FAA Martlets, Hellcats and Corsairs

[Pielstick]

What kits in 1/48th are suitable to do Fleet Air Arm Martlets, Hellcats and Corsairs? I know there is the Tamiya Wildcat and Corsairs, and the Eduard Hellcat... can these kits be used straight from the box (with new decals obviously), or are modifications necessary?

Cheers,

Nick

[ollieholmes]

The Eduard Hellcat comes with Royal Navy markings but there is also an Aeromaster sheet for them so take your pick.

[thx6667]

Tamiya as a starting point for the folding wing versions, Hobbyboss for the non-folding wing versions.

Tamiya F4U-1 (with wings clipped back), failing that the Hobbycraft kits are very workable kits.

Eduard for the Hellcat or even the old Otaki kit which is still pretty neat after 30 years, just add a cockpit and you're there.

[Matt Roberts]

A Hellcat is a Hellcat is a Hellcat. With the proper decals any F6F can do any FAA Hellcat (just remember there is a differance between a F6F-3 (Hellcat I) and a F6F-5 (Hellcat II) - the windows behind the cockpit, there for a -3 and gone for the -5 (mostly) Eduard has a dual combo with two kits with more FAA markings than you can think of for around $45 USD - meaning the kits are on a per kit price about what the cheap Weekend releases are now going for. If you cannot find one of those the -3 has just been weekend'ed and the -5 will be soon. The Weekend kits only come with one set of markings and no PE (get the Zoom if so inclined)

The Martlet is a problem child. Watch for which MArtlet you are wanting to model as there are those which are like the USN versions with the P&W engine as found in the Tamiya and Hobbyboss kits. Martlet III and IV (or V can never remember which is the F4F-4 in FAA service) can be done OOB. A Martlet II and V (or is it a IV) have Wright Cyclone engines and differing props which mean a differant cowling as the least modification needed. Nobody really does one yet. I am surprised that Quickboost has not jumped into a Martlet cowling conversion for the available kits. At least the mod can be done 'close enough with a removal of the scoup atop the cowl and some filler on the cowl flaps. Check your refs as to the cowl flaps as they changed even amongst USN versions. Hobbyboss does a FM-2 (Wildcat VI) but the cowl is the same length as the P&W versions - making the kit totally unbuildable (). If one can live with that one can ignore the cheap and quick conversion of the P&W cowl into a Wright one for a Martlet. Just keep people with micrometers away from your build. As for a Martlet I - the first US built a/c to shoot down a Luftwaffe bird...it's a very tough and involved conversion. Model Aircraft Monthly did a cover story on Martlets a year or two ago, search them out they are loaded with info on doing FAA Wildcats (hey I'm a Yank...)

The Corsair has one tweak needed. The outer 6" of the wingtps has to be removed. It was done to allow for storage on RN carriers who had lower hanger ceilings than US carriers did. Think of how many UK designed carrier aircraft had upward folding wings.....zero. It is a pretty simple tweak and if one has the Hobbycraft (or Academy) Corsair there are score lines in the wing to show where to cut. Though watch out, the HC kit had separate wingtips to add so if one hacks at a Tamiya kit remember that you need to leave a bit more out there to enable the tip to be reshaped. Also remember FAA Corsairs were only -1 and -1A versions (Tamiya and Hobbycraft) there were no FAA F4U-4 or later Corsairs in operational use. (notice I gave myself cover for the inevitable picture of a -4 on trials that will now show up in this thread!)

Happy Modeling

Matt

[CockneyCol]

With the Corsairs its worth noting that some of the FAA ones have intakes on the rear fuselage (an attempt to keep CO out) and the floor window was somethimes painted over/omitted, a different radio set, harnesses, and seat (MDC do a very reasonably priced interior conversion). The Fleet Air Arm Museum have a very good book on their restoration of the Corsair which gives all sorts of hints on a very accurate conversion. For a decent diagram of the wing tip shortening the Japanese Aero detail book is a blinder. Cheers Geezas

[davidelvy]

The Corsair has one tweak needed. The outer 6" of the wingtps has to be removed. It was done to allow for storage on RN carriers who had lower hanger ceilings than US carriers did. Think of how many UK designed carrier aircraft had upward folding wings.....zero.

