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Post by dewobz on Mar 2, 2013 12:08:50 GMT 12
By a strange turn of fate I am currently building a second commissioned 1/32 RNZAF F4U-1A Corsair as NZ5262 which arrived in Sept '44 and survived until 23 July 1945 when it suffered engine failure on takeoff, crashed and burnt out at Jacquinot Bay whilst with No. 19 Squadron. The aircraft will be depicted late in her operational career and therefore wearing a faded and weathered US 3 tone scheme (and carrying a grungier engine). I have seen a beautiful Bruce Salmond 1/48 build of NZ5261 online. If anyone has a photo or photos of NZ5262 I would love to have the reference material ... ? Construction begins with the beautiful 88 part engine with scratch built ignition harness and exhaust stack outlets -  NZ5262 BUILD 2 016 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 2 014 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 2 019 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 2 020 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr Then the cockpit with Quickboost resin seat c/w belts and some scratch built sidewall detail -  NZ5262 BUILD 4 Gunsight LIZ etc 007 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 4 Gunsight LIZ etc 011 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 4 Gunsight LIZ etc 004 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr I'm not aiming for hyper-realism here but more 'representative realism'. Lots more to come in this 380-odd part kitset build ... presently I am struggling with Trumpeter's PE + Steel/Brass Rod hinges for flaps, ailerons, stabilizers, rudder and wingfold which I guess are a nice concept but difficult in practice (for me anyhow). Since I'm going to fix them in place anyhow - because its a static display model not a toy - I would rather just have an easily cementable plastic option ... Oh well ... Cheers, Wally. |
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Post by dewobz on Mar 2, 2013 12:16:59 GMT 12
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Post by dewobz on Mar 2, 2013 12:18:26 GMT 12
And by the time I added it in reply it had appeared in the original posting ... I seem to remember saying I'd mastered this ...!!!
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 3, 2013 11:51:44 GMT 12
This aircraft was destroyed on take off in an incident in which the pilot was Dave Howlett. I met Dave in 2010 and had the pleasure of talking with him about his RNZAF career and his experience of this horrific crash in which his right arm was badly burned. He was taking off for what was supposed to be his first ever flight over Rabaul, he'd had a fair bit of operational experience previously but had not made it to a Rabaul raid yet so he was very excited. In the excitement he hit the wrong lever while raising the undercarriage and selected the flaps down, so the aircraft sank back onto the tank underneath the belly and it ruptured and burst into flames. He had the canopy open and as the aircraft slewed to one side while slowing down, skidding on its belly, Dave suffered a sheet of flame come through the starboard side of the open canopy. He lived to a good age but passed away sometime after I met him. His daughter kindly then allowed me to scan all his photos. I gather from his photos that the aircraft of No. 19 Squadron at that time wore that mystery SU marking that some people say was a devil, others a hornet, but no decent clear photo has ever surfaced to say what it was categorically. However there is also a photo of NZ5262 wearing the famous Irate Donald Duck emblem too whilst being flown by No. 21 Squadron. This is a crop of NZ5262 form a photo in neville Jackson's album. You'll have fun with the tattiness of this one!  |
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Post by dewobz on Mar 4, 2013 10:58:28 GMT 12
Dave mate, that is simply awesome!
I had read Howlett's name on the aircraft's adf.serials listing but it is extra good to have all your additional back-story.
I'll have a field-day weathering this baby!
No discernable distinction between the NS Sea Blue and Intermediate Blue. Quite a few patched and repainted areas - tailplane, below cockpit ...
I'd appreciate anyone's comments on the following speculative questions.
I guess it would be safe to say it wore code numbers '61' in white on the cowling?
The entire front fuselage forward of the gas sealing tape appears to have been repainted in NS Sea Blue? I suspect this is when the 'Irate Donald Duck' was applied because he looks fairly fresh?
The roundels-and-bars also look dark and probably freshly painted? (Where am I going to get dark ones from?)
And where am I going to get a 1/32nd scale Irate Donald Duck? Ventura apparently did NZ5255 in 1/32 years ago but it is long out of production. Does anyone have one in their decal stash they might sell me? Or has anyone encountered one in the decals for another aircraft.
Thanks so much
Wally.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 4, 2013 11:41:00 GMT 12
It's a pity we don't have a few more angles on this aircraft in this state, I guess the other side can be drawn from the imagination. It's likely the roundels were repainted, the groundcrew did do that and never let them get too faded if they could help it.
I'm not sure if the cowl has been painted darker or if it's in shadow, there's possibly one of the maintenance shelters there out of photo that we cannot see. I guess we'll never know, but a darker cowl will look cool anyway.
