Ziroli F4U Corsair repair (cont)
Paint color:
In my opinion, this Navy Blue should have been a darker shade of blue!
Decals:
Normally, I use a water slide decal but the only decals I had was this one vinyl set.
I used to get them from Major Decals which became part of Northeast screen graphics but, it appears, 'stars n strips' are no longer sold!
Did find this web site but you'll have to contact them or 'search' for a larger decal set:
https://fanjetsusa.com/product/major...ure-sensitive/
Since these are vinyl, I pulled half the decal from the 'backing' paper, cut the 'backing' paper in half and put the decal back on the 'backing' paper.
Then I taped one side, pulled up half the decal from the 'backing' paper and used a 'bondo' applicator to push down the decal.
Ditto on the other half of the decal.
Right side taped to wing.
Left half of decal secured to wing.
Right half secured to wing.
Bottom of wing done.
I had some nomenclature 'left over' from my Carf. F4U so I put them on this plane.
Not 'complete' but 'better than nothing'!
Here's the defects showing when I didn't use a primer to 'smooth' out the surface before painting a glassed wing.
Panel lines and rivets.
I 'changed my mind' and went the 'easy' route and added them via 'paint pens'. This is much faster than my, usual, soldering iron with a 'brass tube' method.
Still had 'printouts' that I used on my Carf F4U.
Bought several types of 'pens' as I wasn't sure which would work the best.
These are 'enamel' base.
Purchased them at Michaels.
This 'medium' pen seems to work best.
The tip is 'fat' enough to see on the plane.
Right half of the wing.
I used an 18" 'see through' plastic ruler for the 'panel lines' and just 'eye balled' the rivets.
Nothing 'great' but it gives the wing some 'pop'!
MMM: I see I missed added more rivets to the LE area!
Left wing half.
NO: I'm not doing the bottom of the wing. No one will see it and this is just a 'week end' flyer.
One nice thing: the 'panel lines and rivets' hide the surface defects!
I put 'double' lines on the outer ribs to represent the cloth that was used in that area versus aluminum sheeting.
The fuse is next.
Always liked the Major decals 'water transfer' decals.
They must of been made using a 2 part epoxy because they didn't 'fall apart' on such a large decal when applying them to the plane's surface.
They also allow all surface panel lines and rivets to 'show through'.
Can see the rivets and panel lines in the decal.
