**** DONE: 1/48 Corsair II - Pacific Theatre of Operations II

[N4521U]

Seems to me you would want dry heat introduced into the avionics area.

 

[Catch22]

I'll take a look in some of my Corsair books and see if I can find anything.

 

[Catch22]

Ok, so here's what I've found. I've only heard mention of them being for radio cooling.

Fleet Air Arm Corsair IV - WWII - Britmodeller.com

This post mentions a third scoop on the bottom, which I cannot find a photo of. Does anyone have access to "Fleet Air Arm in Focus" Part 1? There's apparently a photo of it in there on a Corsair with the code T8G. It mainly deals with the Corsair IV, but he also makes sure to point out things on Corsair IIs.

Nevermind, I found it. You can see it below the 8. I have seen it now in a few photos, including both IIs and IVs. I'm unsure of the overall shape still, but it appears to have the opening to the back, as opposed to the front on the side scoops.

 

[mikewint]

With the scoop pointed rearward it would act like a venturi, in effect a vacuum. So side scoop air in - bottom scoop air out.

 

[Crimea_River]

Good info guys, thanks. Should be relatively simple mods but a better picture of the underside vent would help. A net search came up dry.

 

[Catch22]

Found a grand total of one photo of it after many different search combinations, posted it earlier this evening in my thread. I think the aircraft in the photo is actually a blue Corsair II (of which there were some) due to the lack of hole in the flap used as a step.

MDC actually has a resin conversion set with all 3 vents, as well as a shorter diameter (by a whole 3") and slightly wider prop which were fitted to -1Ds (so mine) apparently, a drop tank (which comes with the Tamiya kit, and is completely fine), a seat with the British harness (which I already had...) and sidewalls with British radio equipment. I ordered one mainly due to the combo of the prop and the scoops. I'm not good at scrathbuilding, and though I have to learn at some point, I'd also rather not screw around since the side scoops will have to go on a decals. You're welcome to the seat from that set Andy, barring any disasters when I fit the one I already have. I'm also not sure if I'm going to bother with the sidewalls either, since I bought PE for it and I don't think they're very different.

 

[Lucky13]

Is that a '13'? 8)
Good stuff gentlemen...

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Cory. I've been criss-crossing with your IV build and saw that pic. So about the seat, what's the difference between the British seat and the American? just the belts? If so, I have British PE belts I can apply to the Tamiya seat.

Do you have any details on that I would need to do to the Tamiya sidewalls to reflect the British radio sets?

Re the side scoops, I'll scratch these and apply them after the decals are on.

 

[Catch22]

Just the belts. They use a Q type harness. Honestly I just wanted to add some goodies to mine so I thought a seat might do.

I was up until 2:00 trying to figure out the sidewall differences myself Andy, but didn't come up with anything conclusive. I'll take a look with fresher eyes today. The issue we have is there seems to be literally one FAA Corsair that a person can go by for reference, that being the one in the FAA Museum.

 

[Airframes]

At a guess, as I know very little about any Naval aircraft, the British radio equipment in the cockpit would probably just be the IFF Contactor, antenna tuner, and the Channel Selector box, the one with the row of buttons, as in Spit, Hurricane, Tyhpoon etc., with the radio T/R in the fuselage behind the cockpit, as per US fit.

 

[Catch22]

Here Terry, these are from the FAA Museum's aircraft. From the looks of it (to me) there really isn't much to worry about. That silver handle is definitely different and according to the forum thread I linked is a gunsight adjuster.

Warbird Information Exchange ? View topic - F4U-1A Corsair Cockpit Pictures/Drawings

This might also be of interest to you since it shows the camo lines up close.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Great pics and info!

 

[Airframes]

Good pics Cory. If you mean the silver handle with the disc, that's the throttle lever, incorporating the gun sight range adjuster, on the twist grip. This suggests that this particular aircraft was fitted with the MkII GSGS gyro sight at some time (the one from which the American K-14 was copied, under licence).
On the starboard wall, immediately aft of the instrument panel (Pic 3), is the British radio channel selector (five red buttons, Studs A to E), and behind that, what looks like the IFF destruct, possibly with a Morse key at the front, but not sure on that.
Hope this helps.

 

[Catch22]

Thanks VB.

Also, some painting info for you Andy. It looks like your interior parts will be painted as follows:

Gear wells: Interior Green
Cowling: Interior Green, with possibly an off-white colour immediately inside the cowling and on the inside of the cowling flaps. Could also just be green.
Gear Legs/Wheels: Silver
Wing Folds (if you fold them): Interior Green or possibly gray.

As for the exterior, I've heard conflicting reports on whether you'd use the Dark Sea Gray/Dark Slate Gray/Sky or the US mixed equivalents. I've always used the original British colours myself, though it appears the more I research it the more people are saying that they used the equivalents. Here's a good post.

FAA Corsair II Help - WWII - Britmodeller.com

Here are a couple of colour photos of Corsairs. The first is of Is, the birdcage. I've seen the second one in a larger form but can't find it again. Note that this is before the wing has been modified.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Corsair_Mk1_Quonset_Point_1943.jpg

Yours was apparently the 18th last Vought built -1A that the FAA received, so would have the whip antennas etc.

Thanks Terry, that's very useful since as I've mentioned, I'm not very good with the technical stuff.

 

[fubar57]

Very nice info and stored for the future.

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

Hey Cory, thanks a bunch. I too have been tolling around and have read a lot of the links you provided. Didn't get to the cockpit yet so those pics you provided are a great help. Terry, thanks also for the explanations.

With the help you guys are providing, I can't go wrong. Thanks again. I'll make a start soon, right after I finish my Hellcat.

 

[Catch22]

Not a problem!

 

[fubar57]

Getting the decals ready to ship and I just want to make sure about the 18" Letters and Numbers. I'm pretty sure you want the slightly rounded 3,6,P and not the 45° ones.

Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Some good detail and info going on here folks, does you all credit.

 

[Lucky13]