Where do I get the building plans?

Plans are purchased separately from Nick Ziroli at ziroligiantscaleplans.com (copyrighted). Kit Cutters supplies the laser-cut wood; Ziroli supplies the plans and most model-specific accessories.

Does the kit come with a cowl and canopy?

No. The short kit is wood parts only. The round fiberglass cowl, belly pan, and canopy are sold separately by Ziroli. Ziroli also sells a dummy radial engine for the scale look inside the cowl.

Kit Cutters Completion Guide

Nick Ziroli Giant-Scale Short Kit

93" F4U-1 Corsair

Q: How much time does a short kit save versus cutting parts by hand?

A short kit removes the entire parts-cutting stage. The Corsair's inverted gull wing ribs and curved sheeting are especially tedious to cut by hand. With a short kit those parts arrive precision laser-cut.

The bent-wing Navy legend in giant scale — with a complete, honest list of everything else you'll need to finish it.

Buy the Kit — $698.00 See Everything You Need

Wingspan

93 in

Length

72 in

Scale

1/5.3

Wing Area

1,650 sq in

Weight (AUW)

28–34 lb

Power

62–85cc gas

Skill

Advanced

A Legend, Faithfully Cut

The Vought F4U Corsair was one of the most capable carrier fighters of WWII — its distinctive inverted gull wing solved the problem of clearing that huge propeller while keeping the landing gear short. Nick Ziroli's giant-scale design captures that unmistakable bent-wing silhouette with the structural integrity to fly it well.

Kit Cutters supplies the precision laser-cut wood. This guide covers the rest: the honest, model-specific list of what you'll buy to complete it, with real sources for every part.

93-inch Ziroli F4U-1 Corsair gull-wing balsa RC warbird in flight

What's in the Box?

Included in the Short Kit

Precision laser-cut wood parts only — ribs, formers, shaped parts
One-piece inverted gull wing rib set
Special shaped spars, curved sheeting, and reinforcement parts

⬇ Download Pack List (PDF)

Required Separately

Plans / building instructions (buy from Ziroli — copyright)
Spars, sheeting, and stick balsa
Engine, cowl, canopy, landing gear, covering, finishing, electronics
Spinner, fuel tank, prop, servos, hardware

Everything Else You Need to Complete This Kit

Model-specific, with real sources. Where Ziroli sells a part directly, that's noted; where there's a choice (like gas vs. electric power), both paths are laid out.

Power System

This kit was designed in the gas era — Ziroli's plan shows a generic 62–85cc gas engine (Zenoah 62cc class). Below is the original gas specification, plus a researched, builder-validated electric option for those who prefer it.

GAS — designer spec

Engine	62–85cc gas (Zenoah 62cc class). DA-50R, DA-60, DA-70 also suit the 28–34 lb weight.	Desert Aircraft
Fuel tank	Dubro or B&B Specialties tank, sized to engine	Ziroli
Prop / spinner	Hamilton Standard 3-blade scale static prop kit (scale option)	Ziroli
Engine offset	Per plan	Per plan

ELECTRIC — researched alternative

Motor	~50cc-class outrunner, 190–230 KV (e.g. Great Planes RimFire 50cc). Proven on 28–37 lb giant-scale warbirds.	AMain Hobbies / HobbyTown
Battery	12S LiPo (2× 6S in series). Two high-capacity packs ~5000 mAh+, high C-rating.	Specialty RC retailer
ESC	150–160A with generous margin	Specialty RC retailer
Prop	22"–24" (3- or 4-blade); a 3-blade suits the radial look	Falcon

Heads up — Two Corsair-specific cautions from builders: (1) the long nose makes it tail-heavy — mount batteries as far forward as possible. (2) The radial cowl is a large air inlet; partly block the front opening so air actually flows past the motor and exits, rather than just scooping. Confirm your full setup in eCalc before buying.

Cowl

Designer sells

F4U Corsair fiberglass cowl	Round radial cowl, fiberglass layup	Ziroli
Fiberglass belly pan	Lower fuselage fairing	Ziroli

Canopy

Designer sells

F4U Corsair canopy	Vac-formed sliding-style canopy	Ziroli
Canopy rail set (warbirds)		Ziroli

Landing Gear

Retracts or fixed

Main retracts	Sierra Giant Scale F4U Corsair main gear (Geartech replacement for Robart)	Ziroli
Tailwheel retract	Sierra Giant Scale F4U Corsair tailwheel retract	Ziroli
Air kit	Robart 157VRX w/ tank & quick disconnects	Ziroli
Fixed gear option	Fixed wire gear also detailed on the plan	Per plan

Ziroli's plan illustrates both retracts and fixed wire gear — decide before construction so the wing mounts are set correctly. The Corsair's inverted gull wing makes the gear geometry a signature scale feature.

