Tamiya F4U

[MESHER]

On all 3 of Tamiya kits there is a foot hold on the right side inboard flap, what variant had this foot hold as Tamiya for some reason designed it in all 3 versions of their kits. Did the F4U-1/2/1a or 1d have this foot hold or was this in later post war variants? Also does anyone know the best way to fill and get rid of this foot hold as it looks a little large and deep for putty?

[Hal Marshman Sr]

IIRC, the foot hole is applicable to th -1D and up. I fill mine thus: Before I cement the flap halves together, I force Squadron White putty through the step-in from the inside, both halves. Very easy to deal with on the outside then. Hal Sr

[Falcon50EX]

Hi Mesher,

This question is a little tricky to answer. F4U-1/-1A, -2, FG-1/-1A/-1D, and Brewster F3A-1s did NOT have the cutout step.

As they came from the factory.

I HAVE seen pictures of F4U-1Ds and FG-1Ds with the step, but the photos were of postwar aircraft, and these flaps may have been swapped with the -4 Flaps, which definitely had them.

In terms of fixing the problem, i recommend inserting a block of white Evergreen bar stock, then filling around the edges with CA. Cut/ saw off the excess, and sand the surface perfectly flat with rigid-backed sanding sticks. Worked for me.

HTH,

david

[rwright142]

Falcon50EX is right on this. The starboard flap cutout for climbing onto the wing was factory produced in the -4 variant and later only. If earlier variants are seen with them they were retrofitted, in-field swapped, etc.

[moeggo]

I have never seen the cut-out on any WW2 machine, only on post war

[Hal Marshman Sr]

Falcon50EX is right on this. The starboard flap cutout for climbing onto the wing was factory produced in the -4 variant and later only. If earlier variants are seen with them they were retrofitted, in-field swapped, etc.

Thanks for the info. Am working on a series of WWII U-birds, and this is most helpful. Hal Sr

[DonSS3]

For filling, I backed up the cutout with styrene sheet, then filled with superglue and sanded smooth.

[Grey Beema]

Hey Guys have the tamiya F4U-1D in stock ready to go alongside the Hellcats & Seafires of the Fleet Air Arm.

I think I read somewhere that the step was deleted on Fleet Air Arm Corsairs mk I & II. Certainly in photgraphs I have seen it is not there, I think that the MkII equates to the F4U-1D. Am I right or imagining it?

[Jennings]

Hey Guys have the tamiya F4U-1D in stock ready to go alongside the Hellcats & Seafires of the Fleet Air Arm.

I think I read somewhere that the step was deleted on Fleet Air Arm Corsairs mk I & II. Certainly in photgraphs I have seen it is not there, I think that the MkII equates to the F4U-1D. Am I right or imagining it?

The RN's Corsairs, as noted several times above, did not have the step. That was a post-war mod. None of your WWII FAA (nor anybody else's) Corsairs should have the step.

J

[kurtd123]

According to the D&S book, the step was added DURING production of the -1d, not the -4. I recall reading somewhere that it could be found retro-fitted to the earlier versions as they were interchangeable - which would likely only have occurred late in the war. I think the usual "refer to photographic evidence" comment applies here.

I recall that the Tamiya instructions for the -1a tell you to fill the step for the aircraft portrayed by their decals (easy to do with plastic card and a little putty or ca).

[Joe Hegedus]

According to the D&S book, the step was added DURING production of the -1d, not the -4. I recall reading somewhere that it could be found retro-fitted to the earlier versions as they were interchangeable - which would likely only have occurred late in the war. I think the usual "refer to photographic evidence" comment applies here.

I recall that the Tamiya instructions for the -1a tell you to fill the step for the aircraft portrayed by their decals (easy to do with plastic card and a little putty or ca).

The D&S is not without some errors inside. The hole was added during the -4 production; there are photos of early -4 Corsairs that do not have the step on the flap.

[kurtd123]

The D&S is not without some errors inside. The hole was added during the -4 production; there are photos of early -4 Corsairs that do not have the step on the flap.

I thought the step was added during the -1d and the spring-loaded covers added during the -4? Or were the spring-loaded covers added to the -5? Damn! Now I have to go trolling through all my books!!!! I hate when this happens...

[rwright142]

I thought the step was added during the -1d and the spring-loaded covers added during the -4? Or were the spring-loaded covers added to the -5? Damn! Now I have to go trolling through all my books!!!! I hate when this happens...

I hate it too hahaha. I have sent the question to a friend who has retired from Vought. I'll post their response when I receive it.

[don f]

I thought the step was added during the -1d and the spring-loaded covers added during the -4? Or were the spring-loaded covers added to the -5? Damn! Now I have to go trolling through all my books!!!! I hate when this happens...

The F4U-4 added a step in the fuselage and added the step in the right side inboard center section flap. Here's a good image from Life that shows the fuselage step:

The F4U-5 versions deleted the step in the flap, retained the fuselage step and added a retractable step in the fuselage near the wing root.

