AIMLESSLY UNBALANCED

I've completed Academy's 1/72 scale Corsair F4U-1 , No. 1657. This was a pleasant surprise to build. All the parts have a great fit , including the wheel doors. Therefore , I decided to build this with the wheels up and placed it on a stand , from a Accurate Miniatures 1/100 model and a brass rod. What is seen comes straight from the box , with no after market parts.
The biggest let down , having built such a great piece of work , are the usual Academy decals , that don't stick and are tooo thick. Using decal solution will not affect the decals , meaning they will not conform to the model's surface or stick. They are just simple junk. I only used those decals that were useable , to create a good looking model , that was possible.
I have considered buying another Corsair model , using after market decals. I know a person , who would enjoy this bird for Christmas. Butt , think about it. How can you have a good model , at a bargain price , if the decals don't work ? Buying after market decals will cost ten dollars , plus the gas and/or shipping. It does not make sense to buy another Academy Corsair model , where's the bargain ? For the money , I would do better with the Tamiya. Academy 1/72 scale models can be purchased at Hobby Lobby for 7 dollars using their 40% off coupon.
The F-4 Corsair was notably flown by " Pappy " Boyington and his Black Sheep Squadron , VF-214 , during World War II.