niart17 Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 (edited) Here are some pics I took of the recovered birdcage Corsair at the National Naval Air Museum. Some of these might be of help to others as well since a lot of the cockpit was still intact and you can see some details unable to be photographed without the plane disassembled. cont'd.... Edited: corrected name of museum! duh! Edited March 16, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 more: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Wow, those would be PERFCT for. Graveyard dioramas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 That's all I have with me now. I'm pretty sure I have a lot more on another drive. More to come. Hopefully I can start working on this soon. Still not sure how I want to present it. Water ditch crash, island crash landing. I don't want anything where the pilot would have died, just a crash and deterioration. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 I'm sorry, I meant to put these in the inspiration thread and went brain dead for a second and started a new thread. If a mod can move them that would be fine. If not, sorry bout that. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Exhausted Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Pensacola? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 yep. My family took a trip there two years ago for my birthday. I think they had just got it in along with that SB2C (I think that's what it is) Some of it was in some remarkably good shape for having been pulled out of the water. A lot of the placards looked brand new except for a litle discoloring and a little rust on some. It was pretty cool just seeing it sitting there basking in the sun. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) I went ahead and changed this into the build log. This is the kit I'm starting with. It's the old faithful Revell 1/32 scale F4U-1D. I don't remember exactly when this run of it came out but I've had it for quite some time, as is evident by the dusty attic condition of the box. It's one of the few models that was in our house during the Ike flood and the box didn't get too wet and gone. Long ago I started to do a rescribe and this is as far as I got so it definately fits in the legal amount unbuilt. Box Parts, I felt like Indiana Jones opening an old tomb. I wasn't sure what I would find it had been so long. Some of my not so great scribing started. Other half not started. Not sure if I'm going to worry about scribing it all since a lot will be covered with something, either sea muscles or dirt grass and leaves. All of the transparencies are missing so I'm not sure how I'm going to handle all of that. I know I want some of it damaged anyway but without something to at least get a shape going, I don't know how I can fabricate some framing. I may have to put out a missing parts bulletin to see if anyone has any spares. Hopefully I'll have something started soon and clear set of goals. Ideas are definately appreciated. Bill Edited March 16, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spokane-Modeller Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Great idea, be interesting to see who the CUST NO pertains to? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 19, 2013 Author Share Posted March 19, 2013 Yeah, I know what you mean Spokane, it would be cool to know the history of that plane. It was pulled from Lake Michigan. I believe it crashed on a carrier trials or something like that. Hopefully they'll have it restored before too too long and I can go get some pics of it completed. Started working on this a little bit. I'm going to jump around on this one a bit as I get reference and/or inspiration for a certain area and figure out how to do something. This will be my first crash/abandoned type build so I know there will be a steep learning curve. The first thing I did was cut away the portion of the wing that I believe would be missing or deteriorated. The plastic is very very brittle, probably from sitting in my attic, so it cracked a little here and there while I was cutting. Overall though I think I was able to fix the crack with no problem. inside of this I'll start scratch building the frame work based on the above photos. I know it's an older version Corsair but I'd imagine the basic structure of the wings probably didn't change much if any at all. For the cockpit I'm going to use the one from a Trumpeter kit I build long ago. In that build I used an aftermarket pit so I had this lying around in the spare parts box. I know there will be some trimming and fitting to get it to fit, but I think it should work out ok. I sprayed everything with a buffable metalizer as a base coat and as I build up the layers of colors I'll be sanding through to the metal in some areas after each layer, hopefuly giving the impression of paint worn in various stages. We'll see. I'm not sure how I want to go about the instrument panel yet, I can't find the one from trumpeter and I really don't want to spend much on after-market for this build. I may just use the Revell one and knock out some of the instrument faces like they've been taken or simply fell out. I don't know if these pieces will fit but I'm going to try. If they don't work I'll probably just throw some plastic strip and hint at the interior frame work. Thanks for checking it out. Critiques, comments and suggestions are always welcome and in this case, very much needed. I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Luno13 Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 For the canopy framing, try looking at the patterns from paper models. You can replicate it from a curved piece of styrene strip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Thanks Luno, I may have to look for that if I can't find a replacement canopy. A small update. I've started a little planning of the layout. I know I want one wing missing I'm just not sure of the composition. This is the layout I'm leaning to for now. Do you guys thing it needs a larger base? My plan as of now is to have a tree slightly behind the right wing and debris leading up to where the wing has sheared. The ground work will be overgrown but will have the contours of where it was disturbed in the wreck. I may even have a tree growing up from inside the plane somewhere, possibly through the flak hole in the fuse. The fuselage will be sunken down into the ground quite a bit and a good portion of the wings might be covered. I also started some of the wing internal framework. Slow but steady progress so far. Critiques, comments and suggestions are welcome, Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Cool - gonna follow this one! