Jump to content

F2G-1 and F2G-2 histories


72modeler

Recommended Posts

I thought it best not to piggyback the Best F4U Kit in 1/48 topic and start a new one. CFFU- I found a site that had the histories of all of the F2G's as well as their dispositions, the ones that were used in air racing are listed together. If the details in the site are accurate, BuNo 88454 (Which is the one I have always wanted to do. BTW) doesn't appear to have ever been raced, so it is likely the windscreen and canopy are the original ones. I'm still looking for the files/photos I had saved that had great detail photos as well as a conversion article done by a very good builder. You can also go to the Vought website and pull some amazing F2G photos, including the birdcage F4U-1 that was used by Vought to test the concept of adapting the airframe to take the R-4360...a really neat modeling project, as it was painted in the tricolor scheme! Hey, I've been around long enough to know that nobody knows it all or is the final authority, especially me, so I always enjoy learning from others like yourself!

Mike

 

http://www.airrace.com/CorsairStatusList2.html

 

I have also included a link to the Vought Heritage website- outstanding text and photos of all classic Vought aircraft; F2G enthusiasts will love the photos in the archives, as well as all of the other classics. I hope you find the site  entertaining and informative.

 

http://www.vought.org/

 

Eureka! Finally found the website that has a 1/32 F4U-1 to F2G-1 conversion along with some great detail photos of the real airplane. Hope this will be useful for possible modeling projects.

 

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Fea1/101-200/Fea140d-F2G-Williams/00.shtm

Edited by 72modeler
added link toVought heritage website and conversion article
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

72modeler i found this on the airtace.com/corsair listing about 1 paragraph from the top of the page. 

 

BuNo 14091-XF2G-1: The  rear  deck  was modified to accept  a P-47D bubble canopy 

 

so again we both are correct. And i say good sites to use for the future. As for the other question of the F2G in the museum of flight. My read and im admitting not recently was that plane had indeed been raced in the late 1940's by a navy pilot in cleveland. When it was cut from navy roles it disappeared for a number of years. Most assumed it had been cut up for scrap until it was found in poor shape in the late 1960's and painstakingly restored by the museums. Again i digress my research was not recent so i may be a bit mistaken.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

72modeler i found this on the airtace.com/corsair listing about 1 paragraph from the top of the page. 

 

BuNo 14091-XF2G-1: The  rear  deck  was modified to accept  a P-47D bubble canopy 

 

so again we both are correct. And i say good sites to use for the future. As for the other question of the F2G in the museum of flight. My read and im admitting not recently was that plane had indeed been raced in the late 1940's by a navy pilot in cleveland. When it was cut from navy roles it disappeared for a number of years. Most assumed it had been cut up for scrap until it was found in poor shape in the late 1960's and painstakingly restored by the museums. Again i digress my research was not recent so i may be a bit mistaken.

Hey- it looks like we both were right, which is rare in our hobby! If I ever decide to do the prototype, I know which canopy to use! Thanks for the correction, and I'm glad the links I posted were of use. (Where were all these references 30 years ago when I was cranking out finished models to the tune of 1-2 a month?) Regards.

Mike

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the post, Tommy! That's the very photo that shows 88454 in the markings I want to do. I also want to do the  F4U-1WM in its tricolor scheme...that is one nasty-looking birdcage Corsair!

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, 72modeler said:

 Where were all these references 30 years ago when I was cranking out finished models to the tune of 1-2 a month?

 

 

Maybe that's why you (and so many of us) were cranking out all those models, 30 years ago - you weren't bogged down with trying to recreate every minute detail and correction shown in those shiny new references! ;)

 

John

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Mike Esposito said:

Never heard of this Corsair variant. Now I want one

 

3 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Special Hobby has one in its Racing form as a kit.

 

Special Hobby did two boxings

this, now OOP

sh48079reviewbg_box.jpg

 

http://www.hyperscale.com/2008/reviews/kits/sh48079reviewbg_1.htm

 

and the red racer scheme

https://modelingmadness.com/review/civil/previews/48049.htm

48049bt.jpg

 

 

 

same  kit in 72nd

SH_F2G-1.jpg

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2004/april/first-looks/SH_F2G.php

 

I think they do a racer  boxing in 72nd too.

 

there is also this,  the SH kit with different markings

am0409.jpg

 

see

http://www.hyperscale.com/2008/reviews/kits/am0409reviewbg_1.htm

 

AFAIK  all the 1/48th kits are the  same base kit parts,  just different schemes.  The above "Some surgery required for racer version"

 

HTH

T

Edited by Troy Smith
add details and links
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Mike ... everyone wants one. Special Hobby has one in its Racing form as a kit. Im not sure with 72nd scale as im slowly easing into the smaller scale. Maybe 72modeler could help us both in that department

Oboy- modeling rule #whatever! When they're dirt cheap and plentiful, you have no intention of building one, but when you get the hots for a kit, it's either OOP or ridiculously priced! Corollary- if you do pay a king's ransom for that gotta-have kit, they re-release it or somebody else reboxes it at a much lower price!

 

Having said that, Mike and Troy, it does appear the kit is OOP- SH did two 1/72 boxings- one in USN markings and the other as a civil-registered racing version. IIRC, either kit had the same parts, just different decal sheets. It's been a while since I've played with my USK and Special Hobby F2G kits, but the SH was better than the USK, except Special Hobby got the resin R4360 completely wrong, molding it as a two-row 18 cylinder engine instead of the four-row 28 cylinder engine; they also only molded three  magnetos, as I recall, instead of the seven it should have around crankcase. That famous e-site has a couple, ranging from $22 to $54 USD. I would wait for a re-release, but it isn't all that difficult to convert an F4U-1A/D kit  into an F2G-1/2. If you decide to try that, let me know, as I contemplated that route myself and can give you a pretty good how-to. Making an accurate vacform canopy is really the hardest part, as neither of the two injected kits really got the canopy right, and it is a VERY distinctive feature on the Super Corsair. Sorry I can't be of more help. One other tidbit- the F2G had a floor to the cockpit, versus the heel boards and open floor of the F4U-1's.

Mike 

Edited by 72modeler
corrected information
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...