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Having just finished my tiny 1/72 F-85 Goblin build, I have screwed up the courage to try and restart building another of those shelf queens on hand, in this case the very model I began when I first re-entered modeling after a 20 or so year lay-off. I am talking about the famous F4U-5N Corsair, flown by Lt. Guy Bordelon, the only U.S. Navy Ace of the Korean War, but quite possibly the last propeller-driven fighter pilot Ace of all time. I don't know this for certain, and am open to other "entries". Anyway, here are the relevant pieces of this build: The Fujimi kit is actually pretty nice, but a little simplistic in areas such as the cockpit. The ancient Hi-Tech set will help with all that. Also shown are part of an old Microscale decals for this aircraft, long hidden in the stash, and a set of Moskit F4U-5 exhaust stubs, which I may or may not use. If they are not of the flame-dampener variety, I may try to use them on an F4U-7 later on. The major problem I had, years ago, was directions for the Hi-Tech PE parts, which were not including in the kit,which I found on E-Bay. Folks on-line helped me find directions for them on-line, but I have to say, they are the worst PE instructions I've ever seem, from the limited verbiage, to the poor drawings. Using that PE has been a matter of studying photos of the rear aircraft, to S.W.A.G.... Despite having tried to re-start this kit over the years, I can only hope that I have attained the confidence and skills needed to see it through this time! Anyway, when recently resuming this build, here's where I was, the front cowling parts cut off to fit the Hi-Tech resin replacement, and the cockpit sides scraped and fiddled to also fit the Hi-Tech cockpit. Also the kit rudder has been removed, for the same reason: Below, the arrows point to holes that need to be opened up for later installation of antennae, etc.: Above right, mustn't forget the two holes for the pilot's step, to be glued in later on. The Hi-Tech cockpit had years ago been brush-painted with a heavy slathering of Interior Green enamel, mostly obscuring the few PE parts I had been able to find positions for at the time. Recently, I brushed on some Testor's ELO paint and decal remover: Above right, after much painting and fiddly PE adding, it's looking much better than the original effort. Bear in mind, the whole cockpit is not much wider than the width of my thumb: Not a bad beginning. Warning! -- you KNOW I'll be back! Ed