Cookenbacher Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 My plan for this Group Build is to attempt to replicate a photo USMC Capt Donald Balch sitting on the elevator of his damaged Corsair after a fortunate safe return from dogfight over the Solomon Islands. HERE IS THE PICTURE. I'm planning on using the 1/72 Tamiya Corsair kit, and for the first time, I'm throwing all sorts of aftermarket at it. We'll see how much I manage to include. The aircraft in the photo has the flaps down, the elevators are drooped (one more than the other), the rudder is damaged and askew, and the tail wheel has either collapsed or failed to extend on landing. I've also invested in quite a few figures to try and replicate Balch and the crew standing on the wings, and hopefully with some mixing and matching, can come up with a decent diorama. Thanks Plastix, Neu and Blastvader for hosting this one, and thanks Enzo for being the new Mish. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 I bought a 6 inch diameter wooden base (approx 28 sq in) and tested it with a previous Corsair build. I think it should fit just fine, and be well within the rules. Started with some very careful cutting. And in a fit of productivity managed to get the flaps attached. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Good start Cookie, and a good idea to get the cutting out of the way soonest, I'll look forward to seeing how you get on Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Very nice that you will be replicating an actual scene from a photo Cookie Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob85 Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Very cool cookie, as I said wen you mentioned the idea in your corsair builds! Looks like your really going for it on the detail, I look forward to seeing what you use and how you use it!! Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Hi Cookie and welcome to the Vignette GB. Great start to your project! I will be interested to see the Corsair go together with all the extra goodies. I didn't take part in the Corsair GB, because I just didn't have the time, but I followed along and had picked out the kit you are using as one I'd perhaps have a go at someday - so I will be very interested in how it goes together. It looks very good so far, especially with those added flaps. I really like your idea of recreating the photo too! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I think I'm going to be very busy following the great threads of this GB! This one sounds particularly interesting - more needed Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Looks good so far! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 That's a wonderful photograph and will make a great vignette. Superb start, very nice base. So many great GB's! Yes, lots of needed! Best regards Tony 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Neu- Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Hey Cooken. I didn't know the Tamiya kit had that much AM available for it.... I thought it was a work of art on its own, handed down from god himself. (if I had any photoshop skills, I'd take the famous sistine chapel scene between God and Adam and superimpose a tamiya kit... but I digress). I built a similar thing years ago, but for Hampton Grey's FAA Corsair. The Corsair in general is a good kit to mount on a base: its got a robust landing gear that makes it easier to mount and hold. The only problem I had was when people at my work tried picking it up by the plane, which could not hold the base as well, and it would break. C'est la vie. One thing you might consider is that eduard makes a premade PE deck section that you could place right onto the wooden base to give it a bit of texture. They go for about 30 dollars on ebay. Good luck though, its a great start.... I'm sure you'll make it look great no matter what. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thanks everybody! Beautiful FAA Corsair Neu, the Tamiya is a wonderful kit, worthy of its accolades. I'm definitely not the one who should be demonstrating all this aftermarket, I just wanted to give it a try as it will be my first 'open canopy' build an I thought I'd try and add some detail. But there is that old adage about being careful what you wish for. PE and I will never get along, but perhaps will reach some sort of accommodation in the future. The Eduard seat is really nice and folds up just like it's supposed to, but I manged to destroy the fragile mounting bracket while trying to attach it to the Tamiya frame. That's supposed to be one piece. I replaced it with a much too thick styrene bracket, and attached it upside down. Blurry, but right side up. Also, it looks like I should have performed one more bend on the front of the seat to match the sides. I can only tell in the pictures, it was too tiny for me to notice on the bench. I attached as much of the cockpit instrumentation PE as my patience would allow. The blu-tack covered cocktail stick I was using to place the PE lifted some of the pre-painted detail, and it was time to stop. I went with Dark Dull green for the cockpit color, as that seems to have been the way with early 'birdcage' Corsairs. Like many Corsair modellers, I've struggled with 'salmon' primer, and Dana Bell's work is invaluable in this respect. 'Salmon' primer was made by adding iron oxide to yellow zinc chromate, and so I attempted to replicate it by adding some MM Acryl Rust to MM Acryl Yellow Zinc Chromate and it did produce a nice orangey-pinkish primer. At least a small victory for today then. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Photo-etch in 1/72 is really fiddly so you are doing really well for your first go. The instrument panels look great. Not surprised you had problems with the frame - it looks way too fragile. Good progress overall: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 I agree with Stix, great job overall with those tiny PE bits Ciao 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Thanks Stix and Giemme, 1/72 PE is indeed fiddly, but there's no way I could have painted that side console like this. The dive-bombing window had two tubes just above it, and I decided to replicate them. At first, I was going to carefully measure them out, but then realized the portion inside the fuselage would be invisible. Yikes! Plenty of gaps to fill where I cut too much away for the flaps. I added some half-round plastic tube to the rudder joint, and made sure to put a fingerprint in the glue. It's time to attempt the damaged horizontal stabilizers, and to add lots of putty. