Yiannis Mitzas

F4u-1 Corsair BirdcageVF-17 Tamiya’s 1:48

I’ve started working on one of my next builds on the list, and with all this disruption to my normal busy work schedule, I’m thinking I might just be able to squeeze a WIP out of it. I plan to make this post the same way as my others, where I will show some easy ways to improve the details and improve the different features of the kit to make a better looking aircraft. Many of these are within each skill set. It just takes an eye to realize it and a will to do it. Some things require better tools. I was wired for a lot of scratches years ago and tried to do more with less, which may help you understand, but ultimately save yourself the grief and get a set of what you need. It could go a long way to a more consistent and much nicer build. The idea is to install a Corsair on the deck of Bunker Hill (CV-17) in July 1943.

I have started extensive research and all the observations along with all your photographic material are listed in the link at the end of the article. I decided to recreate the 17-F-31 as I have seen it on video fall back onto the deck of Bunker Hill.

Improvements

For the build I took the cockpit and engine from the Aires 4225 1:48 Vought F4U-1 Corsair detail set. The pilot is from the USAAF Pilots and Ground Personnel set, ICM 48083

Coloring

The inside

Interior Green MRP-131

Pink salmon primer MRP-130

the lower part of the wing. The canopy behind the pilot’s seat with the

Blue Gray MRP-133

Insignia white MRP-135

The top surface, basis of the camouflage design, I followed the Intermediate Blue MRP-136 & the Sea Blue MRP-237.

Note. The rudders on the wings are the opposite of the color on the surface!

Deck

I bought an Eduard 1/48 US Navy aircraft carrier deck. We mounted it on a wooden base and painted it US Navy Blue Deck (LIF-UA624)

Special glue (transfer glaze) for image transfer on wood. It is a very simple but at the same time beautiful and easy technique that allows us to transfer an image to a Fototransfer Acualux TITAN surface. I took two pictures. One of the actual 17-F-31 and another of the VF-17 with the victory points. I put them back on the wooden shelf. After cleaning the image paper, I applied wood varnish and sealed the surface