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World War II
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F4U Corsair wing fold Advice please
chris1
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: October 25, 2005
KitMaker: 949 posts
AeroScale: 493 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 10, 2017 - 03:11 AM UTC
Hi Guys
I've just started on another excellent Tamiya Corsair.
I'll be building an RNZAF bird. However its has the wing fold option.Apparently on our F4s this feature was never used and the mechanics wired the fold mechanism up.although I've seen a photo to the contrary.
My question is what is the best way to get the kit wings together without having steps and or gaps.My previous attempts did not go well.

Advice please.

Thanks Guys


Chris

BillHollis
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United States
Joined: May 11, 2015
KitMaker: 2 posts
AeroScale: 2 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 10, 2017 - 05:07 PM UTC
Hi Chris,

Assuming the 1/48th kit: I've built a bunch of these, and the wing fold while problematic is not impossible. The best method I've found is to build the top and bottom wing panels as separate assemblies first rather than try to match up assembled outers to the assembled center section. I use strips of .020 sheet plastic lengthwise across the joint from the inside, and tweak the fit of each panel to its mating part. After these have dried, you essentially have a full span lower and two single piece uppers that you can assemble as if the wing fold was never there. There may be a skosh of misalignment or a gap or two along the leading edge when you assemble upper and lower, but that's a lot easier to deal with than all those nooks and crannies of the fold line top and bottom.

Hope that helps.

Bill
Scrodes
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: July 22, 2012
KitMaker: 771 posts
AeroScale: 763 posts
Posted: Monday, September 11, 2017 - 02:11 AM UTC
Yeah, what he said.
chris1
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Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: October 25, 2005
KitMaker: 949 posts
AeroScale: 493 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 12, 2017 - 04:49 AM UTC
Bill & Matt.
Thanks very much for the tip.
Makes perfect sense.Typically It didn't occur to me at the time.

Chris
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