Photos by Mihir Jayaraman

Hello everyone!

This is an Italeri kit gifted to me by my friend.

Firstly, apologies for the photo size being so small. We just weren't able to set it to high resolution, before the darned batteries ran out!! (It is a pretty out-dated digital camera, with a high power consumption.)

Recognized easily by the inverted gull wing (to keep the landing gear lengths as short as possible), the F4U did sterling service in the Pacific theatre, against the Japanese. The F4U5 N was given an armament refit from the six 12.7mm (0.5in) calibre guns to four Hispano Suiza 20mm cannon as well as a radar for the Night Intruder role.  The F4U5 N has a large radar blister on the starboard wing.

As for the kit, the frames are moulded in dark navy blue, injection moulded with a two piece clear canopy.  Its mostly straight-out-of-the-box, except for the masking tape seat belts. 

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Its a fine kit with superb recessed panel lines. The fit is also pretty good. I had to use white glue only to seal the fuselage to wing joint, on the upper wing surface. Sanding is required on the underside, again on the wing fuselage joint. The wheel bay is too shallow, but I decided not to change it.

Cockpit details are good.

The teeny-weeny exhaust pipes are quite a challenge to put in, but there are at least four extra, so don't panic!

The engine is pretty well detailed, with the cooling fins on the pistons represented quite well. The magnetos are also moulded well. 

The paints I used are Nerolac Navy Blue and Gloss White domestic gloss paint, used to paint doors and window frames of houses. (no, not scale houses, I'm talking about the real stuff!!). it sprays really well, with the right thinner , of course.   Modelling enamels are very difficult to obtain in India.

I decided to cut out the flaps, however, and the elevators. The flaps add a lot of character to any F4U, and I'm sure you'll all agree! Do not forget to add that little spot of silver, on the elevator trim tab actuator. It makes a lot of difference. 

The decals are a darling set, settling very well on the gloss paint. It conforms to the panel lines well.

I also added aerials made out of stretched clear sprue.

Marine Forces decals are also provided. The decals provided are of VMF(N)-513, U.S. Marines, Wonsan (Korea) 1950.

Except for a tank, no bombs or rockets are provided, though pylons for the rockets are provided. Inboard attachment points are provided, no inboard pylons are supplied.

Finally, I managed to find an old cement tile in the storeroom. After adding thinned out high gloss black paint for oil spots, I added streaks for tire marks from a dried paint bottle.

Overall it is an excellent kit, very well suited to both beginners and experts. You chaps out there, might want to build this Corsair for the Prop Building contest!!

Sushanth K.A.

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