| F4U-4 'Black Sheep Squadron' USMC Military Aircraft Model F4U-4 'Black Sheep Squadron' USMC Military Aircraft Model Excellent Craftsmanship!
Our master craftsmen, working from three-dimensional drawings, handcraft each model from either the finest Philippine mahogany or state-of-the-art composite. Each model is shaped with remarkable precision and attention to detail. Several stages of fine sanding, between primer coats, produce a smooth finish ready for final painting. Talented artists using ultra-fine brushes and decals, paint the nose art, stripes and markings. A final coat of clear polyurethane provides lasting protection and brilliance. Item Details:- 1/26 scale model
- Wing Span: 19 Inches
- Length:15.25 Inches
Item Highlights: - Makes a GREAT gift!
- Many different models to choose from
- Hand made from fine Philippine mahogany or state-of-the-art composite
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Model Description This collectable model SE/F-4U-4 Corsair represents one of the pinnacles of piston-engine fighter development, an aircraft that saw service in two wars. Painted as flown in the famous Black Sheep squadron, VMF-214, this model Corsair is painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by skilled craftsmen using a wealth of detail. This 1/26-scale model SE/F-4U-4 Corsair makes a great pilot gift, or a present for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff. The Corsair was one of the great fighter-bombers of World War II and Korea, and remained in production longer than any other piston-engine fighter in U.S. history. Its distinctive inverted gull-wing profile and long nose made it one of the most distinctive piston aircraft ever built, and able to reach speed approaching 450 mph, one of the fastest. Development of the Corsair began in 1938, with the first flight of the XF4U-1 on May 29, 1940. It used the largest piston-engine available at the time, the 18-cylinder, 2,000-horsepower Double Wasp radial coupled to a 13-foot diameter propeller. The distinctive wing design came about from the need for long underwing struts to allow clearance for the large prop. Armed with six .50-caliber machine guns and able to carry rockets or 2,000 pounds of bombs, the Corsair was a formidable weapons system. However, the Corsair faced a number of teething problems that slowed its introduction to the fleet. Its long nose presented visibility problems on landing, and the inverted gull-wing presented problems in spin recovery. Marine squadrons, not as concerned about carrier suitability, took to the powerful fighter. By 1944, the Corsair had once again been introduced to carrier service. Corsairs were flown by the famous "Black Sheep" Squadron (VMF-214, led by Marine Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington) in an area of the Solomon Islands called "The Slot". Boyington was credited with 22 kills in F4Us (of 28 total, including six in a Flying Tigers P-40 Warhawk). All told, the Black Sheep destroyed or damaged 203 enemy planes in 84 days of combat in 1943-44. In Korea, the Corsair served as a fighter-bomber, including as a night fighter. Corsairs served in the air forces of many nations, and flew its last combat sortie in 1969, in the “Football War” of 1969 between Honduras and El Salvador. |