Matt

Actually, one - the Seafire.

[russ]

Actually, one - the Seafire.

And the Sea Fury, Sea Mosquito etc.

Russ

[Pielstick]

Great info, thanks everyone

[Mark]

And the Sea Fury, Sea Mosquito etc.

Sea Hawk? Sea Vixen? Buccanneer? In fact the only British designed carrier aircraft that I can think of that did NOT have upward folding wings was the Swordfish...??

[Heraldcoupe]

Buccanneer? In fact the only British designed carrier aircraft that I can think of that did NOT have upward folding wings was the Swordfish...??

....and Fulmar & Firefly. Maybe it was a Fairey thing,

Cheers,

Bill.

[AnonymousFO98]

Fulmar had the flat against the fuselage wingfold for storage?

also the Barracuda, Skua/Roc iirc

that seems the norm for purpose buit FAA aircraft of the period.

The Seafire of course adapted from an existing type would have been tricky to incorporate the more complex wingfold.

and i guess they were needed in a hurry.

as far as i know post war all went for the wings up fold as mentioned- also Wyvern Sea Venom and FG1

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

speaking of folding wings, out of the big 6 USN carrier types in WW2 . All of Grummans big 3 carrier aircraft had wings that folded down the sides. The Dauntless didn't have folding wings: So that leaves the Corsair and Helldiver with wings that folded up. 3-2 I'd say

Jonners

Edited June 13, 2009 by Jon Kunac-Tabinor

[TCinLA]

The Martlet is a problem child. Watch for which MArtlet you are wanting to model as there are those which are like the USN versions with the P&W engine as found in the Tamiya and Hobbyboss kits. Martlet III and IV (or V can never remember which is the F4F-4 in FAA service) can be done OOB. A Martlet II and V (or is it a IV) have Wright Cyclone engines and differing props which mean a differant cowling as the least modification needed. Nobody really does one yet. I am surprised that Quickboost has not jumped into a Martlet cowling conversion for the available kits. At least the mod can be done 'close enough with a removal of the scoup atop the cowl and some filler on the cowl flaps. Check your refs as to the cowl flaps as they changed even amongst USN versions. Hobbyboss does a FM-2 (Wildcat VI) but the cowl is the same length as the P&W versions - making the kit totally unbuildable (). If one can live with that one can ignore the cheap and quick conversion of the P&W cowl into a Wright one for a Martlet. Just keep people with micrometers away from your build. As for a Martlet I - the first US built a/c to shoot down a Luftwaffe bird...it's a very tough and involved conversion. Model Aircraft Monthly did a cover story on Martlets a year or two ago, search them out they are loaded with info on doing FAA Wildcats (hey I'm a Yank...)

Not quite. The Tamiya kit can be done pretty directly as a Martlet II, merely by filling in and rescribing the cowl flaps. The Hobby Boss F4F-3 (early version) will make a Martlet III without any trouble. To make a Martlet IV from the Tamiya kit you can modify the cowling (narrow the chord by the width of the cowl flaps, add those to the fuselage, putty them into the fuselage, then get a prop from something like an SBD-5 kit (the old Monogram SBD is a good prop donor here) in the kit and use an R-1830 from some other kit for the engine and remove the inner intakes. A Martlet/Wildcat V is the FM-1, so if you putty over the outer wing gun covers and then user your riveting tool to do new surface detail, that is easy. The Sword 1/48 FM-2 is vastly superior to the very wrong Hobby Boss kit (though it's a bit of a bear to build).

