Adjusted the normal map, ribs are toned down and the hatches were so off I can only guess I hit a "g" key on my keyboard that corresponds to the layer opacity command in Photoshop.
Concerning the insignia outline I've referenced two books on it, Vought F4U Corsair vol. 1 and VF-17 'Jolly Rogers', Early US Navy Corsair Units: VF-12 and VF-17. I'll give the short version as its two pages in both just on this.
May 15 1942 BuAer 06230 document (included in ALNAV 97 and 98 bulletins May 6 and 7) introduces the Blue Disc with 5 pointed star on on upper and lower wings, rear fuselage. 6 markings
January 5 1942 specifications SR-2c with effect date of February 1, reduces to 4 markings Fuselage unchanged. Upper Port and Lower Starboard and apply with non-specular paint.
First VF-17 F4U-1's are received with this marking during training.
June 28/29 1943 Position change, ALNAV Dispatch 97 from May 16 1943 and by Army-Navy specification AN-I-9A on June 29 1943 white bars added with all outlined in red. Also in notice is Star to be painted equal parts Insignia White and Light Gray if the wing is Semi-Gloss Blue. Only affects Navy for most part.
At this time VF-17 still has "-1's" and is training on the USS Bunker Hill off Trinidad in late July. Photos show application of this on only one newly received F4U-1, rest still have disc and star.
Commanders from 5th and 13th Air Forces protest the red. They ordered only the white bars be added, no red.
July 31 1943 Rear Admiral Halsey ordered directive 300224 to all commands, bases and ships in SoPac "as an immediate expedient to prevent uncertainty of identification and pending further decision to elminate the RED BORDER on SoPac planes."
A blue hue was never specified so they were painted over with the camo color and in some cases different shade on top and bottom.
August 14 1943 AN-I-96 follows Halsey's directive and orders all new planes leaving the factory have a dark blue outline.
VF-17 starts to receive new F4U-1A's in August
September 14 1943 further, ALNAV dispatch 164 ordered red be removed in operational units. Some weren't bothering to cover the old disc and star markings or red outline.
September 24 1943 AN-I-9b from August is revised to define all outlines to be replaced by Insignia Blue on all aircraft of all air armed services.
Photos from Panama Canal crossing in September show the starboard wing didn't even have outline markings. Just disc, star and white bars. Fuselage marking may have had red outline. VF-17 doesn't report for operational duty till October 27. I believe by then that any traces of the illegal red outlines are painted over and anything showing is from the blue fading away.
The number 5 aircraft above is what I believe what most VF-17 Corsairs looked like during the first tour. The plane I did is second tour January - March 1944, where they should have had national markings corrected during leave. I'd say it most defiantly should have the insignia blue at that point.
