Mastercasters 1/32 F4U-1 Corsair cowl flaps

[Derek Bradshaw]

Hi Guys,

Just a quick taster for you of the forthcoming Mastercasters 1/32 Trumpeter F-4U1 Corsair cowl flaps master pattern. This is a job I am completing in between the Hawker Tempest kit and Warbird Productions Spitfire 21/22/24 wings. The original Corsair cowling pattern was created by John Wilks (LSP member 'Tigger') using an original kit cowl ring with individual scratchbuilt aluminium flap gills added. Some resin castings of John's cowl flaps were produced as a reference. Jay Laverty (Mastercasters) asked me to clean up and detail the resin flaps to production standards. During the cleaning up process, the resin flap gills became so thin, that some of them became damaged (they were alrady extremely thin before the clean up work commenced). I therefore decided to scratch build new flap gills completely, using only the resin cowl ring as a starting point (in the same manner that Tigger had). The pictures below show progress thus far:

Here we see Tigger's original cowl master (lower right - made of aluminium, although some of the flap gills have become detatched), one of two resin copies of Tigger's cowl (cream coloured resin - top right), and the basic resin cowl ring after removal of the flap gills (lower left). You will also notice the tracing paper template I have made in order to obtain a constant gill size and spacing around the cowl ring. Also, I have cut out all 15 individual flap gills from 0.25mm thick plastic card.

In this picture, after notching the corners of each flap gill, the individual gills have been added to the cowl ring. Again, you can see the tracing paper template, plus a new plastic angled template - this is to ensure that each of the individual gills are set at a uniform angle on the cowl ring.

Finally for now, a view of the inner part of the cowl, with the angle template in place to show how it was used. The next phase shall be the gradual build up of internal details to each flap gill.

Derek

[Skii]

Very nice work indeed, I'm sure these will look very authentic - very nice scale-thickness

[Derek Bradshaw]

Thanks Skii. The internal actuating strips have now been added inbetween the individual flap gills - this adds much needed support to the whole thing. I have also added the external flap gill hinges. This just about completes the external work - the internal detailing is the next job.

Derek

[AnonymousDFB1]

Nice work Derek, sort of lost track of what you was up to.

[Derek Bradshaw]

Thank you for your kind comments Mish - I really don't deserve them . I have now added some initial detail to the flap actuator arms.

This picture will give you some idea of what I am trying to achieve (there is a much better picture somewhere, but I can't find it!).

More internal details - phase 1.

Another view.

Derek

[Derek Bradshaw]

After adding nuts onto each end of the actuator pivots, I have started to make the internal flap reinforcing plate details.

More images to follow when sufficient progress hse been made.

Derek

[Richard E]

Absolutely fascinating, thanks for sharing the skill that goes into creating the aftermarket parts that we take for granted these days.

It's quite intesting to see your reference pictures as well, the cable looks like it was borrowed from a Heath Robinson engineering solution.

[Derek Bradshaw]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for your comments. Your right, it does look a bit 'Heath Robinson' dosen't it? (I suspect that it was not all that clever in use, as they changed the operating system to push rods on later marks of Corsair). It took me a long time to find suitable pictures of this area, then nearly as long again to work out how it all operated and what was actually in there. I hope that I can suitably replicate most of what is in there.

Derek

Absolutely fascinating, thanks for sharing the skill that goes into creating the aftermarket parts that we take for granted these days.

It's quite intesting to see your reference pictures as well, the cable looks like it was borrowed from a Heath Robinson engineering solution.

[Derek Bradshaw]

A little more prgress. Rib detail has now been added to the internal flap reinforcing plates. Each individual flap plate has then been covered with thin vynal tape - this smooths out the whole reinforcing plate, making the ribs and plate appear as a single item, rather than fabricated.

Some additional detailing shall be added later, but that concludes phase 2 of the detailing work. Phase 3 shall be production of the spring loaded flap actuators (a single pattern that shall be required to be copied 16 times!).

Derek

[Derek Bradshaw]

Before I start on phase 3 of the cowl detailing (adding flap actuatore/retraction pullys), I thought that I would spray the cowling with Mr. Surfacer so that you could see the detail better.

Derek

Edited September 19, 2008 by Derek Bradshaw

[AnonymousER99]

Thats looking AWESOME Derek!! Well done!!

[Derek Bradshaw]

Thats looking AWESOME Derek!! Well done!!

Coming from you Mike, that is a compliment indeed - thank you

Derek

[AnonymousDFB1]

Wow Derek, that is a lot of detail just for an engine cowl. Superb work.

[T-Tango]

Absolutely fascinating, it just goes to prove the amount of detail that goes in to each part, well done Derek.

[Derek Bradshaw]

Mish/Tango - Thank you very much for your kind words.

Start of the third phase of detail work - the individual cowl flap spring loaded actuators. I have to make 16 of everything for this bit - even if I do slightly simplify the parts a little! (I have used plastic rod, strip and 0.3mm copper wire - stripped from some electronic cable).

More detail shall be added once all springs are competed.

Derek

[AnonymousDFB1]

That looks a tad fiddly Derek. Well done.

[Derek Bradshaw]

That looks a tad fiddly Derek. Well done.

Yeah, it is very fiddly work Mish, but there really is no other way of doing it

Derek

[Derek Bradshaw]

There are more levels of detail to add yet. In the meanwhile, here are t'other 15 spring assemblies.

Derek

[Peter Marshall]

That looks simply incredible

Peter

[T-Tango]

Unbelievable, the patience you must have Derek, I'm certain that I could never do it.

[Derek Bradshaw]

Tum, tee, tum, tee, tum...Coming along...(Thanks Pete and T-T).

Derek

[AnonymousDFB1]

You must have the patience of a saint Derek.

[Derek Bradshaw]

Thanks Mish - It's something you learn to develop - sort of a means to an end. The trick is to take it one section at a time (a bit like how to eat an whole Elephant I suppose, one small piece at a time!).

Next part of the detailing is the lower part of the actuator arms. These are twin arms on the full size aircraft. I have little room between the springs,and I needed to get two thicknesses of plastic in between them. My solution was to slot a thin piece of plastic strip, which were then cut individually to the correct length and shape - you can see an unmodified (i.e. non-slotted) piece of plastic strip behind it (it was quite an interesting exercise cuttinge the edge of a 0.5mm thick plastic strip with a 0.3mm thick razor saw!).

These lower actuator arms require additional detailing yet before I can start on the pulleys.

Derek

Edited September 28, 2008 by Derek Bradshaw

[AnonymousDFB1]

Looks like the bits I have left after trimming

[Derek Bradshaw]

Thanks again Mish. I have carried out more detailing work on the lower flap actuator arms (pictures to follow soon). Below are the lower part of the flap opening springs (again, made from 0.4mm copper wire) - these shall be added to the lower actuaor arms next - this shall then complete the actuator arm details. The next phase of detail work shall be the individual flap attachment wires and grommet fasteners (centrally located in the middle of the flap in a depression - I don't really know what these are or do?, maybe someone can enlighten me?). After that (and adding a few other detail parts), I shall be making the flap closure pullies - once these are completed, the cowling shall be finished.

Derek