Last fighting Corsairs. El Salvador - Honduras

[luis pacheco]

Looking forward to see the wraparound camo scheme.

Edited August 16, 2016 by luis pacheco

[Marco1965]

Some advances in the camo version. This is the paint scheme that represents the "Last Fighting Corsairs" on the FAS side. As said before, all operational salvadoran Corsairs were camouflaged in 1968, almost one year before the Honduras-El Salvador started in July 1969. There were just five: FAS 202, 204, 215, 219 and 220. The wraparound camo scheme used three colors, close to a Dark Green, Medium Green and Dark Tan, randomly sprayed in a mix of blotches and irregular areas, different from one aircraft to the other. Markings were reduced to a minimum, consisting of only two small roundels under the wings and the a/c number over the "FAS" letters and tiny salvadoran flag on each side of the tail. Nothing else. Some Corsairs (FAS 215, 219 and 220) had small walkways on the roots of the wings, but not FAS 202 nor 204. These two are the ones most probably shot down in air to air combat july 17, 1969, and the latter is the motiv for my scale model

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After priming, I airbrushed non-buffing aluminum, interior green (for later weathering effects) and preshading, I airbrushed all the model in Medium Green + 10% White, including wheel wells. Then I applied Dark Green + 10% White and finally Dark Tan.

I then applied Future and put the scarce markings in place. Had some issues with the Aztec decals and Decal Sol. Persistent silvering was solved after repeated Decal Sol. Notice that the rudder was camouflaged as the rest of the Corsair (no blue-white-blue bands were used during the war).

After sealing decals, a wash of water color was applied, then different oil color shades, mostly based on light yellow and gray, areas where paint would be worn out were lighlty sanded until the previously applied Interior Green and Aluminum appeared, and some drybrush with aluminum was additionally applied. Currently still in the process of weathering, this is how the camouflaged version of the FAS Corsairs, the real "War scheme" of salvadoran Corsairs, looked like. By now you will have realized, of course, that no Gray, nor Blue salvadoran Corsairs fought during the war.

marco

[John_W]

Impressive camo painting.

[Daniel.H.]

Amazing collection! The grey scheme fits the Corsair very well, and the camouflaged one looks very impressive!

[rudi]

Beautiful work on all of them!

[luis pacheco]

And some people sugested the underside was a kind of gray or even black.

[Martian]

There are some beautiful models emerging from this thread. The "Football War" though has to be the ultimate in soccer hooliganism; and people complain about English fans!

Martin

[Mr B]

great to see

i just love folks building multiple builts at a go

rgds and hope to see them done up soon

[Marco1965]

Thanks for the comments. Martin, the misperception that the FAS camo Corsairs had dark gray or even black undersides, comes for the misinterpretation of shadows in low quality photographs. In closer looks and higher quality shots, the different color streaks/blotches can be clearly seen.

Marco

[Marco1965]

I forgot to comment about this: " "The "Football War" though has to be the ultimate in soccer hooliganism; and people complain about English fans!". As in every war, the origins of it are of course not in a soccer game, Martin. You can find the roots of the 1969 war in socioeconomics rather than in sport. The real story about the "Soccer War" name is quite curious. A mexican journalist came up with the name, due to the qualification matches for the Socccer World Cup taking place weeks before. The name stuck, and it even managed to locally compete, mediatically speaking, agains a huge event happening at the same time: Apollo 11 and the moon landing. The 1969 war managed to generate enough national pride in the countries to stabilize governments, and to delay the salvadoran internal conflict for a decade. That much for soccer.

So, no hooliganism in this war, just a media trick to get some attention.

Marco

[Marco1965]

Time for external ordnance.  During the 1969 war, El Salvador had very limited range of external ordnance.  FAS Corsairs, carried only old  General Purpose 100 pound bombs, that was it.  No rockets nor larger bombs, so save them for your spare box.  There was, however, some kind of adaptation made to salvadoran Corsairs, using adapters attached to the rocket racks to carry 100 pd bombs. A bomb rack was attached to the rocket stubs, and thus up to 4x100pd bombs could be carried under the wings (the rockets racks were designed to carry HVAR 5", weighing 135 pounds, so it was not really our of the weight range).  Although I could not find any description whatsoever of this system, there are pictures dating back from October 1966 of FAS 204 carrying eight 100pd bombs + what seems to be 2.75" practice rocket tubes attached to the lateral rocket racks.

