Kitbasher's Korsair

[kitbasher]

OK a rubbish bit of alliteration there but hey, it's Christmas.  Easter.

My build is an RAF Corsair GR.1, using the old Airfix A-7 Corsair.  I love the SLUF and have always seen it as the natural alternative to the Jaguar in the ground attack role (and frankly I think it would have been a damn sight better than the Jag).   I know there are other RAF (and Fleet Air Arm) Corsair builds elsewhere on the forum but I really do have to get this out of my system!  So, nothing fancy, essentially OOB but with different stores.

Pics to follow.

[Captain Canada]

Lovely idea...in fact I may steal it 

[Dizzyfugu]

Alternatively, a French Navy A-7 could also look nice... 

[kitbasher]

Day 1:

The parts:
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The build so far:
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Note the white metal LGBs.  Taken from a Buccaneer improvement set purchased so long ago I don't remember who produced the set (included slipper tanks, an ALQ-101 and other stuff were used around 1998 on a Matchbox Bucc).

It's an old second-hand kit.  And today I discovered the Sidewinder rails, one Sidewinder, one nosewheel and the AAR probe are missing.  SO.....plenty of Winders and some rails in the spares box, I still have the u/c from the Corsair built when, eeh by gum I were a lad.  But the AAR probe will have to be built from scratch.  I think I know were I have a Phimat and an ALQ-101.

Smaller pictures next time.  Done in a rush tonight.

SNEBs in the background are for a Super Sabre FG.1.

[PR19_Kit]

Note the white metal LGBs.  Taken from a Buccaneer improvement set purchased so long ago I don't remember who produced the set (included slipper tanks, an ALQ-101 and other stuff were used around 1998 on a Matchbox Bucc).

That'd be C Scale, I think I've got the same set in The Loft.

[kitbasher]

That's the one, Kit. I knew it wasn't Airwaves, Aeroclub, Chota Sahib (I've a pair of Buccaneer bang seats by them - usually they did military figures) or any of the other Usual Subjects.

[ChernayaAkula]

Brit Corsairs are always a neat idea! 

<...> So, nothing fancy, essentially OOB but with different stores. <...>

Not even a little Tornado's LRMTS housing, perchance?  Or some modified RWR antennae?

[Weaver]

Nice one. So, two tanks, two LGBs, ECM pod, chaff pod and two 'winders I take it? AIM-9Ls would be a nice touch if you've got them.

What gun fit do you see it having?

[Captain Canada]

Gotta love those old kits. Easy and bullet proof they are ! Looks good...can't wait to see more !

[kitbasher]

Day 2: nothing done.

Days 3 & 4: rubbing down the joints (not too bad actually, won't need too much filler), realising I'd not weighted the nose - rectification sorted, prepping the cockpit and sorting out the bombs.

Thinking of adding some additional chaff and flare dispensers.

As for the Phimat and ALQ-101 these may have to be scratch-built.

Good questons about the gun and the Tornado laser gubbins.  Not considered either, to be honest.  The former I'd like to think an ADEN 30mm cannon could fit but I just don't know; LRMTS possibly. Certainly a good idea. 

[kitbasher]

Day 5 in the 1WGB House.

Some filling, bit of painting, more work on weaponry.

[kitbasher]

Day 6: a bit more of the same.  Pylons and main u/c legs sorted.  Some filler needed for the fuselage and intake joins but not all that much to be frank.
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Need to finish building the Paveways tomorrow, construct the Phimat and ALQ-101, add straps to the seat, fit the seat and progress the undercarriage legs and doors.  May scab on some chaff/flare dispensers a la Jaguar, still pondering the Tornado LRMTS possibility.

All coming along steadily but not convnced I'll meet the deadline.  The SNEBs in the background are not for the Corsair, BTW.

Been playing with acrylics (unusually), an assortment of Xtracrylics and Humbrol so far.  As with the enamels I get the feeling Humbrol paints make great base coats and Xtracrylics the better top coats.  We shall see.

[Captain Canada]

Oh she's gonna look so good all bombed up !

[kitbasher]

Sadly no modelling Thursday/Friday and not much yesterday.  A little filling here and there but that's all.

Today all I could fit in was the start of the Phimat and ALQ-101 pods:
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Both made from redundant Sparrows - plenty of filling a shaping to do still!

Anyway, here's how the Corsair stands at almost the end of the GB:
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I'll continue next week, not sure yet whether to move the thread or not.  Doesn't really matter I guess.

[kitbasher]

A welcome bit of catch-up with the Corsair this afternoon.  Sanding down the filler (very little filler required, which was nice), plus fitting the remaining undercarriage legs.  Also tidying up the 'Phimat' and making a start modifying the receiving pylon ready to take the 'Phimat' in due course.  Also some filling of the lashed together 'ALQ-101'.  Also fashioned an AAR probe from the front end of a non-descript Sidewinder from the spares box, plus the rotor shaft off a very old (and never finished but binned) Airfix Whirlwind helicopter.

ChernayaAkula's idea of adding a Tornado LRMTS got me thinking. I've one in the spares box but when I matched it up it didn't look right.  However the idea of a laser pod had gained hold and so one's been fitted.

A-7Ds carried them centrally under the chin intake.  There was an Airfix F-4 IR detector in the spares box and that was selected.  Far bigger than the A-7D pod, centrally mounting it isn't an option as it gets in the way of the nosewheel bay, so it's been offset in the same manner as the Tornado's LRMTS, so ChernayaAkula's idea has kind of happened.

Pics to follow.