Kit: F4U-4B
Scale: 1/48
Kit Number: 2124
Price: $20.00 CDN
Media: Injected Plastic
Decals: One aircraft
Date of Review: 4 Feb, 1997
The kit was built using True Details resin cockpit, and resin wheels. I also added Super scale decals. The excellent resin cockpit from True Details is the starting point for this excellent kit. The level of detail in the resin is excellent, as is the fit of the detail set to the kit. The simple engine is an accurate replica of the Pratt and Whitney R2800, which can be enhanced by removing the kit push rods, and replacing with thinner brass rod. The surface detail of the kit is finely scribed panel lines, with no rivet detail. The overall fit of the kit is excellent with no real trouble spots to report.
I consider this to be recycled kit since I have built the same model twice. The first time the Solvaset reacted with the Pro Modeler paint, requiring the kit to be completed stripped. I therefore had to break the model apart to redo the cockpit. The second time around everything went smoothly. The building process required a little more filler for the seams. Overall the fit of the fit is excellent. The only spot that requires filling and sanding is on the fuselage where the one piece lower wing meets the fuselage. I added some retraction arms to the landing gear doors, and detailed the rear gear with a new hook and support rods. The True Details set for the cockpit is excellent and provides the unique gun sight, and switching boxes for the dash that really give the model a finished look.
I tried using Polly Scale Dark Sea Blue for the finish. At first it appeared too light, but after a gloss finish and decals were added. The finish darkened to a very nice shade of dark sea blue. The Super Scale decals were nice, and settled in with a little setting solution. I chose to paint the white stripe, and red polk a dots on the nose, using a small hole punch and dymo tape. After adding the rockets the model became a convincing Korean war fighting machine, even with the goofy nose dots. The decals are for VMA-332 which flew some of the last missions of the Korean conflict.
Overall the kit is very good, second only to the Tamiya kit. However if a cannon armed late version is required, then add the detail set, and this kit holds its own against the new releases. The kit is suitable for all levels of builders. I think it would be best for intermediate builders looking develop skills by using simple scratch building, and after market products to take an out of box kit to the next level.
Review by Ronn Gibson