This is not so much a kit review but an opportunity to share my experiences with fellow modelers. Returning to the hobby after an absence of nearly 20 years I decided to restrict my initial projects to WWII fighters in 1/48th scale, for two reasons - 20 years ago I couldn't afford 1/48th scale so this was the ultimate indulgence, and I'm interested in the time period. I'll warn you now that if you are actually anything approaching an accomplished kit builder what follows could provide you with nightmares and have you seeking professional help for many years to come. If like me you like to read about the experiences of others then read on, you have been warned...

The Corsair, well add this to your "the best fighter of WWII" list. Development of the Corsair began way back in 1938 with the design team choosing the then most powerful engine available - a Pratt and Whitney XR-2800 no less. To avoid causing themselves problems with the extended undercarriage, needed to give the clearance demanded by the large propeller, the design team opted for the cranked wing configuration (here's me expecting to read of some fiendishly clever aerodynamic secret!) The  somewhat unusual wing allowed a more usual undercarriage to be adopted. I'd decided to build a Corsair II (F4U-1A) of the Fleet Air Arm, which were first used operationally from HMS Victorious in the April of 1944 providing escort service for an attack on the German battleship Tirpitz - the actual attack being carried out by Fairey Barracudas. Prior to using the Corsair II's modifications were needed by the FAA, a bulged canopy and the trimming of some 8 inches off the wing (more later!) this last modification to allow the aircraft to fit, wings folded, within the smaller roof space of the RN carriers.

A formidable aircraft US success in the Pacific saw the Corsair achieving some 2,140 victories for the loss of 189 aircraft - a ratio of more than 11:1. The Corsair also saw service during the Korean War with the last variant (F4U-7) being produced in Dallas in the December of 1952. A continuous build period of more than 10 years, producing some 12,571 examples of the type.

The kit comes with two options, the first from No 1834 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Victorious, British Pacific Fleet, 1945 - the second No. 17 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 1945. This was to be my first attempt at painting a kit using my newly purchased air brush. My head was telling me to build the No. 17 Squadron example - the colour scheme being simpler. My heart however couldn't resist the temptation of the Fleet Air Arm example. However the reality was to be somewhat different, it seems I have the only Royal New Zealand Fleet Air Arm hybrid Corsair in existence! 

The kit itself is some 46 parts of light grey plastic - an 18 step clear (but not clear enough...) guide is included. Warnings on the box say that anyone under 36months shouldn't consider a build since some of the parts are quite small. So sorry youngsters, maybe next year... There was some flash present but nothing my trusty scalpel wouldn't be able to deal with - unusually (in my experience) for an Airfix kit the pilot was presented standing outside the aircraft. Now I can't tell whether this guy is a New Zealander or not so I left him out of my plans. There are a couple of build differences requiring various parts to be dissected at the appropriate time. Basically the FAA example required an arrestor hook (stage 2 - I chopped mine off in error, and promptly lost it) and also the shaving off of 4.2mm from each wing. The RNZAF example would require a modified rear undercarriage flaps to take account of the missing hook. My example has no hook, and no modified flaps (is that the right word) - my error with the hook was compounded when I decided that I wasn't yet in possession of the necessary tools, know how or confidence to shave the required 4.2m from the wing. No matter, this was my plane, my hobby and one day I may come back and do it properly!

Ok, to the cockpit. Now the lack of a pilot meant that the seat had a couple of seatbelts molded in - now I know what I should have done, carefully carved the molded belts off the seat and replaced these with some almost perfect replicas including a dainty buckle. But I wasn't ready to climb that mountain so I carefully painted the only  'buckleless' harness in the entire Pacific at that time. The instrument detail was painted flat black and picked out with a dry silver brush. Looked good, so I was tempted to have another go with the dry brush - big mistake, out came the flat black again but the final result never quite created the feel of that original offering. The cockpit itself was painted in interior green, a colour later to be splattered with the contents of my air brush.  

The components themselves, despite my efforts went together very well, worthy of particular mention is the way in which the wings join the main fuselage, rather than attempt to butt the two parts together the fuselage sits astride the wings avoiding the need to fill the almost mandatory gap I need to create when butting components. Having decided not to attempt wing surgery the rest of the build progressed without further issue. At this point I have a complete airframe minus the under carriage, propeller and aerials - this was to avoid breaking these bits off during the airbrush stage.

OK, to the airbrush. As I said before this was to be my first outing, so after extensive practice on various bits of scrap plastic trying different paint mixes, pressures and nozzle adjustments (yeah sure, that's what I *should* have done - but how hard could this be right?) 

So my first decision, should I paint the top or the bottom? - Well I knew that the top needed to have a two tone camouflage and I just couldn't figure how to mask off between colours so I opted for painting the bottom  first. I'd also fitted the drop tank in the centre of the fuselage - both were mistakes - or maybe they highlighted my naivety.  No matter the decision had been made. So I filled in the wheel wells with damp tissue paper (my first good idea) and began to spray. Not bad, in fact pretty damn good! So fired with enthusiasm I sprayed the first top colour, Sea Grey, after first masking the bottom colour in what I'd hoped were appropriate places - also filled the cockpit with tissue paper. Sprayed. Noticed the drop tank was still the same colour as the original plastic in places rather than the expected beige green. So back to the bottom colour, masking reversed. Now the problems began - my paint was too wet and leaked under the tape causing the top engine cowl to change colour. Never mind, change masks, spray the top. Rub down the original run, spray the top again. Getting the practice I never had at the beginning by now. In the past when doing these two colour schemes I'd draw the outline on the aircraft in pencil and follow the line with my paint brush. I saw no reason to change this approach even in the era of the airbrush, so I drew the lines, decided to mask with Maskol which paints on and peels off. But painting in negative and trying to keep inside the pencil lines was too much for me. I sprayed the second colour (Army Green), removed the Maskol and admired an almost perfect set of pencil lines either that had been masked or that the air brushed coating had not been able to cover. 

Now I'd been building for nearly a whole week by now and needed to see this thing finished. So rather than do what I knew I should do and mask the whole thing again I patched up the pencil line with a paint brush - looks OK (you need to squint and not get too close though, let's call it weathering, eh?) So I'd read that a coat of gloss prior to decals was a good idea. This I duly did - two coats since my initial mix gave a streaked appearance. So off the the decals...

I must now draw your attention to a little known fact about the Corsair. It holds the record for having the words "NO PUSH" applied to the airframe more times (18) than any other craft in its class. So emerging two hours later from this marathon decal session (I'll confess to normally discarding the fiddly ones - but I'd compromised enough and those pencil lines with still staring at me accusingly) - my eyes stinging I decided that it was time to add the wheels, the rear wheel having broken off during airbrushing needed some superglue. Everything else went together well and I added the aerials, again with superglue. A couple of dabs of paint here and there and we were ready for the matt varnish to seal the decals and get away from that glossy museum finish. 

Final exercise was painting the canopy, normally I'd go freehand but I decided to try the Maskol and very well it work to, best ever - for me that is - I'll use this again. So it's done, and looks good, I'll try some (more) weathering at some point but for now it's finished. 

It won't win any prizes but the kids are impressed and I'm quietly pleased with my first airbrushed model. Next time I'll read the instructions and carry out the modifications suggested, I'll also paint the upper surfaces first and buy a better masking tape. I can't really comment on the accuracy but it looks right to me so that's OK.