Redback

I am getting close to completing a 1/8 TF Corsair and, as an expat Pom in the land of Oz, would like to paint it in British colours.

Can anyone aim me at some info on colour schemes that I can work from. I have a couple of pictures but nothing good enough to base a paint job on. It's not going to be a super scale effort, but would like to do as good a job on the paintwork as I can.

This is my second Corsair, first was done as an NZ one in honour of our colleages in the Eastern Territory!

Terry

rrudytoo

My Feedback: (27)

Redback,

There are several sources out there but this one you can hit right away for some instant, though limited, information.

http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/571/9

On the right side of the page you'll see "Page 1" and "Page 2". Click on these and you'll get some profile views that may be useful. This is a Russian site and it is chock full of information on markings and such. Explore the site and I'll bet you'll save it in Favorites like I did. Enjoy!

Al

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Did a search for "Tamiya British Corsair" and came up with this:
http://www.internetmodeler.com/1999/...av_corsair.htm

BTW: Tamiya makes probably THE BEST/ MOST ACCURATE scale model kits. The kits come with decals for several different schemes (I am thinking that at least ONE of their many Corsair kits will have British decals and instructions), and they provide very accurate 3 view drawings showing where to apply the specific colors for a given paint scheme. Even if you don't build the model, the instructions and decals will be worth the money.

Redback

Thanks guys

Terry

dragoonpvw

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This is mine. I am an ex-pat in Florida. I have a bunch of info and pics of Brit corsairs and I will get them together and scan a few pics.
Model Aircraft magazine had a few good issues of the British pacific fleet planes and one on corsairs. A french magazine that I found had the best selection, it is called aero journal and was issue no 23 and had about five pages of colour side views and two thee views plus lots of photos.
This is mine, I originally got this from the aero-journal magazine. It was the only British Corsair that I ever saw with artwork on it.
good luck
Paul

WhiteRook

My Feedback: (38)

one thing about british corsairs is that they had shorter wing spans , because of the height of the decks on english carriers. it increased the roll rate alittle

just some facts i thought id share

Redback

I came upon the information on the shorter wing when I was well into the build. EVen if I had known I am not sure that I would have changed the span on the model. Just have to make sure there's no-one around with a tape measure!

Dragoon, your's looks great, did you the plastic oil coolers or fabricate them? I don't plan to use the plastic as I found with the last one it was easier to make them from balsa.

Terry

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

The wings were shorter at the tips: they had squared tips, rather than the conventional rounded tips. The remainder of the the wings were the same as U.S. Navy/ Marines Corsairs. If your's is not painted yet, it's not too late to square them off.

"Corsair Aces of World War 2" ("OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES") has an illustration (top view drawing) of the Corsair II wing tip. According to this booklet, the span was shorter by 8", or 4" each wing. That amounts to 1/2" per wing, on a 1/8 scale Corsair. Really not all that much, but it IS noticable.
You might also find more details and illustrations in the Squadron/ Signal Publication: Corsair in Scale and Detail.

Redback

Thanks CJ, I'll take a look. I am just in the process of finishing the wingtips/ailerons/flaps so it would be possible to do some mods. Only minor problem would be exposing the holes I drilled in the tip blocks to lose some weight!

BTW, just found a reference (http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Corsair.htm) that suggests that FAA Corsairs had "41cm clipped from their wingtips...." Assuming, as it seems, that this means each tip it would equate to about 5cm or 2 inches per wing.


Terry

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Here is a link to a YouTube video; It is perhaps the best show that I have seen of a Corsair. I veiwed it many times before I realized that: altho it is painted as a U.S. Navy 'Jolly Rogers' F4U-1A, it is in fact a 'clipped wing' British (or New Zealand?) Corsair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjRDZPS1X6I

dragoonpvw

My Feedback: (7)

Terry,
mine is not a top flite kit. It is the Byron corsair. It is a little bigger at 85 inches and 33 pounds.

DaddySam

My Feedback: (9)

That's the Corsair I'm modeling cut the wingtips off my TFGS. That particular Corsair is the last of the Corsairs that actually flew in the New Zealand Air Force in WW2. It was part of the "Breitling Fighters" display, and is flown by Keith Skilling (hope I spelled his name correctly). If you google for "New Zealand Corsair" there are a few news casts of the plane being shipped to New Zealand and of one of the first flights. I've only seen his displays via video on the internet, but he is a wonderful show pilot.
Sam

stephanmk1

have fun!!

Redback

More on the clipped wings. A book I have called "Fighting Aircraft of WW2" (an excellent book) suggests that the span of the British Corsairs was about 16 inches less that the US version.

At 1/8 scale this is about an inch of each wingtip. As the tip blocks are 2 inches at their widest this will work out OK and is what I will go with. It looks like if I cut this off the outline will be pretty close to the pictures I have seen.

Terry

Redback

The Corsair is getting close to completion. Pic below is the first time assembled after painting, main intent being to find out where the CG has ended up. I have a fairly substantial Nicad which, if mounted in the cowl should balance it about right. Expect the final weight to be around 10 3/4 pounds, after flying a 17 1/2 pound KMP FW190 I am not too concerned.

Build is mostly standard apart from the paint job (also I clipped the wings as per the early British versions), though I did fit Sierra retracts in the hope of regular, trouble free flying. Couple of weeks fiddling around to finalise the radio install and it should be ready for a 1st flight.

Maybe not a scale masterpiece, but at least it's not insignia blue!

Terry

aghost

My Feedback: (13)

Good looking plane!! What engine did you put in it? Good luck on the maiden. Give us a flight report.

Brian

Redback

Got an OS91FX in it which used to live in my previous TF Corsair, sadly no longer with us. Used to haul the old one OK so should be fine for this one.

Terry

Fly2XS

My Feedback: (65)

I had read that the first 96 Corsair I's (F4U-1) delivered to the FAA were NOT clipped wings. The modifications did not take place until the Corsair II was delivered (F4U-1A).
Did any of the early shipment get to the Pacific?

lightning 759

hi
just been looking at this thread, your corsair looks super really good to see one that's not navy blue makes a refreshing change

keep up the good work

andy

p.s visited mount Dora on vacation last year lovely looking place ( he say,s green with envy )