 

 

   I decided to arm my Corsair with eight 100 pd bombs and leave the lateral rack empty (as the only available pictures show no bombs hanging from that one).  I scratch built the adapters (following the best I could the shape that  can be seen in the available pictures) and fixed them to the rocket racks.  I am using the excellent Aeromaster resin - PE 100pd bombs (i think that they are discontinued).  Aeromaster bombs are a jewel... and you require jeweler´s eyes and pincers to assemble them, specially the 3-part multi-bent tails, but once you find the different tricks, it gets easier.

 

 

 

 

   I have to admit that the 100pd bombs don´t look impressive on the mighty Corsairs... a pitty, but it is what it is.

 

Marco

[Reini78]

awesome work so far

[Marco1965]

The camo Version is ready!    I painted and weathered the 100 pound bombs, and glued them to the bomb racks under the fuselage and under the wings.  Left the two lateral ones off to put them on the ground on the diorama. Finally pressed the propeller in place and that is it.  This, with evident individual variations, was the paint scheme worn by the 5 FAS Corsairs that fought during the July 14-18 War between El Salvador and Honduras.  And this was the only external armament that El Salvados used.

Full bomb load that FAS FG-1Ds could carry, up to 10 x 100pd bombs

 

The excellent Aeromaster resin+PE bombs are the best I know for 100 pounders.  I used rust/gray/black pastels and some drybrush for weathering.

 

Eight out of the total 10 x 100pd bombs in place.  The lateral racks will be empty in the diorama, with the remaining bombs on the floor as seen in a war time picture.

 

I scratchbuilt the bomb racks from the rare available pictures (just noticed that I haven´t painted the landing light glass...

 

Wraparound camo was used in the five Corsairs (202, 204, 215, 219 and 220) that fought during the war.

 

Wheel wells and landing gear were oversprayed same color as camo scheme.

 

Eduards Instrument panel is very good, but the armament panels are umuch to large and flat, I prefered to use Tamiya´s.

 

Salvadoran Corsairs had been refurbished in the 80s, bulkhead behind the pilot was black as was everything from side consoles up.  I don´t have any reference of the seat color, so I used Interior green for better contrast.

 

Although worn out, FAS Corsair were not in the junkyard situation so commonly shown during the 1969 war.  Camo was applied only in 1968, so it was not so deteriorated around a year later.  Sandpaper was used to expose the interior green and aluminium prepainted layers.

 

Only upper markings on FAS 204 were on the tail.

 

Camo was randomly applied using a single equipment at the base.  No pattern was followed, thus not two Corsairs have the same pattern

 

 

 

   FG-1D FAS 204 is one of the two Corsairs shot down in air to air combat on July 17, 1969.  The remainings of this Corsair, and of it´s pilot, Capt, Reynaldo Cortez, are preserved in a commemorative site at San Jose La Fuente, El Salvador, exactly at the same place it crashed.

 

Marco

 

 

 

 

[Reini78]

looks great! a pity we can´t display our 204 and 220 side by side

[Marco1965]

Let's do some photoshop!

 

Marco

[Calum]

Love the camo one

[Reini78]

12 hours ago, Marco1965 said:

Let's do some photoshop!

 

Marco

 

do you have photoshop? then we can try in a few days when my dad´s is finished

[Marco1965]

OK, back to FAS 213, the 1962-65 scheme.  According to references of 213, It was quite weathered, mostly on the wing roots, propeller.  I had painted aluminium and interior green before the Dark Sea Blue coat, and started simply scratching and sanding the surface as much as I needed to represent the worn out areas.  I added some aluminum drybrush as well.  Oil color shades were applied as needed, pastels, too.  The propeller was painted aluminum and then flat black with orange tips, using the salt technique to wear the orange out of one of the tips, as seen in references.

