, so good to go!
The Academy kit is simple and pretty nice, with engraved panel lines. The only two issues I wasn't satisfied with were the exhausts, which were just an awkward attempt at some base relief representing the exhaust nozzles, and the missing stub on the vertical fin to which the ariel was attached. I dremeled off the relief, cut up some 1/72 HVAR rockets and glued them in place and then hollowed them out for the exhausts. They seemed just a tad larger than scale, but much better than what was there. A small piece of styrene created the fin stub. I put just a couple of additional components into the cockpit on the sidewalls, knowing not much in there would be visible, along with a PJ Productions USN pilot (they don't produce a Kiwi!). I also had to carve out space for the tail wheel to protrude from the gear doors, per reference files, and figure out a way to get the tail wheel glued into the retracted position. The only other "not in the box" addition was riveting.
Paint was all mixed from Tamiya colors (except for MRP white on the bottom). I blackbased with white beneath the white and lighter blues of the tail section, and followed some cool ideas for blackbasing beneath dark surfaces from a Doogs Models video, using eggplant, hull red, and brown. I LOVED the result of this beneath the dark sea blue, and will use it again soon on a Hellcat so it is more visible. In the end, it is almost impossible to see on a heavily-weathered land-based bird like this Corsair.
I threw in the kitchen sink in the weathering department, using oils in various viscosities, AK weathering pencils, Testors Metalizers and enamels for the metal and zinc chromate chipping, pastels and Tamiya Weathering masters. I didn't do a final clear coat on top of the oil dot filtering so as not to diminish the patina created. My only "fail" was to not create quite enough distinction between the two tones of blue on the tail section, but overall, I'm pleased with the result.
-
- 1. custom exhaust stubs
Awesome Greg. This is one that I have always wanted to model
Excellent build, Greg.
Great job! Your "stick" builds alway amaze me.
Nice work! I very much like the pilot looking off to the side.
Love your Corsair, Greg! Excellent job allover, including the blue tones on the tail.
A great tribute to Jim!
Well done!
Outstanding job Greg. I really love a heavily weathered Corsair, and one built from two birds is even better. You truly made a simple kit top-notch with you simple, but effective additions and you wonderful skills. Great job!
Absolutely great. A job well done.
Truely amazing, Greg @gkittinger
Love the chosen scheme and the way you applied it, weathering and chipping is very nice.
Hard to believe this is done in 1/72 scale.
Really cool, Greg (@gkittinger). I love really unusual paint schemes, and this sure fits the bill. Well done.
Excellent result, Greg!
Greg Kittinger (@gkittinger)
The word magnificent immediately comes to mind... Well done buddy ! I could tell right away this one was one of your builds... The plane on a stick thing is your patented trademark.
I have a set of decals to make this same plane in 1/48 scale. Hmmm. 😉
The weathering is absolutely amazing, Greg!
Well done, Greg! Jim would be smiling at this one.
A cracking Corsair, Greg, especially in 1/72 scale.
G’day Greg (@gkittinger),
This is a great build of a one-of-a-kind aircraft.
A fantastic job at 1/72.
Liked!
Lovely work on this, Greg. It’s a pleasure to see.
Great to see you post again! This is phenomenal work- the fact that you can achieve results like this in 1/72 are stunning. Great work!
Great looking Corsair Greg! Really like the weathering you applied.