1/72 F4U-4 Corsair Revell/Italeri Kitbash

[hsr]

I wanted to add an F4U-4 Corsair to my collection. Even though I really wanted a -4 not a -4B  I got the Italeri F4U-4B kit (sorry I didn't keep the box so I'll just show the instruction title page.)

 

 An interesting feature of the Italeri kit is that it has the 20mm cannons and the case ejector ports for them, but they don't line up

 

Then I read this review or the Revell F4U-4 kit

http://www.hyperscale.com/2017/reviews/kits/revell03955reviewrm_1.htm

and I figured, let me get the Revell kit

 

and while I am at it I'll also get the Eduard set for the Revell kit.

 

 

 

Note that while the Revell says "F4U-4" The picture, instructions and decals are for an F4U-4B, but the case ejector ports in the wings are for the 6 .50 cals of the F4U-4. Luckily they include wing inserts for the .50 cals 

they just don't mention them in the instructions.

 

Then I read this review by our own @72modeler

And aside from the other informative information the key finding is that the Revell fuselage is too long for an F4U-4 and there is no good (easy) way to fix it . The Italeri fuselage is the correct length (on the other had the Italeri F4U-5, AU-1 and F4U-7 fuselages are all too short for those models .)

 

So at this point I decided to do a kitbash of the 2 kits and make a decently (but I am sure not totally) accurate F4U-4. I would use the cowling, wings, and landing gear from the Revell it and everything else from the Italeri kit. I also got Starfire decal sheet for the F4U-4.

 

 

 

First I did the cockpit interior. I used the Eduard color photo etch over the Italeri cockpit parts. Even though the Eduard set it for the Revell kit the pieces fit well on the italeri kit.

 

 

I then closed up the fuselage and started the first piece of surgery.

 

 

I used a razor saw to cut at point A at the cowl flap which had a nice well defined line to follow with the saw. I then wrapped the front of the fuselage at point B and used the tape as a guide to cut back the rounded front of the fuselage with a knife. I then glued the Revell part 7, which fit very well to the front of the fuselage.

 

 

Next I assembled the cowling parts. I wanted to use the Revell cowling parts because the front intake scoop looks better then the Italeri one and I wanted to use the R-2800 engine I had left over from my recent Special Hobby F2G-1 build, which I thought looked more correct then either the Italeri or Revell engines, and I thought it would fit better in the Revell cowling. It did indeed fit well and the cowling assembly was fairly simple

 

 

 

Note that the cowling parts are not a smooth casting and need a bit of filling and sanding. I didn't attach it yet because I want to attach the wings first. 

 

Wing assembly is straightforward except for 2 issues. First the wing root intakes are wrong for the -4 in that they have too many vanes. I didn't see a good way to fix this so I just ignored it. Note that the 3 gun insert fit well.

 

 

The other issue is that the wing tips are molded as separate parts that needed some filling and sanding to blend in. The front of the fuselage part of the wing assembly needed to be shortened to match with the shorter fuselage.

 

The wheel wells are a bit simple but the Eduard set has parts to improve them

 

 

 

 

Now I have my first major hurdle. While the front of the Revell wing assembly fits well, the back ... not so much. I get either a gap on the upper wing joint. 

 

 

 

Or a huge step on the bottom

 

 

I ended splitting the difference and inserting some strip styrene in the gaps

 

 

Fixing that will have to wait until tomorrow, but at least it now fits the drawings

 

Note that the cowling is not fully seated yet and will go back a smidge when I glue it.

More tomorrow or Monday.

[hsr]

Yesterday I filled the wing fuselage seams and horizontal stabilizer seans. Today I cleaned those up, installed the cowling, landing gear, and the canopy. I also added the stub launchers for the rockets. These are not part of either kit but I had some spare ones along with some HVAR rockets from a previous project so I added them. 

 

 

As you can see there is a bit of a step between the top of the cowling and fuselage. I will work on fixing that tomorrow.

 

Back then.

[hsr]

After several iterations of; prime, fill, sand,repeat I think it is ready for some color. I have to say that at this point I an very disappointed in the Revell plastic. There was a lot of flash and a lot of sink marks in the plastic that had to be filled. I never thought I would say this but the Italeri plastic was much better.

 

 

I have found that before giving it any coats of the gloss blue it is best to give it a base coat of black, so I will do that tomorrow.

 

Back tomorrow.

[Marklo]

Ah yes, some really nice old school modelling going on, wonderful to watch. 

[hsr]

As promised, today it got a coat of black

 

 

 

Tomorrow it will get a somewhat dry coat of the gloss blue and then Friday a wetter coat and it should be ready for decals

 

[stevehnz]

Really liking what I'm seeing here. I have an Italeri -4 kit & have left it parked for various reasons. I'm thinking that with a Reveal kit, some if those reasons might disappear. I love the thought of this kind of tinkering. Looking forward to seeing the remainder.

Steve.

[hsr]

I probably could have gone with just the Revell kit but I had gone to the trouble of lengthening the Italeri -5 and AU-1 so I couldn’t not shorten this one. The only real problem has been mating the Revell wing to the Italeri fuselage and that didn’t prove to be a big deal 

 

thanks

[hsr]

First dry coat of Humbrol #15 dark gloss blue

 

 

Tomorrow a wet coat to give it a nice gloss.

[hsr]

Today it got a coat of gloss blue

also painted the OD rocket tips

 

and the yellow propeller tips

 

 

Tomorrow will be touch ip and some detail painting

[hsr]

Today I did some touch up and detail painting; Painted a white stripe on the tail, painted the propeller dome white, painted the exhausts, painted the tail hook and a couple other things 

 

 

 

Tomorrow, decals.

[hsr]

Today I did the decals. Also attached the wheels and rocket. The markings are for Medal of Honor winner L.T.(JG) Thomas Hudner Jr (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Hudner_Jr. , the decal sheet says Hunder, but Wikipedia has him as Hudner) from the Starfighter Decals 72-152 Bent Wing Birds PT. 3.

 

 

Tomorrow I will give it a coat of Alclad Semi-Matt, add the propeller, remove the canopy mask, and hopefully it will be done.

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

This looks great a good old fashioned kit bash.  Great work and fast too.  Didn't realise about the black undercoat for the blue , duly banked in the old noggin. Thanks.  

Cracking job which has resulted in a lovely Corsair.

Chris

[hsr]

Finished! 

 

 

More pictures at the RFI:

This took a bit of work but I am happy with the results and want to thank you all for the comments and encouragement.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Nice work on combining the two.  

[VG 33]

Very interesting work of conversion.

Patrick