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr B Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 looks very promising......will be checking for updates as you progress rgds mr b Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Thanks. I hope I can do it justice. So I'm still not sure what kind of setting I want. I'm thinking a small pacific island somewhere but am open to other options. Anyone have a great idea that would add visual and thematical interest to this diorama? As I said, I don't want a non-survived crash, I want it to be apparent that the pilot survived. It's the planes grave site, NOT a pilots. Open to all suggestions. Thanks, Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CorsairMan Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 It would be difficult to do a lake ditching as the bottom of most of those lakes is not very clear and so, pictures would be hard to come by. But there were a lot of reasons why a Corsair would ditch and the pilot survived. It could also have been tossed over the side of the carrier if it were too damaged to save. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 (edited) It would be difficult to do a lake ditching as the bottom of most of those lakes is not very clear and so, pictures would be hard to come by. But there were a lot of reasons why a Corsair would ditch and the pilot survived. It could also have been tossed over the side of the carrier if it were too damaged to save. Yeah, that's one of the reasons why I think I want to go with a ground wreck. Perhaps had to make an emergency landing in what was an opening in a field but landing gear collapsed and/or hit a small tree and shanked a wing off. Something a pilot could walk away from a little bruised and sore but rescued eventually. It would be really awesome if there was an actual story that coincided with that set-up but if not it can be a generic "what-if" type situation. Bill Edited March 26, 2013 by niart17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oortiz10 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 What if it bellied onto a beach on some Pacific island, and like you said, sheared off a wing against a coconut tree? Just throwing that out there... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr B Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 It suddenly hit me I did something like this long ago....and i think its in the gallery here....just like you my pilot escaped and was living on the island for a bit...i remember it was my very early attempt to try water effects...... rgds mr b Quote Link to post Share on other sites
niart17 Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 It suddenly hit me I did something like this long ago....and i think its in the gallery here....just like you my pilot escaped and was living on the island for a bit...i remember it was my very early attempt to try water effects...... rgds mr b Cool Mr. B. I'll try to look for that. What type of plane was it? That might make my search a little easier. I thought about a beached plane as well and haven't ruled it out. I have a little while before I have to decide for certain what the scene will be cause I have a lot of building to do before that. But it would help to have a clear goal. Thanks everyone. Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr B Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Cool Mr. B. I'll try to look for that. What type of plane was it? That might make my search a little easier. I thought about a beached plane as well and haven't ruled it out. I have a little while before I have to decide for certain what the scene will be cause I have a lot of building to do before that. But it would help to have a clear goal. Thanks everyone. Bill Hi Bill Just follow the link.... http://www.arcair.com/Fea1/501-600/Fea501_Corsair_Parameswaran/00.shtm Its a Academy Corsair.....it does bring back memories...... Best Regards and Have Fun with you build Mr B Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spokane-Modeller Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 Hi Bill Just follow the link.... http://www.arcair.com/Fea1/501-600/Fea501_Corsair_Parameswaran/00.shtm Its a Academy Corsair.....it does bring back memories...... Best Regards and Have Fun with you build Mr B Great looking diorama! though he said it wasnt based on any real event but in fact it could have been a good what if scenerio seeing as his decal choice was Gregory Boyingtons -1D "lulabelle" and he was shot down over the solomons~i believe, could have been elsewhere in the pacific.. cant wait to see what your dio comes to be Mr. b! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SERNAK Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I have the Heller kit (1/72), and for some time now I was thinking to start a similar diorama. Now, that you have started yours, I will definitely use it as a reference!!! The only issue I have faced with this decision is that, it was quite difficult to find some good-quality photos of an abandoned and/or destroyed Corsair. Looking forward to see the next steps of this promising build!!! Sernak Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 niart17 the pictures of the real corsair that you posted do you know what type of corsair it is? like is it a birdcage?? or a f4u-1a I ask because it looks like on the interior pictures that the color could be dull dark green or bronze green Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tenspeed Posted April 12, 2013 Share Posted April 12, 2013 niart17 the pictures of the real corsair that you posted do you know what type of corsair it is? like is it a birdcage?? or a f4u-1a I ask because it looks like on the interior pictures that the color could be dull dark green or bronze green It's a birdcage corsair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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