Photos by the author
F4U-1, 25 Squadron RNZAF- Royal New Zealand Air Force Island Fate Negros April of 1945
This makes into a nice model but without instructions-only a parts locator drawing- and no front view, several attempts were required to get assemblies correct. I finished the Corsair knowing that some steps are not exactly what Marek had wished but they worked for me. I will make a notation where it is �my assembly� and obviously not what the designer wanted. I also installed a tiny brass tube in the engine for mounting the propeller. This allows for ease of removal along with the engine cowling so that Marek�s engine design may be seen. Also, the model looks alive with a spinning propeller.
The two parts pages were printed on 67 lb cardstock and the bulkhead page was printed on 20 lb paper. The parts locator drawing is missing a (6A) identifier for the vertical red line on the tail. The engine exhaust blue circle callouts (1b) and (1c) are reversed. The propeller hub identifiers should have (36) pointing to the front of the hub. Bulkhead (A) should be shown attached to the front of Fuselage (1).
Hole punches were used to expedite the removal of the bulkhead center circles.
Parts were scored, cut out and the edges were inked with a black Sharpie pen.
PROPELLER BLADES:
I used the longer length of wire indicated in green ink (parts locator drawing)for the three prop blades (39) to help them survive forced spinning (being whacked with a finger). Glue the wires onto the inside of the blade backs. Glue the blade fronts over the wired backs. Roll and glue the propeller blade attaching strips. A black Sharpie permanent pen was used on the blade edges.
PROPELLER HUB:
Parts 35, 35a, 36, 37, 38, and 38A make up the hub. Remember all parts with red numbers are to be mounted on cardboard for additional strength. Add glue to the inside of (35) with its sides folded up. See the propeller blade photograph. I used a dental tool to apply small amounts of glue. Glue disc
(35a) to the base of (35). Glue (37) to (35a). (36) is glued to the front of (35). The locator drawing shows it attached to the back. Drill locator holes on three sides of the hub for the propeller blade mounting wires and glue the blades into place.
Drill the center of the hub for wire to engine attachment.
Roll Spinner (38) around a dowel then glue its white tab to the inside. Dampen the inside of the scalloped edge with glue and form the front of the spinner. Glue disc (38A)to the base of (38). Once the spinner is glued to the hub assembly and dry, a light sanding will help shape it.
Touch up with acrylic paint.
Insert and glue wire to the rear of hub.
ENGINE CYLINDERS Part Number 14:
The cylinders are on the bulkhead page printed on 20 pound paper. All parts identified in red on this page are to be glued to a cardboard backing so I removed the cylinder section and spray glued the rest of the page onto cardboard. There are 16 cylinders. The F4U-1D was powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W Double Wasp 18 cylinder air-cooled 2,000 hp radial engine. Engine housing (10) has locators for 18 so I printed another copy of the cylinders. This gave a few extra for practice and more identical looking finished cylinders to choose from.
I made a test run on 67lb cardstock but was happier with the 20 lb paper cylinders.
Starting with the wider side tightly wrap each cylinder add glue and then roll them on a flat surface.
ENGINE HOUSING 67 lb cardstock:
Note: I found that it was easier to drill out the mounting holes when (10) is flat. Attempting to drill all those locations after the engine housing was assembled - my first try- was unacceptable causing the part to collapse in places. Printed next to the Engine Housing (10) is a small white strip with cylinder locations; use this and glue the ends of (10) together. Glue discs (10a) and (10b) onto the ends of (10.)
Glue the cylinders into the Engine Housing mounting holes keeping the cylinder seams to the rear out of sight.
Cut out Forward Engine Cone (11), sand round if necessary, ink the edges and curl the part around a pencil point to get its cone shape. Glue (11a) to the front of cone. Notice (11a) is identified in red so it needs cardboard backing. Join (11) together using the white strip. Attach the cone to disc (11A). Glue the Forward Engine Cone to the engine housing (10.)
Roll and glue the two Engine components (12) onto the white circle locators on the Forward Engine Cone(11). You may want to use paper instead of card stock for these.
FUSELAGE:
I added a thin strip of paper to one bottom edge of each fuselage part numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5. This helped in obtaining a good seal after rolling each part and adding glue.
For handling purposes I waited until the bulk of the fuselage was put together before adding the narrow forward Part number 1.
Glue bulkhead (B) to the forward section of Fuselage(2).
Glue bulkhead (C) to the rear opening of Part number (2).
After test fitting bulkhead (C) and Fuselage (3) to (2) glue (C) to (3).
Glue (D) to the rear opening of (3).
Glue(2) and (3) together.