I'm not sure if the engines were so smeared with oil and filthy as you have portrayed, unless it has had some sort of catastrophic oil leak? ;D They groundcrew kept the engines in pretty good condition I believe, and I guess clean. No doubt your Dad can confirm this though?
The repairs to the tial's leading edge are interesting, I wonder why they were necessary.
I would have thought the number on the cowl would be 62, not 61, wouldn't it?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 4, 2013 11:47:46 GMT 12
Wally if it helps here's the full photo, with NZ6263 as its neighbour  |
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Post by dewobz on Mar 4, 2013 16:52:55 GMT 12
Yes, '62' of course, I'm getting mixed up with another build I have seen of NZ5261.
There is what looks like a similar tone of fresh paint on the leading edge & top of the wing above the oil cooler inlet, so I reckon its fairly safe to assume the front fuselage & cowling has been re-painted. I see she's got an aileron off so she's undergoing some pretty serious repairs or maintenance?
The other fascinating possibility is a 'nose cut' type rebuild ... ? But surely we would know about the damage that led to it ....? The NZ5272/5307 rebuild is so well documented.
She went to No. 21 Sqn on 12 June 1945 for just a month? I wonder if there's any possibility of her having a yellow cowling as per NZ5420 on Ventura's photo pages?
Gee Whiz, NZ5263 looks like an interesting subject too! Very faded indeed and with a replacement rudder possibly from an F4U-1D in Gloss Sea Blue. You don't normally see the panel lines so clearly in Corsair photos ...
The bomb looks like it might have a hand written message on it ... ?
By comparison, NZ5262 doesn't look to be going anywhere in a hurry. She's gonna miss this sortie by the looks of it.
Great photo ...
When is someone going to publish or upload ALL the available photos of each Kiwi warbird type in one publication or on one site ...? Should I look for that in the 'Corsair Pile' ...?
Cheers,
Wally.
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Post by dewobz on Mar 4, 2013 17:03:22 GMT 12
One more question: What was the spinner cap colour? I'm assuming yellow ...?
Cheers,
Wally.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 4, 2013 22:16:46 GMT 12
The bomb does have a message chalked on it, but I think it is for the Armourers. It seems to say something like FUSE NOSE  ? INST |
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Post by dewobz on Mar 6, 2013 16:49:03 GMT 12
From my father Owen Hicks' most recent email, "About Dave Homewood’s comment on mechanics keeping the engines clean [he] is quite right, the reasons were they didn’t want [the engines] to get too dirty because of the shortage of water when we were in the Islands, also it was easy to pick up oil leaks on a clean surface." [brackets mine]
Owen served in 14 Squadron, No 1 & No 10 Servicing Units as an electrician during WW2 and was a member of the groundcrew team sent up to Noumea to recover 14 Squadron's first ferry flight which included NZ3072. He was there, in other words, when the Black Cat was painted on her cowling. He turned 91 last November.
Good info huh!? I can stop beating up my RNZAF engines ...
Cheers,
Wally.
PS - Dave, Owen is still up for that interview with you next time you are in Auckland and have the time.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 6, 2013 18:17:42 GMT 12
Hi Wally, I am still up for it too, and must get onto it very soon if I can. Cheers for his contribution on the clean engines.
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Post by dewobz on Mar 7, 2013 16:11:27 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 7, 2013 16:17:36 GMT 12
I suppose you've heard the rumour that Tamiya is soon to release a 1/32 scale F4U-1D Corsair? It will likely be better than this Trumpeter one which has apparent issues with shape in some parts.
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Post by dewobz on Mar 7, 2013 16:19:19 GMT 12
Or maybe you know of another 1/32nd scale kitset decals or aftermarket decals that have Irate Donald Duck cartoon artwork?
Wal
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Post by dewobz on Mar 13, 2013 19:50:09 GMT 12
Through a very unscientific process I determined that 1/48 scale 'Irate Donald Duck' will do the trick, so that little crisis is over. As you predicted Dave I am having heaps of fun with the painting & weathering of NZ5262, based on (my interpretation of) your photo and extrapolating it to include a -1D starboard aileron, new port wingtip and replacement port oil cooler inlet -  NZ5262 BUILD 7 & 8 001 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 7 & 8 002 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 7 & 8 004 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 7 & 8 022 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr I also got the Dremel out and adapted the kitset -1D prop to something more like the -1A version  NZ5262 BUILD 7 & 8 031 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr Decaling has gone pretty well although I personally have no option but to use Ventura's lighter coloured roundels. I hope I don't sound apologetic about that? The quality of Malcolm's decals - that "painted on look" - more than makes up for the (current) lack of a darker blue option (in my humble opinion). [NB - even though the roundels appear dark in Dave's photo my printing out of the picture revealed they are still lighter than the US Insignia Blue borders on the bars]. I didn't have an exact white '62' for the cowling either so I cut & pasted from available stocks instead. I was concerned about their look until deciding to make them into classic stenciled numbers which I did freehand -  NZ5262 BUILD 9 001 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 10 010 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr I was very pleased to get all three ammo doors open on the starboard wing this time -  NZ5262 BUILD 10 002 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr  NZ5262 BUILD 10 014 (Medium) by Wally Hicks, on Flickr As you can see I've put Donald Duck on both sides. I hope that might be correct? She's about ready for her top Dullcote and final detailing. Cheers, Wally. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 13, 2013 20:50:00 GMT 12
I don't believe the duck was ever seen on the starbord side, only the port side.
