F4U Corsair – Review

Hi everyone, Jersey here with a look at the new F4U Corsair model from Battlefront!

This model is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Battlefront aircraft although all the aircraft i’ve built so far have been biplanes so this was very easy to clean and assemble. The model comes with a resin body and all that need to be glued on are the nose, rockets and optional bombs. The flight stand and die that come with it are standard and this model didn’t take long to assemble. There was a touch of resin flaking away from the wing edges but a little liquid putty cleared that up and I magnetized the base with the enclosed magnets. All in all, quick and easy to assemble and a good quality model that looks like a Corsair, ready for games.

I’ve painted the model with a dark grim look. A few years ago I got to go behind the scenes at the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm Museum and saw some aircraft being restored with the new “gloss” museum collection paint being painstakingly removed a layer at a time with razor blades. What I learnt was that World War Two aircraft look nothing like they were portrayed in movies and museums post war. They’re grubby and streaked, dull and damaged and have symbols painted all over them, anything from warnings not to step on flaps to danger markings around the cannons. With the scale of the model and the busyness of my life I haven’t added lots of the detail i’d like to like kill counts but I may do one day.

This was an easy model to paint though with angles and features that make the model “pop” naturally without a lot of highlights and I went for a Navy blue scheme similar to one used in the classic 90’s joystick game “Aces of the Pacific” that i spend many hours on as a kid. Painting the model brought back memories of fighter bomber raids on my old computer and I can’t wait to field the Corsair.

Having said that… fitting it into your Marine lists is hard! Especially when Gung-Ho gives you access to naval air interception power which can intercept for you. Many Marine companies will either close, or be closed with quickly, and the Japanese tactic of night attacking won’t help when using an aircraft! If i could afford one, or sacrifice other platoons I would as its rockets provide your Marines with some badly needed anti tank in standard late war games.

One other feature for the Corsair that costs additional points are the napalm bombs! They work as they did in the pacific but are not one use weapons. I’d love to score a hit on a mobbed up platoon of Japanese on their way to the assault, but the opportunities to do so will be limited. Of course the double wide template would mean arty parks also become a target for Napalm.

All in all this was an enjoyable model to build and paint… I even used the decals, something i rarely do since my experiences in the 90’s that meant i’d rather paint symbols on badly (as i’m not the best painter!) I’m going to find a way to work it into my lists, especially my marine infantry.

I’ve got more marines to do from Battlefront, lots of Amtanks and more infantry. Stay tuned if you’d like to see those!

Happy Hobby Everyone

Jersey