Hasegawa 1/72 F4U-1D Corsair, previewed by Scott Van Aken

This variant was introduced in April 1944, and was built in parallel with the F4U-1C. It had the new R-2800-8W Double Wasp engine equipped with water injection. This change gave the aircraft up to 250 hp (190 kW) more power, which, in turn, increased performance. Speed was increased from 417 to 425 mph (671 to 684 km/h). Due to the U.S. Navy's need for fighter-bombers, it had a payload of rockets (double the -1A's) carried on permanent launching rails, as well as twin pylons for bombs or drop tanks. These modifications caused extra drag, but the additional fuel carried by the two drop tanks would still allow the aircraft to fly relatively long missions despite heavy, un-aerodynamic loads. A single piece "blown" clear-view canopy was adopted as standard equipment for the -1D model, and all later F4U production aircraft. 150 F4U-1D were delivered to the Fleet Air Arm.

THE KIT

In the late 1980s, Hasegawa did a full line of three blade prop Corsairs including the -1, -1A, and this one. The kits have engraved panel lines, a believeable fabric wing section, and are pretty easy to build. Unlike today's kits, there are not any inserts and things are generally simplified so that you won't find a lot of tiny parts.

The cockpit is very Spartan with a generic looking tub onto which a stick and seat are placed. Instruments are replicated by decals. Closing the fuselage halves traps the cockpit in place. One then attaches the wing, which is a full lower part and two upper halves, and the tailplanes.

Cockpit canopy is next followed by the engine, cowling, radio mast and prop. The only thing on the underside is a two piece fuel tank. There is no real gear well detail. Main and tail gear attachment points are prominent and assure quite positive alignment. All the gear doors are butt joins with no positive attachment points. As you may have noticed, I said nothing about the inner bomb racks and the permanently mounted rocket rails. That is because they are not in with the kit. If you want those, you need the Tamiya kit.

Instructions have five easy to read construction steps and paint info for Gunze paints. There are two markings options. One is the box art plane from VMF-312 and a VF-84 aircraft, which has a yellow cowling and the large arrow marking on the fin. Both are overall gloss sea blue.

I bought this kit for a couple of dollars as it was missing one tail plane and the decals. I found another partial F4U-1 kit so robbed the tail plane from it. Finding decals for a -1D will not be difficult. I have built quite a few Hasegawa 1/72 Corsairs and can attest that they build well and look very nice on your shelf once complete.

KIT #:	511
PRICE:	500 yen when new
DECALS:	Two options
REVIEWER:	Scott Van Aken
NOTES:	1988 release