Post by mustang1989 on Jan 28, 2021 16:58:42 GMT -5
I bought this kit during the spring time of 2015 for a project to do with my son. I bought one for me and one for him to build together at the same pace. After we got started we both realized that this wasn't the kit to have a beginner on so I shelved it and bought something a little easier for him. The reason behind this build was a meeting with my mentor at a church function we had over early summer. He used to build models but cant any longer due to a slight shake he has in his hands which makes him unsteady. I had asked him what his favorite WWII aircraft was(because he's into that kind of stuff) and he responded almost right away with "The Corsair". I kept that in the back of my head until September 26 when I put the wheels in motion on building this kit. What I didn't know was just how much of a challenge this build would be with all the gaps, misfits and alignment issues. I literally slaved away on this thing to get it done in time to present it as a Christmas gift by next month for him with anywhere from 30 min. to 4 hours a day being spent on it. This is the kit I'm talking about to give you all a visual (and to properly warn any innocent bystanders out there) of what I bought.
The fit issues alone where enough that I actually had the thing in the trash can twice! I knew if I did what I wanted and went for the Tamiya 1/48 kit that I would have had a lot better looking build with more detail but I wouldn't have been able to finish it by Christmas because thats how I am. I did, however, take the time to add just a few things. The pilots seat got a set of seat belts, the crap Revell wheels and tires got replaced with a set of much better looking offerings from the Eduard Hellcat kit and the toy like wing cannons all got replaced with medical syringes to add some realism. The more detail, the more time it takes to get it done. I built her as flown as part of Black Sheep Squadron VMF-214 operated off of the USS Sicily (CVE-118) , Korea in 1951. Any ways here are the finishing photos;
and a shot of it on the display base without the acrylic glass top on it. (It's actually a shadow box with the glass removed, mirror cut to fit and a acrylic glass top made by a local plastic glass shop. You should have seen the look on his face when I gave it to him for Christmas. It really didn't matter about the fact that this isn't my best build but the look on his face was priceless!
The fit issues alone where enough that I actually had the thing in the trash can twice! I knew if I did what I wanted and went for the Tamiya 1/48 kit that I would have had a lot better looking build with more detail but I wouldn't have been able to finish it by Christmas because thats how I am. I did, however, take the time to add just a few things. The pilots seat got a set of seat belts, the crap Revell wheels and tires got replaced with a set of much better looking offerings from the Eduard Hellcat kit and the toy like wing cannons all got replaced with medical syringes to add some realism. The more detail, the more time it takes to get it done. I built her as flown as part of Black Sheep Squadron VMF-214 operated off of the USS Sicily (CVE-118) , Korea in 1951. Any ways here are the finishing photos;
and a shot of it on the display base without the acrylic glass top on it. (It's actually a shadow box with the glass removed, mirror cut to fit and a acrylic glass top made by a local plastic glass shop. You should have seen the look on his face when I gave it to him for Christmas. It really didn't matter about the fact that this isn't my best build but the look on his face was priceless!
It's an interweb thing.....