PROMODELER 1:48 VOUGHT F4U-5/5NL CORSAIR

 

Reviewer: Matt Lockman (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted:  2 June 2007

Kit Details:

Vought F4U-5 / 5NL Corsair, Revell-Monogram “Pro Modeler”, 1:48 scale

Aircraft History:

The F4U Corsair was one of the most famous fighter aircraft of World War Two.  Its unique inverted gull-wing and powerful reciprocating engine gave it manoeuvrability and speed that allowed it to outpace the formidable Japanese Zero and give the U.S. an edge in the Pacific air war.  The aircraft demonstrated some unusual flight characteristics, especially at low speed, and was thus initially rejected by the Navy for use on aircraft carriers.  It garnered a reputation for being especially hard on inexperienced pilots and earned the dubious nickname of the “Ensign Eliminator.”  The Corsair was handed over to Marine squadrons flying from land bases in the Solomon Islands.  Eventually a more powerful engine and improved flaps allowed the Corsair to successfully operate from carriers and the rest is naval history.  More than 12,000 were built and were continuously improved.  It was one of a handful of aircraft types that avoided the smelter and went on to serve after WWII.  Versions saw combat action in Korea, especially with Marine squadrons who used them to great effect in the ground attack role.  The Corsair also had numerous foreign customers, and some examples were flying for Central American air forces as late as 1979!  To this day, the Corsairs still flying on the warbird circuit are awe-inspiring machines.

The Kit:

I snapped up this kit from the clearance rack of a major chain hobby store only because the cover art depicted an aircraft in the markings of Naval Air Station Glenview, Illinois.  Living outside of Chicago, NAS Glenview was a major part of my life growing up, so I just had to add this model to my collection.  Very impressive recessed panel lines, split drooped flaps, and detailed ordnance.  Cockpit detail was satisfactory, but could easily be improved with a little scratch building or an aftermarket cockpit.  Parts were molded in light grey and attached to sprue trees with absolutely no noticeable flash.  The usual defects such as ejector marks were not found.

Instructions:

Booklet-type pages were very straightforward and provided sufficient detail.  A list of paints is provided with some corresponding FS numbers.  No parts list.  Callouts clearly identified.  The instructions offer the option of building a day fighter version or a night fighter version.  You should decide before starting construction which version you want to make because there are additional parts for the night fighter version that need to be added throughout the construction process such as muzzle flash suppressors, exhaust blinds, and the obvious wing-mounted radar.  Adding night fighter parts to the day fighter version will detract from authenticity.  These parts are clearly marked for the “5NL” version and the instructions are easy to follow depending on which variant you want to build.

Construction:

The build process went fairly easily.  No glaring fit problems and just some minor seam work required along the bottom where the wing assembly meets the fuselage.  Seam smoothing along the line where the fuselage halves join together must be done carefully to avoid obliterating the recessed panel lines.  I used a scribing tool, with Dymo embossing tape as a guide, to recreate anything I sanded away.  The drooped flaps seemed a hassle, but they actually fit in place quite nicely and only a little trimming was required to complete their finished appearance.  I used Elmer’s white glue to fill gaps around the gun ports and along the bottom seam where the engine cowling meets the fuselage.  When basic airframe assembly was complete, I stuffed some tissue paper into the engine face, cockpit, and gear wells to mask them off and over-sprayed with a grey primer.  I went back after a couple of days and touched up any areas that needed additional sanding before applying the final coat of gloss sea blue.  Gear, doors, ordnance, prop, and canopy were added after being detail-painted.  I applied a light weathering wash of acrylic dark brown to bring out the details of the landing gear.

Options:

The kit can be finished either as a F4U-5 day fighter or a F4U-5NL night fighter, both of post-WWII vintage (the 4-bladed propeller appeared on production versions too late for this speedier, more powerful Corsair to see combat against Japan).  The day fighter carries markings of a U.S. Navy Reserve squadron based out of NAS Glenview, Illinois.  The night fighter carries markings of VC-4, a U.S. Navy squadron deployed to Japan during the Korean War.

Colour Schemes:

Decals:

Decals for both versions are included on a single sheet.  The decals were of very good quality, proportional, and accepted Solvaset rather well.  It should be noted that a special star-and-bar decal is included for the night fighter version that fits over the curved surface of the wing-mounted radar blister; use this decal only on the 5NL version.  Follow instructions carefully for decal placement pursuant to whatever version you have decided to build.

Accuracy:

Being an avid fan of the Corsair (I’ll admit it…I watched episodes of Baa Baa Black Sheep with religious fanaticism…and read everything about Pappy Boyington), this model does an excellent job of replicating the real thing.  Sitting on the shelf, you can look at it from any angle and compare it to pictures of the real thing.  Its stance is beautiful and the drooped flaps really give this bird an “at rest” appearance which greatly adds to its authenticity.

Overall Recommendation:

A joy to build, and will leave you with an impressive-looking model when it’s all said and done.  While the Pro Modeler line was originally marketed for more experienced modelers looking for greater detail in their kits, this kit is also suited to someone less experienced as the smooth fit and attention to detail in the mold process makes this a relatively quick and painless build.

 

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