F2G Corsair
Miss Port Columbus

Accurate Miniatures, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Accurate Miniatures' 1/48 scale F2G Miss Port Columbus is available online from Squadron.com

Accurate Miniatures continues its racer theme with its 1/48 scale F2G Corsair, "Miss Port Columbus".

If the parts look familiar, that might be because they were originally released by Special Hobby for their F2G-1 kit released early last year.

Accurate Miniatures' 1/48 scale F2G Corsair comprises 71 parts in grey plastic; 66 parts in cream coloured resin; photo-etched fret; two clear vacform parts; and markings for four aircraft.

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The grey plastic parts are well moulded and feature crsp and fine surface detail, supplemented with subtle fabric texture on control surfaces and wing panels. All the surface features look really good.

There are no sink marks or ejector pins that will be visible when the model is built, although one of the cowl flap parts is a bit lumpy on my sample, and there is quite a lot of fine flash on the sprue containing the smaller parts. Sprue attachment points are narrow.

The 66 resin parts mostly go to make up the big Pratt and Whitney Corncob engine. Three rows of cylinders are supplied as separate parts with the back row cast in half-relief on the rear firewall. Separate push rods are provided, and the exhaust pipes are also supplied in resin.

The photo-etched fret contains the instrument panel (supplemented by a printed acetate backing sheet), harness straps, wing radiator filters and a number of smaller details.

The distinctive bubble canopy is supplied as a crystal clear vacform part - no Future required here. Accurate Miniatures has included two canopies in case of slip-ups with the hobby knife. The are moulded in one piece each, so some careful slicing will be the order of the day if you wish to display the front office.

With its origins being Special Hobby, this model will require some extra time and care preparing the parts. The additional half and hour or so thoroughly removing residual from sprue attachments, any flash, and lightly sanding mating surfaces will be repaid by easier and more precise assembly. Being a limited run kit, there are no locating pins, so take your time test-fitting and aligning parts before committing to glue.

Another skill factor is that the tail will need to be shortened for the two race versions offered in the kit. The instructions offer some fairly straightforward advisce for this surgery.

The excellent decal sheet supplies markings for Race 18 as she appeared in the 1949 Cleveland Races ("Miss Port Columbus" in white with blue trim), and in the 1947 race (overall International Orange with a Gloss Sea Blue nose).

If you would prefer to build a military aircraft, markings are also provided for "693" and "32T.T", both finished in overall GLoss Sea Blue. In the case of these military Corsairs, you will not need to conduct surgery to the tail, but the upper cowl scoop will need to be shortened.

Accurate Miniatures' 1/48 scale F2G Corsair "Miss Port Columbus" is a well detailed model of a rare but fascinating Corsair variant. These mouldings are certainly the best option for building a Corncob Corsair in 1/48 scale.

The limited run nature of the parts and the surgery required, either to the fin or the intake, means that some previous experience with similar kits will be helpful, but I cannot see any major hurdles.

The excellent markings will certainly deliver a striking and unique Corsair for your display shelves or the competition tables, as Col Ian Holohan's completed model on the bottom of the box will testify.

Recommended.

Thanks to Accurate Miniatures for the review sample.

Accurate Miniatures kits are available worldwide through hobby retailers and from Squadron.com

Review and Images Copyright © 2008 by Brett Green
Page Created 20 March, 2008
Last updated 20 March, 2008

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