Reviews : Revell-Monogram F4U-4 Corsair Fighter Plane

first i want to say how much i love the results of this build. but phew, what a delicate, tedious,sometimes frustrating build it was! plan on re-doing the wing hinge pivot points a couple times to make them fold. even though there are positive locating pins to position them inside the wing halves, they locate them in the wrong spot, and i resorted to prying the wing halves apart and moving them a couple times. also quite a bit of filing and shaping was necessary to allow the folding section to clear the center section adequately to fold without binding. the retractable landing gear required a lot of test fitting to decide which direction to assemble the various parts correctly. i don't have the stomach to try and retract them, for fear of breaking them off, but i think they are put together right, and they look great. that pretty much sums up this kit: when it's done, it looks great! but what a time putting it together. i'm very proud of the results. i would recommend this kit to rather experienced modelers, because it actually is challenging to build, and would(and probably has) frustrate inexperienced builders without considerable patience. overall, though, an inexpensive, convincing model of a great piece of aviation history, and a nice addition to my collection of 1/48 scale warbirds. recommend only to experienced builders.

This is another Monogram/Revell reissue dating back to 1967, and with that being said, it's a typical example of the model kits from its time period, such as raised panel line details, lack of detail and some inaccurate details; these issues don't make this a terrible kit to build, but it does require some effort to build and finish this kit. Parts not fitting as well as its modern counter parts will require seam filler and bit of sanding. Some of the things that are interesting about this kit is that it features folding wings and retractable landing gears, which is a remnant of build your own cool toy/model, which is typical of 1960's1980's kits, and since the parts are not as crisp, it does take effort into making these gimmicks work properly. The biggest problem I had with this kit, by design, was the canopy. Clear canopy parts are way too thick, and it would take too much effort to thin them down, and since the canopy frame is molded into to fuselage, it would take a lot of effort to replace it with an aftermarket canopy kit, but the model is not that detailed to begin with to warrant a such tedious en devour. Overall this was a fun kit to build, and at a typical price point of $10 to $17, this is a good value for the money.

This is another Revell/Monogram repop of their 1960s operational features line of toy-kits. Back in the day, it was well received and considered state of the art, but the art has progressed and left this F4U behind.. Released at least six times since 1963, the kit has not aged well. While the overall outline is accurate, the parts fit is marginal to poor, some details are inaccurate for an F4U-4, the molding detail is soft in areas and the folding wing feature that was the rage on its initial release requires a great deal of attention to either make them work as intended or to cement them in place either folded or extended. There are too many good Corsair models in this scale to consider this as anything but a patience testing blast from the past. IF a modeler has the patience to put up with its shortcomings, and wants to invest a lot of time adjusting, modifying and scratch building, this kit can be an exercise of modeling skill and can eventually make a decent miniature. For the rest of us, looking elsewhere for a Corsair will be more satisfying.

Okay so I wanted an inexpensive 1/48 scale plane model just to see if I wanted out of 1/35 Armor and this was my cheaper choice. I read some reviews but went ahead anyway. Clear parts are lousy fit, but most other parts go together okay, rear wheel flaps so loose so be warned. As for paint, plastic was so coated took me at least 3 coats of any paint to cover, some 5. Decals bind like crazy, dry quickly and stay put. A few options and one (wing mounted Radar) not even in the instructions. As for folding wings, be patient and gluing in place is better choice or would be very flimsy. Nice touch that rear wheel and arresting hook are moveable. Biggest complaint, the decals are HUGE and MARINES too big for wing and covered by missiles so I took one from the body. Again left off MARINES from body side as much longer than instructions show. A final Matt Varnish coat evened out the paint scheme to an acceptable level. This is a Good kit not a Great kit.

My kit sat in my closet for decades before I decided to build it. It looked good but requires a lot of patience and inventiveness. I used this kit as a test bed to experiment and gain experience with unfamiliar techniques. I liked kits that have operating features and this one have folding wings and retractable landing gears/doors. This was a plus but also a minus. On the minus die, the operating features required precise fits and robust mechanics. Unfortunately this kit had very poor fit in a number of places. The wings don't fit well and the hinges could be easily broken. The gear mechanics worked well but the doors were extremely poor fit and looked horrible when closed. The wind screen and canopy pieces were too small for the frame and required fabricating new ones. Overall, the pluses were price/value and operating features and the negatives were the poor fits and awkward folding wings.

