1/32 Tamiya F4U-1a Corsair - Boyington 17740

[jkim]

My guns are definitely NOT bore-sighted. It was challenging enough just to get them centered behind the holes and pointed in the correct general direction!

[speedgraflex]

Your work and choices are great, John—that’s why I put the clapping emoji first. Forgive me if that did not read as complimentary and definitely forgive me for inserting the page from the manual as that was not useful for you. Edit: I just read what you wrote to Mark and that makes sense to define your approach to the scope of accuracy.

I don't consider myself an accuracy-nut. I like to be accurate to a certain degree but, for example, I'm not going to make sure that all of hydraulic lines in the Corsair wheel wells connect to the right component and that they are all accounted for. For that area of the build, I just want to create an "impression" of reality without having to pore through technical manuals.

I am definitely an unabashed lover of manuals, but your point is very well made.

Cheers and happy Friday.

[jkim]

Information and references are ALWAYS good! I did not take your post as non-complimentary but I wanted to make sure that I was not claiming anything other than a visual nod to the staggered guns. I think you'd find a way to align those gun barrels much better than I could but I'm satisfied with the representation. There is also the chance that the openings will be taped up anyway!

I've re-done the wheel hubs and worked on the tires a little bit more. Once I put on the red alignment stripes, I can share the (hopefully) finished landing gear.

[jkim]

Here's version 3.0 of the tire hubs. Now they are Intermediate Blue stained from the center outwards to mimic staining from the brake dust. The tires were dirtied up a little bit more using a brown pastel wash on a flat finish. When it dries, it tends to create tide marks, which I thought kind of mimics the wear that I see in archive photos. I'll probably reduce the light-colored wash around the Goodyear logos.

[LyleW]

That about covers it.

[BlackSheep214]

That about covers it.

[Floki]

Beautiful John, learning alot following your build here.

[speedgraflex]

Beautiful John, learning a lot following your build here.

I absolutely agree and if I could have copied and pasted the photo of blue wheels that I found and lost whilst doing internet searches you have achieved precisely the same effect as a photograph of the real deal.

[KennyX]

The work here is fantastic! That gear is painted and weathered beautifully and I especially like how you brought your sponge weathering technique to this. The landing gear look life-sized to me, in the pictures.

[jkim]

Thanks guys! All comments are appreciated!

I didn't get to do much work on the Corsair today. Still thinking about how to do the wheel wells. I drilled out a couple of holes in the wheel well sidewalls but that's about it.



Does anyone know... the wheel wells were probably painted in the bottom color, which is Insignia White. What is the color underneath that. Were the wheel wells coated with zinc chromate primer BEFORE the white? Or was the white applied over bare metal? I want to do a little chipping so I wanted to know what my base color should be.