From the kit instructions the following was provided:  “ A spectacular non-production variant of the Corsair was created by Goodyear during World War II. Called the F2G, this Corsair was to have gone into mass production specifically as an answer to the threat posed by Japanese kamikaze aircraft which were ramming US ships in the Pacific in increasing numbers as the Americans sailed nearer to Japan. Heart of the F2G design was the massive 3,000 horsepower Pratt and Whitney R-4360-4 radial engine. This was an earlier version of the powerplant which would be used in the behemoth Convair B-36 Peacemaker strategic bomber of the late 1940’s and 1950’s, and in the Boeing B-50 and C-97 bomber and transport. The R-4360’s 28 cylinders were arranged in four rows, aptly earning the nickname “corncob” for this layout.

 Emphasis was put on low-altitude interception capability, to stop the kamikazes before they could hit surface ships. Thus, where the FG-1D Corsair at sea level was expected to reach a top speed of 328mph (628/kph), and the F4U-4 could hit 381mph at minimal altitude, the F2G could cut through the dense low-level air at 399mph, while hitting a maximum speed of 399mph at 16,400 feet.”

 Why review a 7 year old resin set now that Special Hobby has released the F2G series in limited run injection plastic? There are lessons to be learned from the instructions that can improve your other F2G Corsair builds. Also, as Special Hobby releases other versions with some of the F2G decals you can finally build this resin kit that has languished in your stash.

 In 2000 Pend Oreille Model Kits released a resin of the F2G-1 Corsair. The resin set consists of one or two vac-form canopy(s), three pages of assembly instructions, 35 resin parts including a resin prop and engine, and 5 white metal parts. Although the instructions state the prop is in white metal it was issued in resin. The second release of the resin kit contained an explanatory note: “ CAUTION – Further to advise. I many modelers we replaced the full engine Pratt & Whitney R 4360 engine by one front engine, But if you want absolutely a full engine for your F2G1 Corsair. We can supply one for $ 5.00 Free Shipping.” This is an exact quote from the instructions so please do not attribute any grammar or spelling issues to me.

 Essentially, the note added to the instructions explains the first release had a full R-4360 resin engine and for the same price you were getting in the same kit numbered box a resin engine front – without the previous full R-4360. The only perceptible difference in boxes is the first release was in a slightly larger blue colored box and the second release with the deleted full engine and replacement resin engine front and only one vac-form canopy was in smaller pink colored box.   Also, the instructions had a new partial page “note” inserted explaining the engine change.

 Vac-Form conversion parts

 The only vac-form used in this kit was the canopy. There were two canopies in the first release and only one in the second release (same price though!).

 Decals – none.  Truthfully, as much as I wanted to build this kit the lack of decals stopped me from building it as soon as I purchased the kit.

 White Metal Parts

 The new bits provided in white metal include new main landing gear struts, tail wheel, control stick and landing gar door retraction struts.  

Resin Parts

 A very nice resin prop and separate prop hub which represents the new Hamilton Standard “Super Hydromatic” prop along with the new fuselage mounted carb air intake duct comes with this kit. In the first release of this kit a complete R-4360-2 engine was provided. In the second release only a new engine front was provided.

 Instructions

 The instructions were minimal but do allow you to build the kit. There are some helpful notes such as confirming the engine tip should extend 1/16^th inch or 1.5 mm past the engine cowl.

Other recommended non-kit parts 

Once I had the kit in hand and ready to build my effort stalled due to the lack of decals. This was a showstopper for me. The additions I bought and placed with the resin kit were:

  True Details # 48452 F4U-4 Corsair Cockpit Detail Set. This is a very nicely detailed cockpit and comes at the right price point so I used it as the starting point for a redo of the conversion kit cockpit. The original POMK cockpit was fine. I had the TD cockpit and looked at color photos in Steve Muth’s pictorial booklet The TD F4U-4 cockpit would look close enough to a F2G cockpit to enhance rather than detract from the final built model since it had a much nicer seat than the POMK version.

 CMK  # 4072  Resin F4U-4 Corsair cockpit set. This is a very nicely detailed cockpit that was at a nice price in 2000 so I decided to use it in one of the POMK releases.

 This resin set was a great effort to fill a much-wanted gap in 1/48th plastic kits. It disappeared from availability shortly after the second relapse was out of stock in two months indicating tremendous demand for this version of the corsair. It does not surprise me since it has been near the top of my “most wanted” in 1/48th scale kit list for many years. I was hoping Tamiya would extend their Corsair line or even Hasegawa who have done a fine job of late producing most of the Corsair variants, but to no avail.

April 2007

F2G Specific References and Modeling Notes

 F4U Corsair  - Warbird History  Veronico , J. &. D. Campbell (Motorbooks)  1994

 Chapter 8 F2G Goodyear’s Corncob Corsair pages 74 to 81.

Corsair – Thirty Years of Filibustering 1940 –1970 by Bruno Pautigny – Histoire & Collections Books 2003

 Airpower  Jan. 1974 Vol. 4   No. 1   pgs. 18 – 27  The Ultimate Corsairs by Bob Grinsell

 Airpower  Jan. 1990 Vol. 20   No. 1   page  37  Racing Unlimited! by Kennedy & Hiatt

 R-4360 Pratt & Whitney’s Major Miracle by Graham White  Specialty Press  2006

  F4U Corsair – AJ Press Aircraft Monograph 19 by Adam Jarski   2005

 Chance Vought F4U Corsair Volume 2, #26 (3026) by Andre R. Zbiegniewski  2006 Kagero Books

Warbird Tech Series  Vought F4U Corsair  Volume 4  by Barrett Tillman  Specialty Press 1996

 F2G-1 Super Corsair A Detailed Photo Essay USN #1 by Steve Muth 1999   ISBN 1-930432-00-3

  Review sample courtesy of the reviewer’s wallet!