DONE: Kenneth Walsh, F4U-4 BuNo: 80879, White 13, Okinawa 1945 GB...

[Lucky13]

Well, thought that I'd jump the bandwagon with another Walsh Corsair. This time though, a late war F4U-4 which he flew from Okinawa in '45. He scored his last kill of the war in this machine, on the 22nd of June, a Kamikaze Zero...8)

Any good interior pics floating around of the late war or any F4U-4? Is the interior green etc.?

Wonder if this will be finished in time...??

 

[Catch22]

Looking forward to this one!

The interior is indeed green. You'll also have to convert it to a -4 without the cannons, as well as it should not have the flat windscreen like what's in the kit, it should have a canopy and windscreen identical to the -1D.

 

[Lucky13]

The guns are molded closed for you to choose either cannons or .50's. Wrong windscreen.....riiiiight...b*ll*cks! Will have to source one from Squadron or something then. Oh well!

Cheers Cory, appreciated!

 

[Catch22]

No problem Jan, you'll need a canopy too, as it was a slightly different shape to conform to the canopy.

 

[Lucky13]

Roger that mate!

 

[lesofprimus]

The last major wartime production variant of the Corsair was the "F4U-4", which featured a P&W R-2800-18W Double Wasp with 1,567 kW (2,100 HP) takeoff power and water-methanol injection. The only visible differences from the F4U-1D were an inlet fitted in the lower lip of the cowling, giving the aircraft's nose a slightly different profile, and a four-bladed propeller was fitted. All following Corsair variants would retain the four-bladed propeller. The F4U-4's engine and propeller gave it a top speed of 718 KPH (446 MPH), about 48 KPH (30 MPH) faster than the F4U-1D. Armament was the same as for the F4U-1D, with six Brownings, stub pylons for eight HVARs, and the ability to carry two 450 kilogram (1,000 pound) bombs and a centerline drop tank.

In October 1944 the new factory instructions for the F4U production called for application of Interior Green on all internal surfaces including the cockpit. As an anti-glare measure, all cockpit panels above the lower edge of the instrument panel were to be painted matt black. Curiously, the new directive did not explicitly state what was to happen with the cowling's inner surface. Thus, subsequent machines showed either Zinc Chromate or Interior Green cowlings, until the last standardisation of colour post-war whereupon black was introduced in this area.

During that period, the wheel wells were also painted Interior Green. Undercarriage legs were initially still finished in light grey, but as existing stocks of parts were used up at the factory, the overall Glossy Sea Blue finish was carried over to the undercarriage legs and wheel hubs.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Looking forward to this one!

 

[muller]

With Viking on this! That late war scheme is cool! 8)

 

[Catch22]

Not much better than a DSB Corsair, is there?

 

[Airframes]

Sounds good Jan. I think I might have some cockpit shots of a -4 somewhere. I'll have a look and post it, or e-mail or both.

 

[Catch22]

I've found some in the past as well, I'll see if I can dig them up tomorrow.

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers lads!

 

[Lucky13]

First is as you can see the -1 and the second the -4....

 

[Maglar]

Nice Lucky! Aww man, I wanted that kit but I thought the box art was showing a corsair flying over ice..... with your picture I obviously see thats an aircraft carrier and water..

 

[Lucky13]

Drilled out the guns and whatyacallit for the empty shells....

 

[109ROAMING]

looks interesting Jan

 

[Lucky13]

Cheers lads, appreciated!

 

[Airframes]

Empty shells? You been eating pistachio nuts or something?

 

[rochie]

found these here Jan, Early U.S. Fighters

 

[Lucky13]

Much obliged Karl....

Well Terry, old boy....I've eaten something!

What I've been up to today.

Say what you want about the kit, the fit between the fuselage and the wings is airtight! Managed to break on of the wee antennas when test fitting the wings, now I wonder if I'll get it off to glue it....

These wee annoying things I had to drill out and shape. You can either drill four for the cannons or all six for the .50's.