A few weeks back I had decided that I wanted to build a F8F Bearcat, as I can’t remember ever building one in any scale before. Not the old Hawk or Monogram kits, nor any of the new tool releases, which I have a few of in my stash. Seeing how I’ve never built an RVN/VNAF aircraft either, I decided to go with this one that I’ve had in my stash for several years. Especially after recently building the Hobbycraft La-5FN. I like the cross of simplicity, and detail offered in this kit
So I’m kicking off my build today, using this Hobbycraft kit.
It’s one of their later moldings and is pretty nicely detailed, inside and out. Here is a photo of the real aircraft in the early 60’s
and the kit sprues… not too high of a parts count, so this might be a fairly rapid build
And of course, assembly starts out in the cockpit
I’ll get some paint on there in the next few days…
Excelent. It would have been intresting to see how well planes the likes of the Bearcat, Tigercat and Skyrader would have faired if WWII had continued past 45.
Nice bit of detail in the pit. I did the Testors kit years ago and don’t recall much detail - but it’s long since gone and I do need a Bearcat Following along.
Have the old Testors kit. Going to do a wing clip and do Rare Bear from 2013-15. Got the artwork and goings to have Vintage make up the decals. Be an interesting paint scheme of purple, orange, yellow and white. Have the PE set for the office, is for a military bird, but close enough for who’s building it.
John & GH, this kit and the Hobbyboss kit are both pretty nice. The HB kit just is a bit newer and fancier, plus it offers a wingfold option with some cutting required. OOB, all this one really needs is a seat harness and maybe some instrument decals.
Steve. I wonder the same thing. The first F8F squadrons were in Hawaii working up for combat deployments when Japan surrendered. Had the bomb not been dropped, they undoubtedly would have seen combat in the upcoming invasions of the Japanese home islands in Operations Coronet and Olympic. The F7Fs would have had to waited for the Midway Class CVBs, and the AD had a bit more development to go. So both would likely have missed the final probably bloody actions in Japan.
Stik, thanks for posting this thread. I’ve built a few Hobby Craft kits, but I was not aware of this Bearcat kit. I have long wanted to have a VNAF or a Royal Thai Bearcat on the shelf. I’ll be on the look out for this kit.
Great choice for your next build. The Bearcats that flew in the IndoChina War were used and “abused” so it should lend itself to a lot of weathering possibilities for you. Will be following closely.
Yes indeed it did. It was the smallest possible airframe built around the largest engine in mass production at the time. Fast, quick, light, and agile, plus better visibility with the sliding bubble canopy. More lightly armed and armored than the F6F, but still Grumman tough.
Yeah, the Bearcat held the time-to-climb to 10,000 feet set in 1946. Climb rate of 6400 feet per minute, meaning 96 seconds to 10,000 feet. The Bearcat held that record until the F-4 Phantom II came along.
When I was at Moody AFB back in the 60’s, we trained Vietnamese pilots. Those officers weren’t much for military bearing. Walking around in groups with their hands in their pockets, their wheel hats cocked back on their heads, maybe their blouse unbuttoned, but get those officers in an airplane and look out. These guys weren’t taking any prisoners.
Started slinging paint on the Bearcat today. First up I used Tamiya Rubber Black in the cockpit and wheel wells. It works for a good faded black.
since USN cockpits in the post war era were painted in flat black from the level above the side consoles and IP, and Interior Green below that, I’m just gonna mask off the black areas tomorrow, then paint the green after giving the paint overnight to dry and cure before masking.
In the wheel well areas, I used Tamiya Yellow Green as Zinc Chromate Yellow over the Rubber Black
Following along.
