Tim R-T-C Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 (edited) A little last minute entry to this group build. I hope you enjoy the project. In 1954 in the desperate final days of Dien Bien Phu, the French Naval Hellcat pilots were grounded after flying hundreds of sorties. Pilots from the 14th Flotilla were brought in to replace them - having trained on new-build F4U7 Corsairs in North Africa, on arrival in theatre they instead were given a fleet of AU-1s hurriedly shipped by carrier from US Marine service in Korea. The planes were battered and worn and most were condemned on first arrival, but hard work from the ground crews quickly made most of them available for service Edited August 31, 2020 by Tim R-T-C 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 16, 2020 Author Share Posted August 16, 2020 For tonght's episode, the role of AU-1 Corsairs will be played by the AFV F4U 144th scale kit. There will be some adapation needed - I will need to craft the 10 underwing pylons and the extra tail antennae. I will also be raiding some P47 kits (of which regular readers will know I have many!) for the Hamilton four blade propellors. However I won't be attempting to reshape the canopy or the nose profile. The paint scheme is of course blue, but the planes were in a very worn state as supplied so there is some great weathering potential. I don't usually weather my 144th scale planes too much as it is easy to overdo it on a small scale, so this should give an interesting chance to try this. Markings will be a mixup since no-one makes a suitable set for these planes. However I have a Berna Decals set for the Dauntless and the Helldiver (they made a set for an obscure kit last issued in the early 90s but not the readily available Corsair?!) as well as decals that came with my Eduard Spitfire and Dora Wings P63, which need to be shared among these two planes, plus a Hellcat and Dauntless which will be featuring in the Vietnam GB next month. Fortunately the Corsairs were pressed into service so fast that they had very varied logo application so I should be able to mix and match a little! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 16, 2020 Share Posted August 16, 2020 An interesting project Tim, should make for an unusual model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 16, 2020 Author Share Posted August 16, 2020 Today's work. Both planes are largely assembled - this kit is superbly engineered, it feels so strange to have actual locating pins and slot tabs that fit into where they are supposed to fit! Made up the underwing pylons from a sheet that came in a cheap picture frame, I drikled through the 4-hole rocket plyon locating points for fitting reference. I was going to spray-can a coat of metal for the chipping underlayer, but its raining outside so that will have to wait until tomorrow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 Aerials fabricated to match the profiles. Primer applied. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share Posted August 21, 2020 (edited) Last couple of days have been busy. Sprayed the birds in silver Added chipping fluid and USN Blue Got distracted and made a Uruguayan Hellcat Applied US decals to the Corsair... 🤔 All will be revealed! Edited August 21, 2020 by Tim R-T-C 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 21, 2020 Share Posted August 21, 2020 Coming along very nicely. Don't apologise for the Hellcat, right up my street that is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Second round of decals down. Representing the piecemeal application of roundels and stencils on the aircraft as they were thrown straight into combat. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 Decals look really good, Corsairs look great with French roundels. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 Latest progress - on track to finish Saturday I hope! Extensive weathering courtesy of Mr Flory to represent the exhaust staining and other grime. Hamilton Standard props stolen from Platz P47 kits, painted and weathered. Decals tomorrow night. Canopies fitted and painted. Stores and aerials to fit. Spent a few hours knocking up a homemade PSP matting for the base. Not the best, but I couldn't find a readily available alternative (Sweet do make one but I'd have to order from Japan) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 They're looking great, and that PSP base looks very nice indeed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim R-T-C Posted August 31, 2020 Author Share Posted August 31, 2020 So missed the boat here, need to pay more attention to the dates! So I added the three aerial wires to each bird with 0.03mm Uschi Line and stole a few figures from my old N gauge box to be ground crew. One of the planes received armament - a fuel tank/1000lb bomb combo from a photo reference. I suspect the fuel tank was for napalm. I then made a junk pile of fuel tanks awaiting napalm use and assortments of debris with a few ferns growing up through the PSP. Placed figures and it was complete. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 Sorry you missed the Gallery, still though these are excellent work converting them from early marks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 A real shame that these didn't make the gallery but great to see them finished and on a very nicely done diorama too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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