Cactus Air Force Corsair

by Rick Cotton

This is (or was) Trumpeter's F4U-1d kit, backdated to a Dash-1 of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal. I used a CAM resin cockpit (once and for all, proof that it fits!), Lone Star Birdcage conversion set, and Lone Star Smooth-tread Wheels.

After assembly (@#$%^& ejector pin marks and #$%^&*"working " flap hinges), I sprayed the metal portions of the airframe with Testors Metalizer Aluminum Plate,and then buffed it to a high sheen. I then preshaded the aircraft with a very dark, almost black spray along all the panel lines, and then used about 5 different shades of Pollyscale USN Blue Gray over a slightly darkened Gull Gray underside. I painted on some "repaired areas" by 0000 brush, did a watercolor wash, and then shaded some more with ground pastel chalks in various grays and blue-grays, going for that sun-bleached, oxidized look. After flattening everything with Testors Acrylic Clear Flat. I chipped the aircraft with rolled up masking tape,revealing the shiny aluminum underneath. At this scale, why try to "simulate" chipping when you can just chip the paint for real?

In addition to the other reviews of this kit on the Web, I would add only the following points:

1. The Hamilton Standard propeller logos are too big
2. The folded wings should be toed-in slightly at the top. You'll have to shave a bit off the outside edge of the top inner wing panel to get the outer panels to lean in properly.

Even with these problems, and the inaccuracies recently pointed out by Rodney Williams on the Skywriters website, the Trumpeter kit is easily the best 1/32 Corsair kit ever.

© Rick Cotton 2004