Hey Everybody,
I’m building Tamiya’s F4U-1A Corsair (61070). My intentions are to go strait from the box on this one. I’ll be using the VMF-111, No. 122 Gilbert Islands Sep 1944 decals from the kit. My questing is; During this time and place in the war were they painting over the belly windows or not? The kit directions say to leave the belly window clear, but it just doesn’t seem right. It’s a nice little kit.
Semper Fi,
Chris
I’m also building the Tamiya Corsair. I have the Detail and Scale book on it, and from what I read, the window was still in that version of production birds. Now, whether or not they might have been painted over in the field, I don’t have an answer.
Thank you for the info TJ. Let’s see what some of the other guys think about whether or not they were painted over.
According to Squdron’s F4U Corsair in action, “The bomb-aiming window on the fuselage underside was deleted after a small number of Corsairs were produced.” This is consistent with what I have read elsewhere. Unless your specific plane is a really early birdcage Corsair, my best guess is that it would be painted over, if not actually replaced by a metal panel.
Andy
Andy
Paint it over. Most were painted over in the field, as the pilots couldn’t really see well enough through them for their intended use (besides, the bombs in the wings weren’t used on any production Corsairs), and the maintenance guys didn’t feel like taking the trouble to mask the window off (to repaint the area after repairs) if it wasn’t gonna be used. BUT, if you’re going to show it as a newly-delivered aircraft (hardly any weathering), then show it clear. That’s how most of the birdcage Corsairs came from the factory.
Abarne and Devil Dawg, thanks for the info. It sounds like I’ll be going with painting it over. Newly delivered aircraft isn’t my thing. In fact all the bombing sortie tags on the decal would mean that this will be a very used aircraft. I’m going to give the plane some coral runway errosion on the props and leading edges, oil stains, and other weathing treatment. Thanks for the info.
Semper Fi,
Chris
I just looked at the AM decal set I’m going to use, and it appears that the aircraft on it had their windows painted over also. Be sure to post pics when complete.
It’s a deal TJ, thanks