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Hobby Boss 1/48 F4U-4 & AU-1


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A highly respected Corsair expert on another modeling forum says the errors in the 1/32nd Trumpeter kit were duplicated in the 1/48th offering. chief among them was the wrong propellor, and some shape problems with the cowl scoop. There also seems to be a problem with the shape of the forward gear openings, and the front cover that attaches to the gear leg. Most of these problems can be rectified with parts from a spare Monogram, Academy, or hasegawa kit. I'm sure the aftermarket folks will prepare accurate substitutes. In any case, after spending roughly half a C note, you still have to invest in a cheap source for the spare parts, or more expensive resin aftermarket castings. I believe I'll pass, waiting for Tamiya to produce one, or Hasegawa to re-do their -4 bird.

if thats the case Hal, double check the landing gear too. i've seen some of the built up 1/32 corsairs and it looks like they sit too high, not sure if its just a simple oleo problem or some wrong dimensions but it looks too tall.

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All I can say is "oops, Hobby Boss did it again" I will stay with my Academy/Tamiya kit bash, or keep on waiting. <$20, before I buy this one. If they just would have copied the Academy cowling, they would have been in the ballpark.

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Is it really that hard to do this bird right? There are so many of them all over the world. There are so many write ups about what is wrong with the existing kits and what is right. Is Hobby Boss hiring out of school engineers just so they can get practice in 3-D CAD? If this was any other subject that is difficult to do proper research on than I could excuse it but not this bird in particular. At this point in time I will find it difficult to get prematurely excited about ANY model they announce. At least for me, the disappointment is so bad that I am giving up on this brand. For me, the chapter on Hobby Boss and the F4U-4 is closed is closed. What good are exquisite moldings if they are of no real subject and expensive to boot. I am really sorry guys but this is as gentle as I can make my statement.

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I'm waiting for the first "Oh well, it looks like an F4U to me" post.

And you forgot to mention, "and the price isn't so bad and the moldings are just divine". It won't take long, just watch. I plan on building one maybe two F4U-4s in my life time in 1/48th scale. I would like to do it right and without throwing away good money. Which by the way is getting harder and harder to come by. Much harder than lousy kits. Those seam to be coming out by the bushel full.

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I decided to spend $43 on TWO Roden T-28s instead.

Take a look at Hyperscale, reviews are going up about this kit too. The shape is not as accurate, the panel lines look like the Matchbox panel maker is alive and well, and the fit isn't the greatest.

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Take a look at Hyperscale, reviews are going up about this kit too. The shape is not as accurate, the panel lines look like the Matchbox panel maker is alive and well, and the fit isn't the greatest.

For $21 each I will deal with it. But not for forty.

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All I can say is "oops, Hobby Boss did it again" I will stay with my Academy/Tamiya kit bash, or keep on waiting. <$20, before I buy this one. If they just would have copied the Academy cowling, they would have been in the ballpark.

Academy isn't the standard, they didn't get the fuselage dimensions or shape correct at all. The comparision here is not very accurate, the Academy front cowl is only the front portion and therefore appears much smaller than the Hobbyboss cowl. The AU-1 cowl was not the same shape at all as the F4U-4, it retained the same bulges as the F4U-5 even though it didn't have the same opening as the dash 5. The AU-1, F4U-7, and F4U-5 all had a similar cowl. All retained the -5 cheek bulges even though they were not utilized, the exhaust locations were different as were the intake arrangment but they all had the same shape.

The F4U-4 cowl was a shape of it's own and HB did a pretty good job representing it.

The biggest problems with the kit are the prop hub and the wheel well openings which can both fixed with ease. Quick boost makes replacement gear doors that can be used and the opening can be reshaped with a file. The prop can be replaced.

Edited by Scooby
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4 Xs as much work to fix up the Roden kit. I do like the Roden kit but it is more work.

Skill I have and the work I can provide. After all this is just a hobby. If I can build a 1/6 scale model from nothing more than drawings than these are nothing more than playing for me when it comes to work. I have put as much as 2000 hours in a RC model in the past. What is a few hours on a plastic kit. As long as the general outline is approximately close.

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Skill I have and the work I can provide. After all this is just a hobby. If I can build a 1/6 scale model from nothing more than drawings than these are nothing more than playing for me when it comes to work. I have put as much as 2000 hours in a RC model in the past. What is a few hours on a plastic kit. As long as the general outline is approximately close.

You and I both agree on this but we don't 100% agree on the HB Corsair. Is it perfect? No, it isn't. Is it relatively good, I would say so. I would not pay the full retail on it, but I was happy with the $37.00 I paid. Could they have done better? I think so. Would I prefer Hasegawa or Tamiya to step up to the plate? Of course I would. But for now a gap is partially filled for me.

I've been working a long time on my Minicraft/Hasegawa -4 kit-bash. This one will go together faster and I will also have the early rounded front windscreen for earlier markings.

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Academy isn't the standard, they didn't get the fuselage dimensions or shape correct at all. The comparision here is not very accurate, the Academy front cowl is only the front portion and therefore appears much smaller than the Hobbyboss cowl. The AU-1 cowl was not the same shape at all as the F4U-4, it retained the same bulges as the F4U-5 even though it didn't have the same opening as the dash 5. The AU-1, F4U-7, and F4U-5 all had a similar cowl. All retained the -5 cheek bulges even though they were not utilized, the exhaust locations were different as were the intake arrangment but they all had the same shape.

The F4U-4 cowl was a shape of it's own and HB did a pretty good job representing it.

The biggest problems with the kit are the prop hub and the wheel well openings which can both fixed with ease. Quick boost makes replacement gear doors that can be used and the opening can be reshaped with a file. The prop can be replaced.

