Corgi Aviation Archive Collector Series AA33016
Vought Corsair Mk II Diecast Model
RNFAA No.1836 NAS, JT537, Donald Sheppard, HMS Victorious, 1944 | Limited Edition
900
Pieces Worldwide |
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| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Vought Corsair Mk II | | 5.5" | | 6.75" |
Applying to join the Fleet Air Arm at just 18 years old, Canadian pilot Donald Sheppard made his first operational sorties in support of Britain's attempts to destroy the German battleship Tirpitz at the end of March 1944. He was aboard his home carrier HMS Victorious as she later traded the icy waters of the North Sea for a new assignment in the Far East, where the Indian Ocean saw Sheppard develop from a talented novice pilot into an air ace, one of only two Canadian Navy aces and the Fleet Air Arm's only Corsair ace of the Second World War. During a hectic period of combat flying in the Indian Ocean, Sheppard was credited with at least four aerial victories, plus a couple more claimed as damaged, shared or probable. One of these victories saw him engaged in a lengthy combat with a Japanese fighter, which saw him giving chase to the enemy aircraft for over 20 miles at 20,000 feet. Once in shooting range, he fired on the enemy aircraft which almost immediately exploded in a ball of flame. However, Sheppard was flying so fast that he didn't have time to take evasive action and his Corsair flew through the flaming debris, burning his aircraft's tail and elevators. Thankfully, he managed to nurse his fighter back to HMS Victorious without further incident. Designed to meet a US Navy requirement for a single-seat carrier based fighter, the F4U was first flown on May 29th, 1940. This versatile aircraft saw service with both the Navy and Marine Corps in WW II and in the Korean War. During its lifetime, the Corsair underwent numerous improvements such as a lengthened fuselage, a high visibility bubble-top canopy and folding inverted gull wings that provided clearance for a large propeller. Its performance advantage, 400 mph capability, the ability to withstand punishment and six .50 Browning machine guns made the F4U a devastating weapon against aircraft, ground targets and ships. © Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc. Corgi's 1:72 scale Corsair series includes the early "bird cage" canopy variants and the mid- and late-war variants, which had a taller and wider clear-view canopy with only two frames. This model is made almost entirely of diecast metal with only the smallest amount of plastic used in its construction. The solid metal wing features oil cooler vents, machine gun ports on the leading edge and a pair of removable external fuel tanks mounted below. The all-metal horizontal stabilizers and rudder feature simulated fabric stretched control surfaces. The landing gear is robust in design and installs quickly and easily for ground display. © Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc. The Corgi "Aviation Archive" range presents highly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft. The vast Aviation Archive range has become the standard by which all other diecast airplane ranges are judged. Each Corgi model is based on a specific aircraft from an important historical or modern era of flight, and has been authentically detailed from original documents and archival library material. Famous airplanes and aviators from both military and commercial airline aviation are all honored. Corgi "Aviation Archive" diecast airplanes feature: - Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear with rotating wheels.
- Poseable presention stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
- Many limited editions with numbered certificate of authenticity.
- Detailed, hand-painted pilot and crew member figures.
- Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
- Selected interchangeable features such as speed-brakes, opened canopies and access panels.
- Selected moving parts such as gun turrets, control surfaces and swing-wings.
© Copyright 2003-2025 The Flying Mule, Inc. |
