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the idea for this topic is for those of use that are building corsiars. with the help of those on hear to show the colors used on the interior of then and what kind of primers were used and what color the wheel bays were . so if any body knows the awnsers to these quations they can post it hear for the rest of us

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Needless to say - given the amount of sub contractors and the variations in practices at facilities - there is no definitive paint scheme for each variant of the Corsair.

Here is one authority that should help with narrowing down the painting (William Reese):

F4U-1 Birdcage Corsair. Cockpit: Well this is tricky. The best evidence is black. Photos of F4U-1s taken at the time show the cockpits as being a very dark color. The F4U-1 E & M manual calls for Dull Dark Green. Photos and some wrecks show flat black. A photo of 'Pappy" Boyington in Bruce Gamble's book, The Black Sheep, shows him sitting in a Birdcage with a black armor plate and upper seat. This a/c also has no headrest. All other areas of the F4U-1 Birdcage Corsair would normally be 'Salmon'. Salmon is a pale pinkish/brown primer made by mixing Indian Red pigment with Zinc Chromate Yellow. The closest Munsell match is 2.5 YR 6/8 or between FS 32276 and FS 32356. This color was applied to the whole F4U before the final camouflage finish. The landing gear bays were this color. The insides of the main gear doors were Light Gray. Sometimes this was only over spray over the Salmon. Note: there were canvas covers on the inner and outer wheel bays that were either Olive Drab or Light Gray. The closest paint that I have found to the Salmon samples in my possession is PollyScale Railroad, Southern Pacific Daylight Orange. The E & M manual calls for the wheel bays, engine cowling and accessory cowlings to be painted in Non-Specular Light Gray to match the underside of the aircraft. Recovered wrecks show these areas to be Salmon however. Color photos of early Corsairs show the cowling interior to be Non-Specular Light Gray.

F4U-1A Corsair. Cockpit: FS 34151 Interior Green. All other areas of the F4U-1A were Zinc Chromate Yellow, FS 33481. Early F4U-1A's may have been Salmon. Landing gear: Light Gray or Aluminum Lacquer. This was true well into the F4U-4 production. Some a/c may have had Insignia white landing gear after overhaul or repaint.

F4U-1D Corsair. Cockpit: FS 34151 Interior Green. The area above the consoles was black. This matches the Navy's directives at the time very well. Inside of the wheel bays and engine cowling were also Interior Green FS 34151. Wheel bays could have been Zinc Chromate Yellow, FS 33481. Landing gear was Light Gull Gray or Aluminum Lacquer. After overhaul aircraft could have had the landing gear, wheel centers and wheel bays painted Glossy Sea Blue.

F4U-4 Corsair. Cockpit: FS 34151 Interior Green. The area above the consoles was black. Inside of the engine cowling was Zinc Chromate Yellow, Interior Green or possibly Flat Black with the area ahead of the cylinder seal in Glossy Sea Blue. All other visible areas were Glossy Dark Sea Blue similar to the F6F-5. Landing Gear: Aluminum Lacquer or Light Gray. After overhaul aircraft could have had the landing gear, wheel centers and wheel bays painted Glossy Sea Blue.

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yea tell me about it I am trying to build a F4u-4 corsair from korea and I want to build it from that time period but any pictures I find of the wheel bays are from warbirds that are flying today so how do I know whats right and what looks pretty to some one else?

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I'd agree that an F4U-4 in Korea would probably have everything painted GSB by that time. A lot of those airplanes had gone through rework prior to going to war, and when repainted, pretty much everything but the cockpit would be painted blue.

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Note that GSB FG-1D's had GSB gear bays and LG legs, unlike their F4U-1D siblings. This is actually one of the easier spotting differences between F4U-1D's and FG-1D's in WW2 (as the aircraft were physically identical)

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so whant to paint my bird cage corsair in dull dark green because black wouldn't look right to me. so who makes a dull dark green that I can use? and as for the salmon color im going with a more red pinky color.

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so whant to paint my bird cage corsair in dull dark green because black wouldn't look right to me. so who makes a dull dark green that I can use? and as for the salmon color im going with a more red pinky color.

Look for a match for Euro 1 Green, it's very close to DDG and a common match.

Edited by mawz
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