I bought this kit during the spring time for a project to do with my son , I bought one for me and one for him to build together at the same pace. After we got started we both realized that this wasn’t the kit to have a beginner on so I shelved it and bought something a little easier for him. The reason behind this build was a meeting with my mentor at a church function we had over early summer. He used to build models but cant any longer due to a slight shake he has in his hands which makes him unsteady. I had asked him what his favorite WWII aircraft was(because he’s into that kind of stuff) and he responded almost right away with “The Corsair”. I kept that in the back of my head until September 26 when I put the wheels in motion on building this kit. What I didn’t know was just how much of a challenge this build would be with all the gaps, misfits and alignment issues. I literally slaved away on this thing to get it done in time to present it as a Christmas gift by next month for him with anywhere from 30 min. to 4 hours a day being spent on it. This is the kit I’m taking about to give you all a visual (and to properly warn any innocent bystanders out there) of what I bought.
The fit issues alone where enough that I actually had the thing in the trash can twice! I knew if I did what I wanted and went for the Tamiya 1/48 kit that I would have had a lot better looking build with more detail but I wouldn’t have been able to finish it by Christmas because thats how I am. The more detail, the more time it takes to get it done. I built her as flown as part of Black Sheep Squadron VMF-214 operated off of the USS Sicily (CVE-118) , Korea in 1951. Any ways here are the finishing photos;
and a shot of it on the display base without the acrylic glass top on it. (It’s actually a shadow box with the glass removed, mirror cut to fit and a acrylic glass top made by a local plastic glass shop.
I’d like to thank every one in the Pacific Carrier Group Build for their words of encouragement that kept me on track so I could get this thing done. I think my good buddy Pat will be ok with it.[;)]
Excellent job! My son and I built his first one after Christmas last year. We got it together and on the finished shelf ok, but then his 3 year old brother got into the act and painted it for him…with Testors cement…ooowwwwww!!!
Thanks mississippi! Hate to hear about the demise of your Corsair. Eeek!!
There were a couple of things I just couldn’t leave OOB. I added a set of Eduard color seat belts, some True Details bombs and scrounged a set of OOB wheels/ tires from a spare Eduard Hellcat I have that I’ll be using the resin parts for on that build so I won’t be missing those on down the line. Exterior paint is all Vallejo Air and exhaust weathering is dry brushed on ground up pastel.
Yeah, that kit was the first one I build out of the gate last year, after 25 plus year gap in model building. I was proud of it then, but I’m seriously thinking about attaching a couple of rocket motors on it to see how far it’ll fly. Yeppers, I laugh at it now.
That said, I don’t know that I could’ve picked a worse model to start with. Like you said, gap issues everywhere! The cockpit window was a joke, and I will not even talk about the wings…
For such a poor model, you did an excellent job. It’s almost enough to make me want to go back and giver’er another try… ALMOST!!! Yeah, I’ll spend the extra $20 or so for the Tamiya kit It’s a dream to build! Again, great job!!! How old is your boy? I miss getting to do stuff like that with mine. He’s soon to be 23… Oh, well… Maybe there’ll be grand kids sometime in the next 15 years… Thanks for sharing!!! Raymond
Same story for me as well. That’s the first one I built after being gone so long and it was a rough build. The fit issues are just horrid. I keep thinking I should do another and do it better but I clear my head and say, nope, not again. Great job, it looks fantastic. !!
Thanks Raymond! Man you don’t know how many times I almost got a Tamiya kit. I was just too far along with the Revellogram to turn back. You’re definitely right about the gap issues and the wing guns…good Lord!
Joseph is 10 years old and has built on here before in the last Weekend Madness GB that stikpusher hosted. He also has built a Revellogram Zero using tape and magic marker. lol
He doesn’t know it yet but I’ve got him a small set up with a beginners carousel paint rack, some military colors, basic set of paint brushes, sprue snippers and a small cutting mat for Christmas. He’s riding the fence right now with the hobby because he hasn’t had his own work bench and supplies but hopefully this’ll sway him to the good side of “the force”.
Hopefully you can pass the hobby down to either your son (there’s still time) and to your future grandkids. Again , thanks for the kudos.
Nice looking build Joe. Your paint work always comes out super smooth. I like the look of the wing fold on one side only. Very nice exhaust staining and weathering. No need for you to deck out a kit with AM just to look nice. You did this one justice right outa the box!
Thanks Nathan! Yeah the one wing folded actually saved me a ton of work on the side that is now folded. Extending the wing was actually a major part of the build. If I would have shown an engine with this one there woulda been a ton of AM involved but I kept this one rather simple to finish it within the deadline of Christmas.
Hey mustang1989 I bought the same model and I ended up trying to order the fuselage because it was broken and didn’t fit each other but my request was not accepted I was mad and tried to build it still but I’m not that skilled so I just put in the circular file and my father felt bad so he ended up getting me a F/A 18E Super Hornet it has an amazing fit and it has been fun building it. It also has very good detail I remecond it to people how like very detailed models
Plasticteen: Mine ended up in the trash…twice! By that time I had so much time invested that I just couldn’t waste the efforts and built it. Thanks for the good word man.
Joe: Thanks dude for that. A lot of things you mention in tutorials are used in this build.
Gary: Thanks bubba. Haven’t seen you around in a while.
It’s a dream to build! Again, great job!!! How old is your boy? I miss getting to do stuff like that with mine. He’s soon to be 23… Oh, well… Maybe there’ll be grand kids sometime in the next 15 years… Thanks for sharing!!! Raymond