As to the Corsair, to do a Corsair II, use the Tamiya F4U-1A, to do a Corsair IV use the F4U-1D, with the wingtip cut off on the last panel line in from the tip makes a fine Corsair (A Corsair I is the F4U-1 with no physical modifications). Just remember that the Colrsair II wasn't painted Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate Grey/Sky, but rather Neutral Grey (or Sea Grey), Olive Drab and Light Aircraft Grey in "FAA equivalent colors." There's an old Aeromaster sheet out there of FAA Corsairs that gives you a lot to work with markings-wise.

[TCinLA]

Oh, and as a purely personal advertisement, if you go over to Modeling Madness and look through the reviews, you can find my reviews of doing Martlet II and III and IV and V from the Tamiya kit, and Corsair II and Corsair IV from the Tamiya kits. If you look at the Corsair review that's called "Corsair 101" you can get all the info you need for painting the cockpit correctly.

HTH

[Bruce Archer]

Hi!

To answer your questions, here is a quick synopsis…..

Wildcats-

Martlet I: will take quite a bit of work, moving guns, and the cyclone engine

Martlet II (Serials AM954-AM963): these were F4F-3s, which were, re-designated Mk.IIIs. Use the Hobby Boss F4F-3 (early) with the F4F-3 (late) canopy.

Martlet II (serial AM964 –AM999) : These were F4F-4As, and did not have the carb scoop nor the intercooler scoops. Use the Tamiya or Hobby Boss F4F-4, with the scoops removed. Additionally, there was one other feature of these; these had an unique pitot which was above the wing on the port side, near the aileron.

Martlet II ( serials AJ100-AJ153): These had the scoops deleted (carb and intercooler) but had the standard F4F-4 pitot.

Martlet III: These were the ex-Greek order a/c and were F4F-3A a/c. So they lacked the intercooler scoops. Use the F4F-3 (early) with the F4F-3 (late) canopy from Hobby Boss.

Martlet IV: A F4F-4B, Cyclone powered, Need to change the entire nose.

Wildcat V: This was a FM-1. Use the Hobby Boss FM-1

Wildcat VI: A FM-1. Though Hobby Boss has a FM-2, it has the wrong cowl. Use the Sword kit, or combine the Sword and Hobby Boss FM-2s.

The Tamiya F4F-4 is better detailed and probably easier to build than the Hobby Boss F4F-4. But Tamiya does not mold any other version. The Hobby Boss F4F-3, FM-1n kits are the only game in town. The Hobby Boss FM-2 has the wrong cowl, which cannot be fixed except replacing it. The Sword cowl is much better but their kit is not as detailed as Hobby Boss’.

Corsairs:

Corsair I- Use the Tamiya, or Hobbycraft F4U-1/2 kits, check an image to see if it is equipped with the bulge on top of the canopy.

Corsair II (serials JT195-JT554) use the Tamiya or Hobbycraft F4U-1A

Corsair II ( serials JT565-JT764) use the Tamiya or Hobbycraft F4U-1D (see note)

Corsair III: use the Tamiya or Hobbycraft F4U-1A

Corsair IV(serials KD161-KD570) use the Tamiya or Hobbycraft F4U-1A

Corsair IV (serials KD571-KE117, not all delivered) use the Tamiya F4U-1D (see note)

Note: not all af the F4U-1D, and FG-1D aircraft were delivered with the paddle blade prop or clear vision hood. It appears no Corsair II was delivered with the clear vision hood, all had the two frames on the sliding canopy.

The Tamiya kit is better detailed than the Hobbycraft/Academy kit, but more expensive.

Hellcats

Hellcat I: Otaki, Eduard or Hasegawa F6F-3

Hellcat II: Eduard or Hasegawa F6F-5.

Check to see where in the production run each was built, for minor details

The Otaki/Arii/Airfix etc. F6F-3 is a nice kit, but needs an interior. The Hasegawa F6F is

better detailed, but many say he cowl is off. The Eduard needs the landing gear shortened and new wheels.

I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me off board.

Bruce