Servos

6+ channels

Flaps	2× 120+ oz-in, metal gear, ball bearing	Builder preference
Ailerons	2× 90+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Elevators	2× 90+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Rudder	1× 120+ oz-in, ball bearing	Builder preference
Gear / Throttle	1× 50 oz-in each (throttle BB)	Builder preference

Covering & Finishing

Airframe	1 oz fiberglass cloth + ZAP Z-poxy finishing resin (Ziroli's recommendation)	Chief Aircraft / specialty
Elevator & rudder	Iron-on cloth (Solartex)	Specialty RC retailer
Vinyl graphics	F4U schemes — "Jolly Roger" #29, AU-1 "Quantico", and more	Ziroli

Scale Accessories

All from Ziroli

Instrument panel	Ready-made scale F4U cockpit panel	Ziroli
Wing radiators (3D printed)	Scale wing-root radiator detail	Ziroli
Dummy radial engine	Vacuum-formed dummy engine front (scale radial look)	Ziroli
Hamilton Standard prop	3-blade scale static propeller kit	Ziroli
Pilot figure	WWII US Navy Pacific, RAF, or WWI options	Ziroli

Hardware

Wing mounting	One-piece wing — bolts to the fuselage per plan	Per plan
Control horns & linkages	Sized per plan	Specialty RC retailer
Hinges	Flat hinges or Robart hinge points	Robart / specialty

Detailed Specifications

Wingspan	93 in
Fuselage length	72 in
Scale	1/5.3 (2.25" = 1 ft)
Wing area	1,650 sq in
Weight (AUW)	28–34 lb
Power	62–85cc gas
Wing	One-piece, inverted gull wing, with flaps and retracts
Gear	Robart retracts (shown on plan); fixed wire gear also detailed
Min. radio channels	6+

Specs follow Ziroli's published F4U-1 Corsair plan set (1/5.3 scale), and match the Kit Cutters and National Balsa listings.

Nick Ziroli

Pioneer of giant-scale RC aviation, known for meticulous scale accuracy and structural integrity. Ziroli sells nearly every model-specific accessory for this kit directly, including a full line of F4U Corsair scale detail parts.

(631) 467-4765 · Plans must be purchased separately from Ziroli (copyright).

Get Ziroli Plans

The Build Journey

Build time for a giant-scale warbird varies enormously with a builder's experience, how much scale detail they add, and how much shop time they get. The figures below are ranges drawn from builder reports, not a fixed estimate — treat them as a rough sense of scope, not a promise.

Where a short kit saves you time

Ziroli's plans include full-size templates so you can cut every wood part by hand before construction even begins. That tracing-and-cutting stage is precisely what a Kit Cutters short kit removes: your parts arrive precision laser-cut and ready to build. The Corsair's inverted gull wing and curved sheeting are especially fiddly to cut by hand — exactly where a laser-cut short kit pays for itself.

Plans only (hand-cut)

You trace and cut every rib, former, and the tricky gull-wing parts from raw sheet stock using the plan templates, then build.

more time, lower part cost

Short kit (laser-cut)

Parts arrive cut and labeled, including the gull-wing ribs and curved sheeting. You skip straight to assembly with a cleaner, more accurate fit.

less time, cleaner fit

The four stages of assembly

Stage 1: Fuselage Assembly

Building the aircraft's main body from the cut parts.

Align and pin main formers
Install keel / crutch system
Plank the fuselage curves
Fit the engine box / motor mount

Stage 2: Gull-Wing Assembly

The signature one-piece inverted gull wing — build straight and true, with flap and retract mounts.

Build the main spar box
Set the gull-wing center section angles
Fit retract or fixed-gear mounts
Sheet and cap the wing

Stage 3: Tail Assembly

Vertical and horizontal tail components.

Build the horizontal stab
Build elevator surfaces
Assemble fin and rudder
Final-shape tail surfaces

Stage 4: Systems & Final Assembly

Putting it together and prepping for flight.

Install gear & linkages
Final engine/motor fitment
Radio gear installation
Verify CG / balance (nose-heavy is your friend here)

Frequently Asked Questions

The short kit is laser-cut wood parts only. To complete it you'll also need the Ziroli plans, spars and sheeting, an engine or electric power system, cowl, belly pan, canopy, landing gear, servos, covering, and finishing supplies. The "Everything Else You Need" section above lists each item with a source.

Yes. The design is originally gas (62–85cc), but builders fly this class on a large ~50cc-equivalent outrunner around 190–230 KV on 12S LiPo. Two Corsair tips: mount batteries well forward (the long nose runs tail-heavy), and partly block the radial cowl inlet so air actually exits. See the Power System section.

Plans are purchased separately from Nick Ziroli at ziroligiantscaleplans.com (they're copyrighted, so Kit Cutters can't include them). Kit Cutters supplies the laser-cut wood; Ziroli supplies the plans and most of the model-specific accessories like the cowl, canopy, and scale details.

A short kit removes the entire parts-cutting stage. Ziroli's plans include full-size templates to trace and cut every rib and former from raw stock — and the Corsair's gull-wing ribs and curved sheeting are especially tedious. With a short kit those parts arrive precision laser-cut and labeled.

Either. Ziroli's plan illustrates both Robart retracts and a fixed wire-gear option. The inverted gull wing makes the landing-gear geometry a signature scale feature, so most builders use retracts. Decide before you build, since the wing mounts differ.

Ziroli specifies 62–85cc gas (Zenoah 62cc class shown on the plan). Desert Aircraft DA-50R, DA-60, or DA-70 also suit the 28–34 lb finished weight. The round radial cowl gives flexible mounting, but confirm cowl clearance and cooling airflow before finalizing.

No. The short kit is wood parts only. The round fiberglass cowl, belly pan, and canopy are sold separately by Ziroli and are listed with links in the accessory section above. Ziroli also sells a dummy radial engine for the scale look inside the cowl.

It has a 93" wingspan, 72" length, and 1,650 sq in of wing area at 1/5.3 scale. Typical all-up weight is 28–34 lb. These figures come from Ziroli's published F4U-1 Corsair specification and match the Kit Cutters listing.

Ready to Build Your F4U-1 Corsair?

Buy the 93" Corsair Kit — $698.00

Prices and availability are subject to change — verify on each vendor's site before ordering. Kit Cutters supplies laser-cut wood parts only; plans and accessories are sold by their respective vendors.

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