It looks good Wally but those roundels look too bright to me. The roundels inthe photo are a dark blue, not that wierd medium blue. Unlike the rest of the aircraft the roundels have been repainted fairly recently I'd say. Which bears out what I've said before, the groundcrew ensured the roundels didn't fade too much as it was crucial to keep them looking fresh so the aircraft were not mistaken for the enemy.
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Post by corsair67 on Mar 13, 2013 21:00:24 GMT 12
Interesting build. Although I must say it's not my cup of tea: the aircraft looks too untidy for my liking with all those touch ups - bloody groundies!!! ;D
Dave, there's a picture of NZ5218 that was posted here a while ago, and you can clearly see the US star coming through the RNZAF roundel - and NZ5218 wasn't even an old aeroplane, as it was written off within a few months of issue to the RNZAF.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 13, 2013 22:31:56 GMT 12
Yes that's true, and I have other examples. But the point I was making is this particular aircrfat as Wally is depicting it, as seen in the photo I supplied, has fresh, dark roundels. And also if you look at the worn out roundels with stars coming through, the blue has not gone bright blue like some manufactures try to depict, it stays dark blue, and of course has another coat of dark blue beneath than from the US roundel too. The bright blue roundels are a myth. I have only seen one example in a photo where a frashly applied roundel looks bright light blue, and it has to have been some sort of divertion from the usual paint directives, or maybe an orthographic photo making it look that way perhaps.
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Post by dewobz on Mar 14, 2013 14:14:39 GMT 12
Thanks for your input guys. 2 things about the roundel colour Dave - after agreeing that yes its too light in this case 1) As stated in my last post, even though they appear dark in the photo they are still lighter (not light/bright but just lighter) than the US Insignia Blue borders on the bars. I had to adjust tone & contrast to get a good print of the photo and having done so this is plainly evident, though you can see it on here too. 2) I brush paint and am not even prepared to try to paint my own national insignia. What paint colour would I use for a start? So, I have the option of Ventura or RooDecal if the latter can even be obtained. While the Ventura roundels do have the colour issue, RooDecals are incorrect in every other way - slightly too small, no offset bars, no difference in bar colour between US & RNZAF applied insignia, fuselage yellow ring goes 360degrees etc - and given that I consider Malcolm's decals the world's best I choose them. But really the second issue is the colour. In reality (or to the naked eye) it is slightly darker than these photos. There is probably an adjustment on my camera I don't know how to use but in photos it looks lighter & brighter than it actually is. In other words, these are not "some other manufacturer's" but our very own Ventura Decals. Aside from a kind of necessity, the pro's outweigh the cons FOR ME.
Having said that - and as I said to Malcolm on the PV-1 Ventura thread - I long for the day when these Corsair decals are available in the darker colour he has recently used for the reprinted PV-1 sheet (as well as the lighter one). It would make the building of most Corsairs more accurate but in my opinion not all. If only one colour were possible on the decals, I guess I do hope that as reprints occur Malcolm chooses the darker roundel colour or somewhere in-between in most cases. It would appear that this is what is required to satisfy most of the modellers on here.
Finally, is the statement, "I don't believe the duck was ever seen on the starboard side, only the port side" an assumption based on not having images of the starboard sides of aircraft with artwork? Or is it backed up by other evidence? [Example, (from memory) SkyModels decals assume a Donald Duck either side of NZ5277, but this could equally be an assumption based only on verifiable port-side artwork?]
Another way to look at it is: In the same way that Kittyhawk NZ3072 'might' have been OD with Med Green blotches, might NZ5262 have had a Donald either side? (I know it seems unlikely)
If I take it off now it will have to be more damage touch-up ...
Corsair67, that NZ5218 photo is really interesting. I built the aircraft using the old 1/48 Arii/Otaki kitset before having seen the photo and would love to try again (using Academy or Tamiya) and possibly using Ventura decals Dauntless NZ5064 roundels (adapted) in which this "bleeding through" is depicted.
Cheers
Wally.
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