Last weekend, I made some good progress on the Corsair.
The main airframe components are finally assembled, and what a silhouette! There’s no mistaking this bird — those distinctive inverted gull wings make the Corsair instantly recognizable.
After doing some research, I started looking for reference photos of the specific aircraft I wanted to recreate.
It definitely had to be a Corsair from VF-17 “Jolly Rogers”, operating in the Solomon Islands during WWII.
My choice was, of course, Ira Kepford’s famous White 29 — his second Corsair bearing that number.
This aircraft is a perfect subject for the kind of finish I have in mind: heavily weathered, faded, and showing the effects of intensive operational use in the Pacific.
And finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for!
Painting has begun!
I started with a coat of Tamiya LP Aluminium, which will serve as the base for the multi-layered weathering techniques I’m planning to use.
The fabric-covered sections of the wings and control surfaces received a white base coat.
I didn’t pay as much attention to the underside of the aircraft, as I expect these areas to show less fading and wear compared to the upper surfaces, which were more exposed to intense sunlight and the harsh conditions of Pacific island airfields.ot so beaten due to less exposure to sunlight and maintenance operations in sandy conditions.
Finally, I masked off the engine and cockpit areas in preparation for the next painting stages.
And looking at the surface now, I can really see why all that riveting work was worth it!
Even at this early stage, those tiny details are making a huge difference!