[Jennings]

The D&S is not without some errors inside.

Say it ain't so! Say it ain't so!! D&S books are great as long as you don't know too much about their subjects.

J

[kurtd123]

Say it ain't so! Say it ain't so!! D&S books are great as long as you don't know too much about their subjects.

J

You know, I've used his books for 25 years and never heard this. You would never expect anyone to be perfect, but this seems like just the kind of "airframe thing", important to many of us in the modeling community, that the author would get right. Just curious what the opinions are about the different Corsair references out there, considering how so many of us like to build them. I just happened to notice a 3-view of a -1 with the cut-out step in the "Corsair Aces" book that I know is wrong... I suppose the important thing is the the history the subject represents, but it would be nice if the authors would get things like this right. (They are modelers too, so you would expect them to be as anal as we are.)

[rwright142]

Just curious what the opinions are about the different Corsair references out there, considering how so many of us like to build them.

That's the very reason I started a free forum dedicated to the Corsair (see URL below). There are so many different references out there I just wanted to have one place neatly organized where we can find it. I'll post this question there too and see what we come up with and I'll post it here. Or you are welcome to join us there too: Corsair Information Forum here: http://f4ucorsair.freeforums.org

Edited February 7, 2010 by rwright142

[Gundamhead]

You know, I've used his books for 25 years and never heard this. You would never expect anyone to be perfect, but this seems like just the kind of "airframe thing", important to many of us in the modeling community, that the author would get right. Just curious what the opinions are about the different Corsair references out there, considering how so many of us like to build them. I just happened to notice a 3-view of a -1 with the cut-out step in the "Corsair Aces" book that I know is wrong... I suppose the important thing is the the history the subject represents, but it would be nice if the authors would get things like this right. (They are modelers too, so you would expect them to be as anal as we are.)

One of the problems of being that anal while modeling most WWII subjects is there was a massive war going on. The day the photo was taken the subject might have been fresh from the factory, it might have been skipped over for the 'new' field mod cause there weren't parts for it that particular day, it may have taken damage from improper ground handling or enemy activity the day before. For a countless number of reasons, you may have the same subjects with various differences at the same time a photo was taken be very different the next time a photo was taken a week later. To be as anal as we'd like, there wouldn't have been time for the subject to fight because it'd be too busy being photographed 24/7. :D

[MESHER]

I also wanted to ask what color is the inside of the engine cowling?...Interior green? The Tamiya F4U-1d kit instructions don't mention what color to paint it.

[Gundamhead]

Here ya go.

http://www.patriotspoint.org/images/page_p...lanes_f4u_1.jpg

http://ipmsauckland.hobbyvista.com/Gallery...-1D/f4u1_zc.jpg

and just to drive the pickers of nits a little bonky, two-tone.

http://ipmsauckland.hobbyvista.com/Gallery...U-1D/f4u1_b.jpg

[kurtd123]

Just to add some indecision, this is from the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.

The colors are a little washed-out from the flash, but the inside of the front part of the cowling was bare metal with blue over-spray. I thought it was odd, which is why I took the close-up.

[rwright142]

I forwarded the cut-out step question to Pete Elizondo who retired from Vought and is a member of the Vought Aircraft Retiree Club. This is his reply. Note: O&R means Overhaul and Repair Bases set up in the US and at several overseas bases to service Naval Air Operations:

Richard our manufacturing records do not confirm when the cut out was initiated, but pictures we have show it on early F4U-4s so I have to assume it was made in all -4s. I also ran across a picture of an F4U-1D with the cutout but the majority did not have the cutout. During the war several changes were made by the Navy with the stipulation that the change not delay delivery schedules. The idea being that the change would be done at the O&Rs when the aircraft was overhauled. After all is said and done I don't believe we can pin down when or which aircraft had the cutout incorporated. Best I can do. Pete

Edited February 13, 2010 by rwright142

[kurtd123]

I forwarded the cut-out step question to Pete Elizondo who retired from Vought and is a member of the Vought Aircraft Retiree Club. This is his reply:

Richard our manufacturing records do not confirm when the cut out was initiated, but pictures we have show it on early F4U-4s so I have to assume it was made in all -4s. I also ran across a picture of an F4U-1D with the cutout but the majority did not have the cutout. During the war several changes were made by the Navy with the stipulation that the change not delay delivery schedules. The idea being that the change would be done at the O&Rs when the aircraft was overhauled. After all is said and done I don't believe we can pin down when or which aircraft had the cutout incorporated. Best I can do. Pete

Wow...cool to hear from someone like that - thanks! Now that we know that I guess the logic would be that, in the absence of photographic evidence, no step on the -1d? I guess you could reasonably assume that earlier serial numbers portrayed late in the war could have the steps as they were cycled through the maintenance depot?