1:32 F4U-1 CORSAIR

A greenhouse above the pilot's head

The first production Corsair earned a nickname from modelers after its cockpit: the greenhouse. The sliding section of the canopy was made up of a row of flat panes joined by a dense network of frames, and behind the pilot another glazed area continued, which on account of the low-set seat served little purpose. The greenhouse also included a pair of small windows in the side of the fuselage by the fuel tank, which the later versions no longer had.

Why the early Corsair was not allowed on deck

The combination of a long nose, a low seating position and a framed cockpit meant that on the approach to a ship the pilot could practically not see the target. Added to that were a hard bounce from the landing gear and a tendency for the airflow to break away over the left wing. The US Navy therefore sent the first machines to land-based Marine units, where the Corsair won its reputation over the Solomons, while carrier service was handled by other types for the time being. Only a raised seat, a one-piece domed hood and a small strip on the leading edge brought the machine onto the decks. Anyone building the early form therefore faces quite different work on the glazing than on the late versions: instead of two or three large areas, a mosaic of narrow panels where every pre-cut piece pays off.

What the bag contains

The manufacturer names masks for the greenhouse in both layers, three insignia and decals. The three are for the stars on both sides of the fuselage and on one half of the wing. The bag has no plastic parts and no paints; a finished kit is assumed and the modeler supplies both the paint and the thinner.