Lonestar Models 1/48
F2G Super Corsair Racing Air Intake

The F2G Corsair has always been a favorite of most aircraft modelers, particularly those F4U enthusiasts that have bought-up all of the Special Hobby kits!  In 2006, Special Hobby (produced by MPM in the Czech Republic) released a very nice 1/48th scale F2G racing Corsair based on the restored F2G currently owned by Bob Odegaard.   However, this airframe has some differences to the F2G owned by Cook Cleland (N5588N) that participated in the 1949 National Air Races.  When the USN decided to surplus sell the F2G’s, Cook Cleland bought four of the ten F2G’s produced (five F2G-1’s and five F2G-2’s) with Ron Pucket buying one.  This group was made up of XF2G-1’s, F2G-1’s, and a single F2G-2 Corsair. 

I need to mention that one of the external differences between the F2G-1 and F2G-2 was the 12” extension made to the base of the rudder.  This was actually an independent auxiliary rudder that deflected 12.5 degrees when the landing gear was lowered (to compensate for the enormous torque of the engine during take-offs and landings), but put in the neutral position during flight.   However, during the modification process to prepare these aircraft for racing, a number of the F2G-1’s had this 12” extension added.    This change makes it a bit harder to determine the exact designation of the various racing Corsairs.    Note:  Some references refer to #57 as an F2G-2, but all references I have and the USN production block numbers confirm that this aircraft was the 5th F2G-1 built, starting with s/n 88454 thru 88458. 

Cook Cleland and Ron Puckett also clipped the wing tips of some of these Corsairs and not others, so pay attention to this detail when modeling a specific F2G racer.  

There were also three types of air intakes used at various times;  1) the standard intake that begins just behind the cowling that the airframes were manufactured with, 2) an extension of this intake to the lip of the cowling, and 3) a very large air scoop that is the subject of this review, sometimes called the “doghouse intake.”   Bob Odegaard’s restored F2G-1 and the kit has the extended intake to the lip of the cowling.  If you want to build a USN F2G-1/2, just leave off this extension (part C1) and open-up the intake opening. 

To model the F2G-1 that Ben McKillen flew in the 1949 National Air Races (N5588N, S/N 88458); you will need to add the large, doghouse type air intake.  Mike West of Lone Star Models has just produced a simple conversion kit for this variant that includes the intake already mounted to a cowling and a small plug to fill the gap between the rear of the intake and the forward fuselage.  The front of the scoop has a depressed area representing the intake, but you may want to deepen it with a Dremel cutter for a better look.  As shown in the photos, there are one or two very small gaps that may need to be puttied, but these can be closed up by sanding the resin parts and test fitting.   Do not smooth over the panel line between the scoop and plug because it was very prominent.   The Lone Star Models conversion is available for $12 + P&H.  Go to www.lonestarmodels.com for more information, or you can contact Mike West directly at lsmodels@pdq.net. 

The kit decals look usable and seem to be opaque enough to cover the overall red of the airplane.  As an alternative, Red Pegasus Decals produces a sheet of #57 decals and sheets for all of the other racing F2G’s  in case you want something different than Bob Odegaard’s restored airplane or that flown by Ben McKillen.   There are several good references for these airplanes, but unfortunately, most of them are out of print and hard to find.   One of the better ones that is still available is Bruno Pautigny’s book, “CORSAIR - 30 Years of Filibustering 1940-1970.”  It includes a series of very nice color profile drawings of these racers. 

This conversion makes the beautiful lines of the Corsair seem really brutish, but in 1949, the quest for horsepower and speed overcame the desire to keep it clean.  This is a simple conversion that will result in a Corsair that will certainly raise some eyebrows.   Recommended.

I purchased my set directly from Lonestar Models (www.lonestarmodels.com)