I've read many reviews that bash this model and especially the outer wings. I agree with most of them, especially if you are looking to build this one in a weekend. My approach is a much longer timeframe, I spend the time to get the best results a kit can deliver. This one is one of those kits. Yes you need to sand, fill, trim, fit and spend some time getting things lined up and working. But the end result can be a beautiful bird. Not quite the detail of today's model kits but I do get a lot of positive feedback on this one in my collection. Let's face it, the gull wings make this one instantly recognizable and if you have patience, it can be a very good model, especially for the money. I would recommend building this one if you are a patient builder. A true American classic fighter.

This kit has been around for quite awhile,but it remains one of my favorite Corsair kits.It goes tighter fairly well and has decent detail.I especially like the price. With a little work and some scratch building skills it produces a fine looking model,at half the price of other corsair kits.The decal sheet is good and go on well.I would recommend this kit,as for the wing attach issues I ethier bulid mine with extended wings or folded,I do not try to make them operational as I have never been able to get them to stay on they always fall off.If I build it with wings folded I use plastic card and make the ribs where the wings fold,sealing the open areas.All in all I think this kit produces a good looking model,ans would recommend it to any experienced modeler.

This is my 3rd revell carrier based plane (although the Corsair saw most action from land bases in WWII) that is supposed to have its wings fold up, but, it just wont hold! (the other two were revell's hellcat and avenger) So, I had to glue them AFTER going through all of the trouble of following the directions for fold up wings! Anyway, I didnt use the full complement of this kit's powerplant because i wanted to make it a WWII Corsair, and this kit is for a Korean war Corsair. I had extra MARINE decals from another kit that I used, and it looks great! Just, still frustrated by the wing issues! I dont know, maybe Tamiya or Hasegawa do it better?? Nonetheless, its still a very good kit and looks great in my ever enlarging pacific squadron!

I am a fan of the corsair and the Black Sheep Squadron but this model kit let me down a bit the fuselage was great it look nice not much detail but enough for a Beginner modeler, but I would not recommend this to a beginner modeler for quite a few reasons 1. the instruction were alright but were not clear on some parts of the model as the wings which is another pain with this model I feel the wings were not thought out for this model they seem sloppy and a pain together I barely got them together my self (Lots of Glue was used) I tip my hat to anyone who got them on without a problem if you love corsairs I would stay away from this model but if you like a challenge give it a go

This is a pretty good kit. I would rate this at something a bit above a starter kit. The price is fair on it and it has a bit more detail than expected from a lower end Revell model. The gears can be made to be adjustable/operate along with the wings (just a detail i like to see in models), but you have to be careful with the gear covers if you make them operable. One of the big problems i always find with Revell is the strength of the plastic. This one is has some strength to it so it wont be prone to breaking while handling or building. This is not a bad kit, i suggest it. If you're a starter builder, this is a good challenge to step your skills up.

This is an average kit. The instructions are pretty straight forward and the parts are designed well enough to give a good fitl. Like in several other reviews, I too had issues with attaching the folding wing tips - but I think I found what the issue is. In step 5 of the Instructions, they show part #'s 20 and 18 being attached upside down. I think if you put the offset on those 2 parts facing down instead of up; the wing tips will fit on nicely. Unfortunately, I had glued them on already as shown, so I was unable to check my theory. If you purchase this kit, tape those pieces on like I suggested first and see if the wing tips will match up then.

Pretty good model, looks great when painted dark sea blue. Pieces fit together with little effort for the most part. The only problem is the fold up wings. The pieces are too weak to properly support the wing so I just glued the wings into the down position. I think it looks better that way anyway. One great thing about this model is the landing gear. Many airplanes (especially Revel models) have landing gear that is weak or does not fit properly. This one has strong enough landing gear that is easily constructible and supports the plane well although I would advise gluing the rear landing gear into a set position.

I bought this to hang from the ceiling. I built it without the moveable options. The kit itself is OK. Fit was about average for a Revell. The instructions were typical as well. I removed the wing tank mounts and made my own exhaust. I also used aftermarket decals to represent VF-17 from the USS Bunker Hill. Very happy with the end results. If you build it out of the box, It is just an average kit. With a little time and attention it can be made to look pretty good. I would recommend this kit since the cost is low and it can be made to look very good.

