The Little World

Look closely at some lines on this Vultee fighter and mentally add a bent wing and bigger engine. Yep.

It would have been interesting to see what might have been if the later Corsair was available for China in the early 40’s. lad-based aviation would have been less critical in landing than naval service and the initial gear problems might not have been seen.

As it is, the plane has hallmarks of earlier design – the position of the machine guns – as well as indications of lines to come. The rear fuselage shape is so Corsair as to be unmistakeable.

Full marks to the Czech moulders for a number of things, but the landing gear is not one of them. Spindly legs and PE construction meant nervous times and plastic block re-enforcement to allow the gear to mate inside the wing. Even the tail wheel sits on a plastic block as the fuselage was a hollow shell back there.

The canopy trimmed well – my experience with vac-forms has been good. I sue a pair of curved scissors for much of the the cut-out but go to a new knife blade to get the final contour. A bit of Micro Liquitape for inside the shell and a thin rime of Micro Krystal Klear means the thing will adhere fast and then set firmly.

The only pucker moment in the finishing was when I sprayed A Tamiya rattle can of matt spray on the underside and it started to craquelure the previous acrylic clear layer – a no-no in the future. I recovered the situation with a Micro matte varnish, but it was a close thing. It is one of the hazards of keeping a mixed box of paints – you need to remember what form of coating you are trying to spray onto. Acrylic over lacquer is fine but dodgy the other way round.

Well, that was the tiny short-run model bit done for awhile – I think the next one needs to be a regular kit from a big maker.