Official FlightLine F4U-1A Corsair 1600mm (63") Wingspan

[davegee]

Davegee,

2019 my wife and I took our trip to Florida and visited the Naval Museum. Saw your Corsair and it is amazing. Then we visited the Valiant Museum and I spent close to an hour and half just looking, taking pictures and taking notes on all the details you added to your P-47 that they have under glass. Amazing! I have an old Scale R/C magazine of you and Bob Frey flying it in competition. Came home and added (Stole) many of your details on my Yellow P-47. Your work gave me the encouragement to try more details on mine. For that I Thank You, Rex

Hi Rex: I am quite honored and appreciate your kind words. I've been building models since I was about maybe 5 years old. I think it was a small plastic model jet that my mom helped me build. From then on, it was off to the races!

I have always loved to do some of my own engineering work, making scratchbuilt spacecraft, rockets, and airplanes, and that has been quite rewarding. I am still doing work for the NASM in Washington, DC where I built 5 different space models for them. I've been working with them since 1994, and other museums like the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL donating the model I made of Lt. Robert M. Hanson's Corsair that we installed in the Emil Buehler memorial library. A really fantastic museum.

I'm glad you found some details from my planes things that you wanted to add to your planes with, too. Bob Frey and I had a lot of fun working the national rc warbird contest circuit for a few years. That Yellow P-47M that you mentioned, a wildly painted plane in various blue colors was flown by the 56th Fighter Group in England in the last months of WWII in Europe. It has been on display at the Valiant Air Command Museum in Titusville FL since about 2010 or so, when I retired it. I was just there a few months ago to try and see the Artemis 1 launch (it scrubbed at the last minute but I did get to see it on November 16). It was still in great shape, just as I had left it almost 13 years ago.

Keep on working on your models. I'm happy if you used some of my little details to improve how yours look.

Best,

Davegee

[jetfool]

Thanks Davegee,

Your work is impeccable and to have your model replica’s preserved in our nation’s museums is a great achievement.
The Corsair is my favorite airplane and first plastic kit my dad gave me. My dad was recuperating in the Philippines from the Okinawa battle and took photos of F4U-4 Corsairs on Samar Island wile he recovered. I will look in our scrapbook and post some of them. They have never been seen outside our family. Probably have 50-100 photos of Corsair and B-24 that were based there. Might have been Joe Foss’s group.
Hope you don’t mind if I ask you questions on finishing my Birdcage model as I start my build.
I have a build thread on my Yellow P-47 on RCSB under my Jetfool call-sign and used many of your details. Scratch built a cockpit, ect. Still adding details to it between flying seasons
Best Regards, Rex

[davegee]

Thanks Davegee,

Your work is impeccable and to have your model replica’s preserved in our nation’s museums is a great achievement.
The Corsair is my favorite airplane and first plastic kit my dad gave me. My dad was recuperating in the Philippines from the Okinawa battle and took photos of F4U-4 Corsairs on Samar Island wile he recovered. I will look in our scrapbook and post some of them. They have never been seen outside our family. Probably have 50-100 photos of Corsair and B-24 that were based there. Might have been Joe Foss’s group.
Hope you don’t mind if I ask you questions on finishing my Birdcage model as I start my build.
I have a build thread on my Yellow P-47 on RCSB under my Jetfool call-sign and used many of your details. Scratch built a cockpit, ect. Still adding details to it between flying seasons
Best Regards, Rex

Very cool, Rex. I think many of us would love to see any period photos from WWII where your dad served back then.

I would be very happy to try and answer any questions you might have on any modeling subject. I actually did two Corsairs for different museums, used the basic fiberglass body of a 93 inch wingspan F4U-1A Corsair and modeled one of those flown by the top Corsair ace, Lt. Bob Hanson USMCR, MOH (posthumously) that you saw in Florida. A second one, same type kit, that was flown by his CO Major Bob Owens, Jr. was at a museum in Colorado, but I understand that the museum and all contents are now in a new museum In Idaho. Since they were not destined to fly, I didn't have to worry about all the working details like motor, gas, pneumatics, etc.

