Subject: Re: Corsair article
From: "Franck Oudin" <[email-masked]>
To: "Steve Bamford" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 08:35:49 +0200

Hello Steve,
ok here is the article,and please put it on the site whenever,it is
possible,thank you once again.
All the best FRANCK.

Here is my article about the Corsair,so the kit used is the F4U-1A form
Tamiya at the 1/48 scale,i used and Eduard Photoetched set and the decals
are from Aeromaster,like many a/c kits,i started with the interior,the
complete cockpit is painted interior green and some details have been
painted in black,the instruments panels,has been erased and replace with PE
part,and a drop of clear varnish is put in every radial,the the complete
seat is also replace with PE,and as well painted in green,the seat belt are
painted in a buff color,to give a bit more life,and realistic look  in the
interior i apply a dark brown/black wash,and then apply with a large but
soft brush some graphit,and it does give and nice effect ,i had the oxygen
hose,made in scratch.
The  tailweel bay has been painted in the same time,and weathered like the
cockpit,the fit of the completed interior,is no problem, both fuselage are
now gluded together,and the antiglare panels is painted in black.
The front canopy,is now gluded in place,and the stabilizers are put into
place as well,the interior of the engine cowl is painted  interior green
and receive again the same treatment as the cockpit,the engine has been
painted with Alclade aluminium,and receive an acrylic wash,the front of the
engine is painted in neutral gray,the curcuit of wires from the PE set is
painted wih a mix of copper and gun metal and put in place,then again,a
thiny amount of graphit is put with a soft brush,then the engine is gluded
to the fuselage,in the meatinme the cockpit has been masked,and the canopy
too,the tailwheel receive some serious surgical treatment,if you decide to
use the same PE set that i used,be prepared to do so,but the result look
pretty good.
Now the wings,i did not modified anything at all on the wings,the
adjustment is so perfect,just a nice gluing,and you are done.
The wheel bay as been painted with interior green,and a wash was apply on
every corner,and with an artist silver pen i made some chipping paint
effect,then the landing gear and the tail wheel have been painted with
alclade and a wash of acrylic has been apply,some modifications,as been
done,to updated with PE parts,and a brake line from a copper wire has been
had,on each strut.
The wings are now gluded with fuselage,and there is no problem and no
filling has been required,when i had mask all the areas,cockpit,whell bay
etc,the a/c is now ready for painting,before that i polished the complete
a/c with iron wool,(very fine quality00 and then with a soft cloth buffed
after it,then a complete coat or Tamiya chrome silver as been apply and let
it dry for 24hrs,i forgot to mention that the flaps received the same
treatment,the a/c is now buffed,and a random coat of future as been sprayed
on the model,then the white is painted, several layer are needed to obtain
a nice opaque white,again i let the paint dry for 24hrs,and then both
blues,have painted on free hand,wich to me is the best way to paint a/c
models.
Then the fun start,it was the first attempt for me to try to do a nice
chipping paint effect,and i am happy with the result to do that i took a
piece of magic tape and press on the area where i wanted to chip the
paint,and pull it quickly,and some paint come off,just repeat the operation
until you are satisfied,then a coat of Tamiya Clear X-22,at that point a
wash of black/brown /grey is apply on the panels lines,then the decals are
apply and are set with some Aeromaster setting solution.
The exaust stain are made with the airbrush,and i used 3 differents colors
first sout and  brown,and at last grey,the rest of the weathering is made
with pastels.
All the small parts are now put in place,wheels landing gear,gear
door,etc,the antennas wires are from stretch sprues,the exausts pipes are
replace by plastic tubing,finally a complete coat of flat Aeromaster
varnish,is apply on the a/c.
The a/c is depict as LT Ira Kepford from the VF-17,based in Bougainville in
Salomons islands in January 1944.
This kit was pleasure to built,the general fit is perfect,and it does give
a very model of this fantastic aircraft,that the Corsair was.