This is a great looking model with decals that really look good, was fun putting it together for the most part, I had to glue the landing gear in place as I couldn't for the life of me get them to go together the way the manual specified. The wings folding to simulate its carrier based role is a great idea, unfortunately they aren't held together very well, it feels like they could use another mechanism to help the wings fold without them feeling like they will pull apart. I'd recommend this to someone with a reasonable amount of experience.

To be fair, I am getting back into modeling after about a 30 year hiatus (I built them as a kid), so my experience should be tempered, depending on your experience level… The level of detail is good; like any Revellogram model, the fit can be challenging :) My biggest gripe are the foldable wings—I found these very difficult to execute. If you are just getting back into modeling, you should probably spend the extra money and get a Tamiya—the superior fit is definitely worth the money in my book.

This is a newer Revell model. I've had issues with parts not lining up and despite my xacto knife, parts such as the landing gear have been rather flimsy and snapped. Most of it has been able to be fixed. This is a Corsair model for the Korean War. The model has good detailing overall but I think I would have built a different Corsair model had I known the parts were going to be so testy. Perhaps those issues could be my own fault, but it has the potential to be a decent model.

This thing was a dream to build once i found the corsair blue spray paint at my local hobby shop. I primed the whole thing in pieces and then painted it before putting it together. it went together fairly well with the exception being the folding wings. eventually I figured it all out and got the wings to fold but initially it was a beast. I would recommend this for someone who is patient and has a steady hand as the landing gear was a bit tricky to get to fit correctly.

The Good: Reasonable price, fair amount of detail, good decals. The Bad: Moderate number of parts, flash on many parts, scale of pilot. For the price, this is a nice, simple kit, but don't expect the detail or number of parts you would get from a Hasegawa kit, for example. The kit does come with a center-line drop tank, two bombs and 10 under-wing 5 inch rockets. The pilot figure seems a bit too small for 1/48 scale. Overall, a fun kit with only a few minor issues.

I thought this was a good model to put together. The directions were easy to read and had a good paint reference chart. I made this model for my son and it looks good hanging from the ceiling. The detail in the product was decent and it was easy to paint. I am an intermediate model builder and this was one of the first ones that I put together. I didn't like the wing up version so my wings are locked into place. I would recommend this for the average model builder.

This model is a straightforward build. However, this model is a challenge to put together, the horizontal stabilizer is one piece and be sure to put it on when you put the fuselage together for an easier time when building the airplane. The landing gear doors are designed to move but, I would glue them on for easier painting. The model requires plenty of filler for a smooth finish as this is an old kit. Overall, this model can be built by anyone.

you don't have to be very skilled to make this model look exteremely good. it is a fun and detailed model I had a blast building it .I used for a ww2 fighter setup I am trying to do. The decals were easy to aplly because of there large size and shape if you want a detailed and skill building project this is it.I would have liked to know some more things like rockets come with the model before I bought it weather than that it was a great model

Thought that made In Germany would make a difference in QUALITY! Fit and finish and overall mold quality stunk! Thought I built this kit as a kid,many years ago without all the folding features,which are not features,but disastrous! Echoing many of the same complains! Needed the economy size of body putty to make a respectable model from 10 ft. SAVE YOUR BARGAIN MONEY AND BUY TAMIAY,THEN you can put one on the front shelf!

This was a well detailed model with a nice assortment of spare parts, spinning propeller, semi-retracting landing gear, and excellent decals. While I would certainly recommend this model to experienced modelers, I would advise newer modelers to be aware that unless one properly attaches a certain small piece to the main wing, one will not be able to fold the wings back properly without breaking them.

This F4U Corsair was pretty easy; parts fit together well although there is some flange trimming needed. Plastic is strong and not flimsy. Directions are clear except for decal placement, confusion as to what number go on which plane so be aware. Only other problem is the wings; I glued them on, forget the up and down hinging. Model is real nice when completed. Fits right in with my other prop fighters.

I loved putting this model together, it was realy fun because it was my first aircraft. The only thing that I found that was the only problem was that the joints connecting the wing are fragile and therefore it is best that the the wings remain in a stable position to prevent them from coming apart. But overall I loved this model and would rexommend it to anyone beginning to model planes.