I have worked on enough real Corsairs to know the shape differences between them, and the cowl differences. I plan on using only the Academy cowling and a small part of the front end and the section under the center wing section from the academy kit. I never said it was any standard, but the cowling is virtually dead nuts on in size and shape (the old Hasegawa is not the same shape, similar, but not the same). The firewall cross section area on the Academy kit is also almost nuts on. These are way off on the HB kit. I did go to my friends hobby shop and investigated the kit without having to waste the money for it. And yes I am quite sure that there will be quite a bit of aftermarket stuff out shortly to fix these problems with the HB kit, but you are still starting out with a $40+ kit to begin with. In actuality, even though it was by no means perfect by any stretch of the imagination, the old Hobby Craft F4U-1 was not a kit with a bad outline and would also lend itself for a kitbash with the Academy -4 for even a cheaper (but more work) project. I have plenty of all of these kits in my stash to do these projects and I can get the Academy kits for the cowlings for $7.50 all day long for the parts I need for the mods. That is A LOT less than any future resin release will cost offering the cowling. I have gotten Tamiya F4U-1s on eBay for as little as $16 including shipping. I usually get them for about $19-$22 including shipping.

Edited by Otto
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I have noticed that Hobby Boss seams to do OK with the Jet models they produce, but they have struck out on almost every prop model in the last few wears, IE F6F, Most of the F4Fs, F8F-1 and now this thing.

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Academy isn't the standard, they didn't get the fuselage dimensions or shape correct at all. The comparision here is not very accurate, the Academy front cowl is only the front portion and therefore appears much smaller than the Hobbyboss cowl. The AU-1 cowl was not the same shape at all as the F4U-4, it retained the same bulges as the F4U-5 even though it didn't have the same opening as the dash 5. The AU-1, F4U-7, and F4U-5 all had a similar cowl. All retained the -5 cheek bulges even though they were not utilized, the exhaust locations were different as were the intake arrangment but they all had the same shape.

The F4U-4 cowl was a shape of it's own and HB did a pretty good job representing it.

The biggest problems with the kit are the prop hub and the wheel well openings which can both fixed with ease. Quick boost makes replacement gear doors that can be used and the opening can be reshaped with a file. The prop can be replaced.

What I tried to do with the pics is show a variety of Corsairs so you can gauge approximately what it looks like. I tried to show the different shapes and sizes of the cowls so that the you see the difference. They are not good shots, but I was in a hurry

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What I tried to do with the pics is show a variety of Corsairs so you can gauge approximately what it looks like. I tried to show the different shapes and sizes of the cowls so that the you see the difference. They are not good shots, but I was in a hurry

Not a problem, you just posted pictures and didn't make any comments. Thanks for the last images. It shows one of the biggest problems with the Academy Corsair, not so much the firewall cross section but the cockpit opening is too wide, far too wide. Yeah, the firewall cross section is too big but the huge honking canopy opening is gross. And the HB cross section is not so bad.

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Yeah, whose did you work on? I worked on Fowlers F4U-7.

I worked on both of Norm Louis's F4U-4s. Plus on the four birds owned by the museum in Quatico which I was the SNCOIC of for about five years. We had F4U-1, F4U-4, F4U-5N, AU-1 in the hangar. Plus the ones on display. Since the US never used any F4U-7s I have very little to No interest in that model. The -7 was a hodge-podge of all different birds and shipped to France.

Edited by Otto
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Im not sure I would consider it a hodge-podge. It's just an AU-1 with a high-altitude engine from the -4, necessitating the change to the cowl ring to add the intake. Hardly a mix of "all different birds". Yes, it was only used by France, but it's still a U-bird, and therefore worthy of respect!

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P3020072.jpg

P3020074.jpg

I can see they screwed up the canopy/cockpit area just like Hasegawa and Academy. If you measure the side to side distance of the section where the canopy meats the windscreen, it scales out to about 38", it should be about 30-31". A bit too big I would say. Plus, what's with that silly grin at the bottom of the cowling? Put the fuselage next to a Tamiya fuse and look at the cockpit and canopy area and shape.

Edited by Otto
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Haven't seen the kit yet in my hands so i'll withhold judgement. But, it doesn't sound as bad as some earlier reports seemed to indicate.

Personally i still think the Hasegawa -4 is a good starting "shape" for the most part. i'm not averse to scribing panel lines, notching out wingtips, or robbing other kits for detail parts.

i asked this question a while back, but has anyone taken a look at the cowl ring in the old Heller F4U-4/7? is it an improvement over the Hasegawa cowl ring? would it be worth grafting onto the kit, possibly to make an aftermarket cowling?

-d-

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Haven't seen the kit yet in my hands so i'll withhold judgement. But, it doesn't sound as bad as some earlier reports seemed to indicate.

Personally i still think the Hasegawa -4 is a good starting "shape" for the most part. i'm not averse to scribing panel lines, notching out wingtips, or robbing other kits for detail parts.

i asked this question a while back, but has anyone taken a look at the cowl ring in the old Heller F4U-4/7? is it an improvement over the Hasegawa cowl ring? would it be worth grafting onto the kit, possibly to make an aftermarket cowling?

-d-

The Academy is a improved copy of the Hasegawa kit with scribed detail. The only outline fault with the two kits is the canopy/cockpit area. It is about 7" scale too wide on these kits. Otherwise the outline and shape on the two is extremely good. The Cowling on the Academy is the better of the two and is almost dead-nuts-on in size and shape. It only requires a tiny bit of re-contouring around the sides of the scoop area but that is quite easy.

Edited by Otto
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