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Dapple Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Wow it's realy moving now Cookie, and looking good too Cheers, Stew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Progressing fast! Looking forward to what you come up with for the damaged stabilizers Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastvader Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Great start Cookie. As for modelling the tail and the damaged elevator, have you considered building up the structure in plasticard and rod and using something like thin lithoplate or the like for the damaged skin? This would allow a realistic crumpled and torn look from where the shells have impacted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milktrip Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Very interesting and looking forward to seeing this one progress. Great job so far. Regards the PE, do you have any bending tools specific for PE? I found having the tweezer / pliers and vice for PE makes a big difference. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hi Cookie. The view down into the cockpit does indeed prove it was worth the time and effort to use the photo-etch. Those tubes do look good in place and your overall progress is looking good. Good luck with the stabilizers. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 1, 2016 Author Share Posted July 1, 2016 Wow it's realy moving now Cookie, and looking good too Thanks Stew! I was hoping to get the main airframe built quickly, as the damaged elevator and figures will probably require some trial and error. I'm looking forward to any 1/72 figure painting advice from you, if you can spare it when the time comes. Progressing fast! Looking forward to what you come up with for the damaged stabilizers Ciao Grazie Giorgio, I'm hoping to get some figure painting advice from you too if you don't mind, kind sir. Great start Cookie. As for modelling the tail and the damaged elevator, have you considered building up the structure in plasticard and rod and using something like thin lithoplate or the like for the damaged skin? This would allow a realistic crumpled and torn look from where the shells have impacted. Thanks Blastvader, I've never heard of lithoplate before and will definitely look into it - top tip! My plan is to cut away a portion of an AM resin elevator, add ribs made from plasticard, and then cover that portion with thin tissue paper to represent the fabric covering. I'm debating covering the entire elevator in tissue paper rather than just the damaged portion, in order to avoid any seams along the undamaged portion. Very interesting and looking forward to seeing this one progress. Great job so far. Regards the PE, do you have any bending tools specific for PE? I found having the tweezer / pliers and vice for PE makes a big difference. Thanks for the encouragement Milktrip, and thanks for the PE advice. What sort of vice do you use? PE is definitely an item where I enjoy the results much more than the process, and having the right tools will hopefully remedy that. Hi Cookie. The view down into the cockpit does indeed prove it was worth the time and effort to use the photo-etch. Those tubes do look good in place and your overall progress is looking good. Good luck with the stabilizers. Kind regards, Stix Cheers Stix! You were born to be a GB host, as you are always so encouraging and willing share your expertise - glad you're following this one. Also, I FOUND A BETTER VERSION OF THE REFERENCE PIC. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Definitely a much better pic, Cookie As for painting figures, I'm here, just give me a shout Ciao 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I agree with giemme - that latest photo is much better. And if you do need any advice I can certainly recommend giemme's figure painting talents - he'd definitely be a good person to consult! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blastvader Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Thanks Blastvader, I've never heard of lithoplate before and will definitely look into it - top tip! My plan is to cut away a portion of an AM resin elevator, add ribs made from plasticard, and then cover that portion with thin tissue paper to represent the fabric covering. I'm debating covering the entire elevator in tissue paper rather than just the damaged portion, in order to avoid any seams along the undamaged portion. Ah, I didn't realise that they were fabric covered (though I should have really) as they looked like they were metal skinned in the picture. In that case tissue is your best bet. If you rough up the surface of the resin a little you can stick the tissue down with something like Pritt-Stick, allow it to dry and then give it a couple of coats of future which will stretch it and give it a better surface for painting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milktrip Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Hi cookie I have something similar to this. http://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/photo-etch-bending-tool-large-trumpeter.html The above is useful for me on large PE pieces like helicopter tail booms. I also have these from Tamiya which I use very often and good for the general size & smaller pieces. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamiya-74067-Photoetch-Bending-Pliers/dp/B001VZR6IM https://www.amazon.co.uk/TAMIYA-Tools-Bending-Pliers-Photo/dp/B001HBJ2YG/ref=pd_bxgy_21_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ETPX6G1M7JEAAQB4X4J5 Pricey but I use PE quite often now so I feel I've had my moneys worth as I've had plenty of use out of them. HTH Cheers Aaron 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I found a color version of your photo. Probably has been colorized but gives a bit more view of the wings. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/32/fe/41/32fe41c9613d75beea86f98b484bbdef.jpg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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