Glue bulkhead (E) to Fuselage (4) front.
Glue bulkhead (F) to (4) rear.
Glue (3) and (4) together.
After test fitting bulkhead (F) and Fuselage (5) to (4) glue (F) to (5).
Finish gluing (5) and then glue (5) to (4).
CANOPY:
Cut out the canopy (8) and Windshield (9).
Roll and form to your satisfaction then add glue to the inside of (8). Glue (9) to (8).
Glue Canopy assembly onto the fuselage and let dry-overnight.
Using a fingernail sanding stick carefully smooth the canopy glue joints.
I used acrylic paint thinned with a flow enhancer to touch up the sanded smooth areas.
As this Corsair�s assembly progressed thin coats (a few drops) of clear gloss were added to the canopy between ample drying time.
FUSELAGE FRONT:
Bulkhead (A) is glued to forward Fuselage Cone (1). The remaining bulkhead (B) is glued to the rear of (1).
Glue (1) to Fuselage (2).
Glue Firewall (13) to bulkhead (15A).
Glue Engine Assembly to Firewall assembly (15A).
Glue Engine and Firewall assembly to bulkhead (A).
ENGINE COWLING:
Glue thin cowling strips (16) (17) and (18) together. I added a tiny strip
of paper at the ends to help glue the curled parts. Glue was applied to the inside to form these three parts into an assembly.
Glue green inside cowling (15a) to Cowling (15). The sharks teeth overhang provides a mounting surface for the front cowling assembly. Cut the cowling door lines (15) so that they may be pulled into an open position later. Roll this assembly around a dowel for shaping, check for proper fit over the engine, remove, then glue the ends together.
Dampen the green sharks teeth with glue and attach the front cowling assembly working it into position. Once this assembly is dry, touch up with acrylic paint.
A little sanding and application of acrylic paint makes a noticeable difference where the fuselage sections are joined.
Ink from a brown felt pen was used to color the back of the printed strip of six exhaust pipes (1b) prior to cutting them out. Their edges were also touched up with brown ink after removal. Curl each around a wire then glue. Position and glue three pipes on (1a) left and right. Position white cover (1c) left and right over the exhaust pipes and glue in place.
Glue each exhaust assembly onto the lined shape outlining (1a) located both sides on the lower forward section of the fuselage.
WINGS:
This is my method of assembly. I created a sleeve with the wing skins. After the top sections were fitted tightly together I tried stuffing the rib/spar structure into it but the thin cardboard folded and bent in different directions. I discovered that cutting the rib assembly (20A) (20B) and (20C) from sturdy art board worked nicely.
Darken the top surface edges of the green identified wing attach strips (21a) (22a) Left and Right with black ink. Glue the upper surface of Wing (23) to (22a). Glue (22) to (22a) making certain it is a tight fit (no gaps). Glue 21 on top of (21a). Cut out the leading edge lined opening for housing (21a). Glue (21a) to (22) and (20) to (21a) in the same manner. Repeat for other wing.
Glue the trailing edge and wing tip (23). Stuff the thick art board rib structure assembly into the sleeve and glue rib (20C) in place.
There are short red lines indicating that the Wing leading edge gray housings (20a) (21a) should be folded - see top view next to red (20a) identifier. This gave me problems. I installed them flat. Cut out the lined section for openings in (20b) and (21b). Glue (20b) to leading edge of (20 ) Left and 21b to leading edge of (20) Right. Glue the housings (20a) and (21a) on the inside surface of the wing. Complete wrapping and gluing the bottom sections of each wing to the rib/spar assembly. Slit the spar slots on each side of Fuselage (2). Glue both wings to the fuselage following the lined rib guide on each side. Glue the wing root fairing (25) to the fuselage and wing. Glue leading edge strip (24) starting on underside where its location is clearly marked on (22) (23) and wrap around to the top of the wing. Repeat for other wing.
HORIZONTAL STABILIZER:
Slit the horizontal stabilizer spar slots Fuselage (5). Insert spar (7A).
Check for alignment with wings. Glue the spar in place. Wrap Tail (7) around the spar and glue to the spar and fuselage. Repeat for other side. Glue fairing (7a) to each side.
LANDING GEAR:
One parts locator drawing with some errors. Roll and glue Landing Gear (30). Insert Landing Gear Wire before the glue sets up. (Wire pattern is on the parts locator drawing upper right corner printed in green.) Repeat for other side.
Out of curiosity I made two sets one out of cardstock and one out of paper. The cardstock appears much stronger; Just what is needed for slamming onto carrier decks.
Drill out the locator hole on underside wing (21). Install each gear (30).
