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Magic Factory 1/48 F4U-1 Corsair

Started by Tom Cleaver · 36 ≡ · ↻ 4 months ago

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Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Think of it as the 1/32 Tamiya Corsairs, downsized to 1/48. The 1/48 Tamiya Corsairs, now 28 years old, seem clunky in comparison - the difference between what a mold could do then and now.
Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

For those interested, here is a very positive review of the kit in The Modelling News. Gary Wickham builds the model without paint or glue, showing you just how good everything is. I agree with his one ding - the rivets - but found with my model that, once painted, the issue of the rivets is a big non-issue. He also points out as I have that the kit has the same basic kit design as the 1/32 Tamiya Corsair, which is good news.

https://www.themodellingnews.com/2023/10/review-48th-scale-vought-corsair-f4u.html
John vd Biggelaar said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Very nice result on the painting, Tom @tcinla
The panel shading looks very nice.
Brian Mennenoh said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

@tcinla - Nice work Tom. It's hard to believe that this kit is so bad that no one should ever buy it... looks like it's a really nice kit and builds up really nicely. Thanks for correcting the 'mistaken' review!
Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

@brithebuilder - Any crows flying near "the other place" should give it a wide berth, since they're on the menu there now. 🙂
Louis Gardner said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Tom Cleaver (@tcinla)
I just finished reading the Gary Wickham Corsair review using the link you provided. It does indeed look to be a very nice kit. I'm very impressed with the fit, and especially how they have removed the upper and lower fuselage seams with the cleverly placed inserts.
The only things that I personally find out of place are the placement of the rivet lines on the wings. This shouldn't be too bad of a fix, or something that you can simply paint a few times and eliminate altogether. Ignoring the issue would also work.

The step cut out on the Starboard side inboard flap is a big "No No' unless you are building a later -1D or restored war bird. This too should be an easy fix with some plastic like I have done on the Tamiya kits for years. Do all of the kits have one set of standard flaps and one with the opening ? I know my early release Eduard FM-2 was missing the open / "spoked" center hubs, which was corrected with the later releases. Now I'm really curious.

It would really be great if they included both styles of raised and lowered flaps, allowing you to build both planes with choices. I understand the idea and the engineering behind this decision though.

Another plus would be to include the very early style engine cowling flaps that went full circumference around the cowling... I can see replacing the main wheels would be worthwhile too.

Yeah... I'm getting a pair of these... Thanks again for the review and the build journal.

Take care buddy.
Eric Berg said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

hey there Tom @tcinla: Sure is a lot of Hoo-Hah over this Magic Factory Corsair. I had already read Gary’s excellent MN tape n’ build review prior to your posting. Seems to me he nailed it. That kit PE seatbelt fret with the backing and no nibs to snip looks like the PE we’ve been waiting for all this time, if I it works as advertised.
Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

@lgardner - I agreed with Gary about the rivets, then I painted the model. The rivets aren't an issue, past about 6 inches away from the model in good light.
George R Blair Jr said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

The models look really good in the review, Tom (@tcinla). Thanks for providing it. I remember back when PE was fairly new that it often came on a piece of black film. The problem I remember was that the PE would be securely attached to the film, so bending the PE during the removal process was an issue. Perhaps that isn't an issue now.
Stephen W Towle said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

The 64.00 question is this a lateral shift from the Tamiya Corsairs (both in 1/48 and 1/32nd scale) in providing a better representation of the Corsair or is it a step up towards a Eduard or Arma kit?
From the positive comments this looks like a winner that uses designs notes taken from Tamiya.
Pedro L. Rocha said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

@tcinla

Hey Tom, your 5 day build got slipped underlying radar until today.

I did read the straightforward, no glue, dry assembling article back at MN when it got published and I must say your work here just complements that review with all that’s missing.

The kit may have a few hiccups on the surface texture but definitely looks very good value for money. After all there is not perfect kit, but some are almost there (those last Tamiya jets, a few of Eduard’s kits, Arma Hobby Hurricane and now this one).

Your F4U looks terrific from here 😉

Hope this new Chinese maker continues the sprawl of Corsairs line, and as a personal choice in a one per box kit preferably
Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 2 weeks ago:

Here's the F4U-1 completed as "Spirit of '76".
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Tom Cleaver said 6 months, 2 weeks ago:

And here is the F4U-1A assembled and ready for the paint shop.

With the experience of doing the other one, this was easy, the engire process completed in around 3 hours tot.

One thing I discovered was that I had incorrectly set the parts ofthe cockpit in the F4U-1, not having as much down angle on the left side console as I should have, which was shy the instrument panel was a little off-center. Got it right here and there was absolutely no problem in assembly. It literally "clicked together."

As you can see in the photo of the wing assembly, I just cut off the "raised wing" spars. There was plenty of spar for the wings-spread version.

For all those sad sacks at the other place who think you can "only" do one kit with wings spread, I think these two models answer the question.

Full review at Modeling Madness on Thusday.
5 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Robert Paschall said 6 months, 2 weeks ago:

Hey Tom @tcinla Did completely cut off the raised spar? Or splice it in to "Straighten" the spar? I would think it wouldn't be tough create a new spar.
Spiros Pendedekas said 6 months, 2 weeks ago:

Awesome result, my friend @tcinla!

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Work in Progress – Aircraft

Magic Factory 1/48 F4U-1 Corsair