1:32 F4U-1A Corsair II

The Corsair under a white and blue roundel

The Fleet Air Arm received the Vought F4U-1A under Lend-Lease, under its own name Corsair II. So that the machines would fit into the lower hangars of British carriers, they lost a piece of their wingtips, which incidentally improved their behavior on the approach to the deck. The British were also the first to deploy this type from a deck in combat, that is before the US Navy let it onto its own ships.

Three variants on the sheet

One set belongs to an aircraft of a squadron that operated from the deck of the Victorious, the second and the third to machines of two further units, one of which served at a training base and the other on the Unicorn. All three aircraft carry the same three shades, that is Dark Slate Grey and Extra Dark Sea Grey above and the light shade called Sky below.

The British scheme in practice

The dividing line of the two upper shades is soft but not sprayed out, and it looks best sprayed over a length of cord or over a mask raised slightly above the surface. The landing gear bays and the insides of the covers tended to have a different shade, which is worth looking up in photographs of the particular machine. Carrier aircraft tended to be worn by salt spray, so a slight fading of the upper surfaces looks believable.

Applying the markings

Before the work, even the surface out with a gloss layer. Let the motif immersed in water release on its own, move it into position and settle it with a soft brush. Where it passes over fabric-covered surfaces, a drop of decal softener helps. The model itself and the paints have to be obtained separately.