 

 

 

The scene I am replicating, shows M116 Napalm bombs being loaded to the Corsair.  I managed to find a couple of the long discontinued Cutting Edge M116, beautiful.  I only had to sand a little bit the arming wire guide on the upper side of the bombs (the one to the left already sanded).  I added some scratchbuilt details to the front and rear fuse areas.

 

 

I installed the 0.50" (AIRES) in the gunbays, tricky to have them all machineguns aligned, specially the inner one.

 

I am converting a Land Rover SUV (Airfix, 1/43) into the Land Rover Pickup seen in the pictures of FAS 213.  Quite a significative conversion, it is almost ready to paint (orange...), I hope that the scale difference is not to evident (around 3/8" or 1cm in total vehicle length).  I couldn't find anything closer to convert into the Land Rover Pickup.

 

Marco

[Marco1965]

The last of the series is complete (pending the diorama).  The AIRES gunbays are excellent, but lots of patience is needed to paint and correctly assemble all the tiny parts, ammo belts and some scratchbuilt parts (the PE braces for the doors are not good, better use thin wire).  The flap behind the gunbays was left hanging, as it is seen in several references to improve access to the 0.50".  One 750pd napalm bomb (M116) was attached to one of the central bomb racks (the other will be part of the diorama).  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this is part of the diorama already, conversion of a Land Rover SUV into a 1961 Lanb Rover pickup, WIP

 

Marco

[Bob Henry]

It looks really good.         Bob H.

[Marco1965]

A little bit fast forward, HA!  I finished already all the Corsairs, and after a "pause", I continued working on the dioramas.  Finished the Land Rover Pickup that was the multipurpose vehicle back in 1963.  It will go together with FAS 213 carrying napalm tanks (1963).

 

 

And finished gluing in place some additional parts.

 

And advanced with the diorama of FAS 204 (100 hours war).  I want to replicate a quite known picture where a camo Corsair is being serviced on a rural strip.  I cut from pine wood the proper shape, issued the ground with Faller putty, added some static grass, painted acordingly, and then bombs and chocks.  Only think missing are 4 figures which I haven´t started yet.

 

 

And the Honduran Corsair I finished already couple years ago, hadn´t shown it before.  As I wanted to show it with the killmarkings, and all the pictures show the killmarkings in a freshly applied Dark Sea Blue (I think it was repainted after the war), I represented it that way, quite well kept condition.

 

Aaand this is by now.  Currently working mostly on figures.   Between work, family, Graf Spee, Cashuat AFV, biking and other interests, I hope to show the whole Corsair collection already finished next time!

 

Marco

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

On 9/17/2016 at 10:12 AM, Marco1965 said:

There was, however, some kind of adaptation made to salvadoran Corsairs, using adapters attached to the rocket racks to carry 100 pd bombs. A bomb rack was attached to the rocket stubs, and thus up to 4x100pd bombs could be carried under the wings

Standard equipment for USN/USMC Corsairs in Korea, these are -5's.

Corsair ↖️ Skyraider↗️

 

My guess is its direct to the pylon or there is a bar attached to extend to the bombs lugs. On -4's like these.

 

The double rocket stubs used a bar/rail for the bombs. Hope that helps a little. 

 

Dennis

[Marco1965]

I appreciate your interest on the topic, Dennis.  Although F4U-4 and on were capable of carrying bombs under the wings using standard available racks, as far as I have been able to find, that was not the case for the F4U-1D/FG-1D.  Only HVAR could be carried, or the practice rocket rail that you showed in a picture above, only capable of firing practice rockets.  Do you have any technical info describing the use of those rails carrying bombs as well?  Or a picture?  Lots of pictures showing the practice rails but none with ordnance.  I would appreciate any support on this topic.

 

marco

Edited August 21, 2019 by Marco1965

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

3 hours ago, Marco1965 said:

Do you have any technical info describing the use of those rails carrying bombs as well?

Let me look through my books and see what i can find. 

[Marco1965]

8 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Let me look through my books and see what i can find. 

Dennis, this is a drawing of the rail that can be frequently seen installed under the FG-1D/F4U-1D wings, "Aircraft Launcher Mk 6".  Apart from this drawing, and knowing that FAS Corsairs used them as well,  I don´t know nothing else about it.

 

Marco