After seeing the new movie Devotion, I'm looking into helping a buddy of mine in Colorado make a flyable version of a F4U-4 like what the principal characters flew off of the USS Leyte doing the Korean War. My friend is an avid building from sticks modeler mainly of WWI planes that are really museum quality flyable planes, but he is now 85 years old and doesn't want to work that hard on this project. I'm thinking we might use the V3 FMS F4U-4 as a start, and then customize it to the one flown by Lt. (jg) Thomas (Lou) Hudner in Korea. My friend actually got to meet Hudner at an airshow in 2010 in the Denver area. before he passed away. I'll attach a pic of my friend and Hudner. He was wearing his MOH award around his neck and signing prints of his famous crashlanding in Korea on a mountain trying to save his wingman.

Cheers

Davegee

[Elbee]

Hey Bent-Wing Brethren, I am painting the 3DP Navy pilot and I'm trying the black primer, white highlight and add color washes method. First attempts have been hit and miss. I am trying to be patient with this process, but it is difficult when I do not have any reference to timeline. See pics below.

I have been chatting with jetfool and had sent him a couple pics, but I am having a hard time seeing much difference in the washes vs just painting a solid color and weathering it up after.
In any event, I will press on to the flesh tones of the arms and face. Can't say that will be finished before Christmas.

I pulled the wings out of the box and I am still amazed at how beautifully detailed this warbird is, so kudos again to Flightline. Best, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,
Pilot is looking great. Your skills are fantastic. Keep posting pictures of finishing the pilot as I am gaining a lot of knowledge in yours and others in detailing. Can you say again where you got your pilot?
Grandson is starting to print the wheel hubs, strut mod and the cowl ring at school. The cockpit he printed is amazing!
Davegee I will post a few pictures of the F4U-4 that were on Samar Island during war - 1945 in the next few days.

Christmas is coming and that box under the tree is calling my name..... counting down the days Rex

[Elbee]

https://www.cgtrader.com/3d-print-models/miniatures/figurines/us-navy-pilot

Yo Rex, thanks for the support. The pilot figure is a 3DP Design by Max Grueter. I purchased several of his designs and all those both scale and print well. I have included a link to cgtrader.

Best to you and grandson, Steve

[davegee]

Hey Bent-Wing Brethren, I am painting the 3DP Navy pilot and I'm trying the black primer, white highlight and add color washes method. First attempts have been hit and miss. I am trying to be patient with this process, but it is difficult when I do not have any reference to timeline. See pics below.

I have been chatting with jetfool and had sent him a couple pics, but I am having a hard time seeing much difference in the washes vs just painting a solid color and weathering it up after.
In any event, I will press on to the flesh tones of the arms and face. Can't say that will be finished before Christmas.

I pulled the wings out of the box and I am still amazed at how beautifully detailed this warbird is, so kudos again to Flightline. Best, LB

Hi LB: that 3D pilot will be a good compliment to your Corsair build. I know it's difficult coming with proper and best shades, highlights, etc., for the uniform and pilot, but you'll come up with something nice with your artistic skills, I'm sure! Keep up the great work, and have a wonderful Christmas up there in Kansas!

Best,

Davegee

[davegee]

Elbee,
Pilot is looking great. Your skills are fantastic. Keep posting pictures of finishing the pilot as I am gaining a lot of knowledge in yours and others in detailing. Can you say again where you got your pilot?
Grandson is starting to print the wheel hubs, strut mod and the cowl ring at school. The cockpit he printed is amazing!
Davegee I will post a few pictures of the F4U-4 that were on Samar Island during war - 1945 in the next few days.