Measure wing tip clearance from surface, adjust level and glue gear (30) each side.
Score, fold into squares and glue gear struts (32). Carefully cut with a new blade the tiny strut assemblies from the small squares. Studying the parts locator drawing It was difficult to see how these attached to the landing gear. Looking through available book references wasn�t much help either. I pulled a plastic kit from my collection and discovered how valuable it is as a reference. Thank you Hasegawa for your 1/48 scale F4U-4 Vought Corsair.
Sandwich with glue two discs (33A) between (33) and (33a).
Allow to dry thoroughly.
A quick way to round out and smooth the tires. After grinding, coat the exposed white with a black Sharpie pen or acrylic paint. Slide the wheels onto the landing gear (30) wire and check the wing tips for level from the surface. Adjust if necessary and Glue the wheels onto the wire. Score, fold and glue Gear Scissors (31). Carefully cut the tiny Scissors from the small squares. Glue (31) onto (30) just above as indicated on the parts locator drawing. Glue (32 a &b;) to each side of (30). Score, fold, and glue the landing gear doors (34 a, b, &c;). Cut out the three doors. Slit the forward end of the printed black gear well underside Wing (21). Glue the top of (34c) into this slot and glue to gear (30). Glue (34b) to black printed wheel well -fuselage side. Glue (34a) to black printed wheel well - Wing tip side. Repeat for other side. Refer to the Engine Exhaust photograph where the gear and doors are also visible.
TAIL WHEEL ASSEMBLY:
The tail wheel and hook assembly (27) is made up of 10 parts glued together. Glue the wheel discs (b) to the tail wheel assembly(a). Glue (c) to both (a) and the outside of (b). The tear drop shaped (e) attaches to the white shapes on(a). The upper part of (a) folds down for gluing to Fuselage (5). This assembly proved to be weak on my model. I was able to strengthen
the wheel assembly by slanting down a length of wire from the top of fuselage (5) inside the vertical fin locator down along side of (27). Added glue at the top of the fuselage and along the wire at (27). A dab of dark acrylic paint hides the wire at (27). Glue Tail Hook (d) from (27) to the rear of the fuselage as shown on the parts locator drawing.
Score, fold, and glue the tail wheel gear doors (28). Cut out the gear door (image side) and glue in place on the bottom of Fuselage (5).
GUNS:
Cut out, roll each around a wire, and glue six guns (29). Remove the guns from the wire. Drill out the six locator holes on the leading edge of the wings. Glue the guns(29) into the holes.
ANTENNA POSTS:
Fold and glue 2 antennas (2a) (4a)to lengths of wire. Insert the wire at the proper places and push down through the fuselage. Cut excess length off at fuselage bottom and glue antennas and support wire above and below.
VERTICAL STABILIZER- TAIL:
Score, cut out, drill a tiny hole near the top of the leading edge, and fold Stabilizer and Rudder (6). Insert two lengths of antenna wire (2 lb test monofilament fishing line) through the hole, tie knots, add a dab of glue on the knots, glue the rudder trailing edge and top. Cut open the white locator for the vertical stabilizer Support (6A) on top of Fuselage (5). Test fit (6A)
with (6) installed for alignment and fit. Glue (6) and (6A) and then glue the assembly to the fuselage again checking alignment. Glue Fairing (6a) wrapping around the vertical stabilizer front at the fuselage.
Pull the monofilament line forward to the antenna posts (2a) and (4a).
Tie the lines to the top of the posts, run the lines down the posts and into the fuselage. Add a touch of glue at the Vertical stabilizer where the line attaches, at each post top, and where it enters the fuselage at the base of the posts. Dab a dark acrylic color onto the glue at the tail and post tops to simulate connectors.
PITOT TUBE:
Cardstock made an unrealistic tube so I printed it on paper. Cut out, roll Pitot Tube (26) around a wire and glue. Drill a hole located in the left wing leading edge as shown on the top view of the colored Corsair drawing at the upper half of the cover page. Glue (26) into the leading edge.
This completes the model.
This model is available from Models by Marek (DeWayne Barnett) at http://www.teuton.org/~dbarnett
Summary:
| Model: | Vought F4U-1D Corsair |
| Publisher: | DeWayne Barnett |
| Designer: | Marek Pacynski |
| Scale: | 1/50 |
| Difficulty: | Without instructions this model is difficult to assemble. |
| Number of Parts: | Three pages total approximately 150 |
| Instructions: | None |
| Diagrams: | One parts locator drawing with some errors. |
| Fit: | Good |
| Coloring and Artwork: | Good |
| Printing: | Depends on your printer |