This was a great kit and at a very low cost. Probably an older model kit but details and parts were very good. Fit and finish exceeded my expectations. You have choice of folded wings or fixed for flight. Sprayed Corsair Navy Blue color which was great to cover any imperfections. Good variety of decals which went on easily. Overall, outstanding value for money. Highly recommend.

This is a nice kit with potential that I couldn't get right, from the folding wings to the retractable landing gear. After reading the reviews on the wings I didn't really plan on having them fold but I did give it a shot to no avail. Finished plane does look good with awesome decals included. Might have to get another and try again or at least build it with wings folded up.

There's nothing worse than putting hours into a model just to have the parts not fit 3/4 through the build. The fuselage and cowl actually fit pretty well for a Revell kit but when it came time to attach the outer section of wings, the mounting tab was molded in such a way that it made the entire kit unfinishable. This was the last revel kit I ever bought. Tamiya all the way.

From the start, I do not care for the retracting wing feature of this kit, but do understand why others would. This model went together so well I was very pleased; one of my best efforts. I like everything about this kit: price, fit, detail, all just right for my skill level. I spent extra time on this one so it shows well in my collection, out shining certain others.

Long story short, center section (fuselage, tail, pilot, canopy, etc) of this model is pretty good if not good. The outer wings are an absolute disaster. It makes it impossible to fit together correctly. With the wings in the down position there is a hole in the wing unless you modify it. I know it is cheaper, but seriously it is a wast of money.

Very cool, good paint job but one extremely major flaw... Folding wings do not stay together. I have never had so much trouble with a model and I have been modeling for 7 years. I must have tried to glue those wings on 20 times only to have them fall off. I commend anyone who successfully attached those darn wings.

Everything fitted surprisingly well. The folding wings were really flimsy so I scratch built some metal parts for it and attached small magnets to have everything click together. It looks nice and wasn't difficult to build. I recommend using decal setters and softeners, because this model is pretty curvy.

This kit is not all bad. I have several of these old dogs. Yes the folding wings are difficult, but they can work. Yes the landing gear is difficult, but they can work too. Yes the gear bay doors are really bad. BUT- if you glue the wings closed, the gear bays closed- you have a decent model for $13.

Instructions are poor= unclear st to how to position/orient parts. Landing gear hard to properly install. Landing gear doors are almost impossible to install. Folding wings -- hinge install instructions unclear...very difficult.. A good idea executed poorly.. do not buy

I attempted this kit when I first started model building, and it didn't end well. The fit of the wings, and a few other areas is poor. As long as you have some modeling experience it turns out to be a decent display piece. Putty will be needed in this build.

Really a great kit. All pieces fit nicely and had no trouble with it at all. Didn't bother to attempt to make the wings foldable per other reviews about them falling off. I plan on more Corsair projects in the future as they really make a good display model.

I enjoyed this being my first real model aircraft I built. One of the main issues was the wing connections, they’re fairly flimsy and weak but stable once the cement sets. You can’t move the wings up or down so you either do it up or down

Overall good kit. You get your bang for buck. The detail is not the greatest but it is a fun quick and easy build. The wings are a little tricky to put together mainly the wing joint assembly.

Was a nice build. Only downside was trying to glue a small piece to the front landing gear. After a few attempts to glue it right, the landing gear broke. All in all it was a great build.

Just received this kit and can't wait to get it started. Looks great. Very little flash. The parts are crisp despite the older molds.xabt go wrong with revell!

this model was great when i was building it and painting. I hand paint roundels and details and it was fairly easy to paint certain areas. over all great model.

this model is failed due to the wing issue already touched on by other users but if you cement the wings foiled it still can be displayed with out trouble

A very nice and big model (I like 1/48 scale). I Think to buy some accessories. Perfect delivery. Perfect box and delivered in the estabilshed time.

This is a good model for someone who is just beginning. Not a lot of parts or details. The engine is already part of the plane and not separate.

overall a very nice kit. I had a little trouble with the wings as they were a little bowed, but all in all a good kit to put together.

It was a fun model to build. The landing gear and wings were a little difficult to build, but if you are careful it should go fine.

This was a kit for my grand daughter and she really enjoyed building it. Detail was very good as was the fit of most of the parts.

I thought it was a great model but, the wings were very tough.Other than that was fun. Cant wait to do another variation.

good product missing one part for propeller easy fix youd never know

This is an awesome model and well designed. Highly recommended!

It is very realistic and also has a very slick design.

Item was shipped quickly and came in great condition