Christmas is coming and that box under the tree is calling my name..... counting down the days Rex

Thanks, Rex. Will enjoy seeing some pics of the F4U-4s when you get around to it. It seems that after WWII, the -4s survived to be the definitive combat version that survived through Korea with their uprated engines, and ability to drop a large bomb or rocket load as a ground attack aircraft.

Cheers

davegee

[Elbee]

davegee thanks, Dave, means a lot. Best, Steve

[jetfool]

Guys,

Today I started work on my cockpit. I have modified the seat to look more like the documentation that I have. will prime then start the paint process.

Elbee, I think found a picture of the plane you are modeling

[Elbee]

Guys,

Today I started work on my cockpit. I have modified the seat to look more like the documentation that I have. will prime then start the paint process. Elbee, I think found a picture of the plane you are modeling

Rex, you do very nice work, Sir.

Yes, that is VMF-114 Death Dealers CorsaIr 007, Peleliu Palau-1943.
I really liked the story, the livery, and the fact that it is not one you see much.
It has been a journey, but well worth the effort.

Best, LB

[jetfool]

Thank you Elbee for the kind words.

After a quick supper I returned to the secret dudgeon to continue to work on the cockpit for my corsair. After cleaning all the 3-d parts I airbrushed the primary colors, will let these dry overnight to have a dried base to hand brush the details tomorrow, then some weathering. Will have to get my magnifying glasses to see these. Getting old LOL. Enclosed a few pictures. Only 10 more days till I can open up the Corsair. Rex

[Elbee]

Corsair Crew, just a pilot painting update, so maybe not really new news. Slow going using this method, results are okay I think. In the past I have weathered after painting without all the shading and washes. Kind-o-fun, but slow and with acrylic paints, which seem not all that forgiving. I will work on his goggles and more weathering tomorrow. Like the posed bank turn look. Best, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,

Pilot is looking great. I like the look of the pilot when he is looking around for the enemy.
Did you fill in around the tail feathers to hide the mounting screws and attachment. What materials did you use, spackling?
While painting my inst. panel today I realized it has the wrong gunsight, so grandson is printing the correct inst. panel with the early gunsight. Not his fault but mine. Rex

[Elbee]

Elbee,

Pilot is looking great. I like the look of the pilot when he is looking around for the enemy.
Did you fill in around the tail feathers to hide the mounting screws and attachment. What materials did you use, spackling?
While painting my inst. panel today I realized it has the wrong gunsight, so grandson is printing the correct inst. panel with the early gunsight. Not his fault but mine. Rex

Thanks Rex, Yes, I filled in around all the gaps before priming and painting. Where that isn't always possible, I fill in afterward and touch up with primer and paint. Screw heads, screw holes, etc, I use Sherwin-Williams light weight filler or lacquer putty depending on the size or the gap. Hope that helps, Best, Steve

[Aros]

Elbee goodness, such a treat to behold such work. Cheers my dear friend.

[jetfool]

Got a little more done on the cockpit parts today. Tried weathering the seat, backrest and instrument panel. Wanted a subtle appearance and think it came out fairly well.

Davegee, While going thru old photos I found only 2 of the Corsair that were not faded out to post.

[jetfool]

The Checker board tail is a Corsair that my Dad took at Oskosh in the early 70s. Thats also my Dad in WW-2

While going thru our pictures I found a card my Dad said they gave out to them on liberty on Samar Island, 1945. Looks like our government thought of everything to keep the men happy. Hope this picture doesn't offend anyone. It was a different time back then. Merry Christmas, Rex

[Elbee]

jetfool Lookin' good there, Rex. Remember, you'll need to do some fit surgery. Like your weathering effects. Best, LB

[jetfool]

Elbee,

Thank you for the comments. I have been studying all the pictures on here on how the cockpit/foam surgery will need to take place and have a good idea on how to do it
Do you spray a clear coat over your filling of seams/screw holes to get a hard surface after priming but before paint touch up? Best Regards. Rex