An Italeri 1/48 F8F Bearcat? When, where?

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Has anyone ever heard of Italeri producing a 1/48 Bearcat? Is this something that was just released and flew in under my radar?[%-)] I’d be just estatic if this was a new mold but it’s probably the old Testors mold anyway.[:(!] Maybe I should get so excited, I just think the F8F has not been treated with the respect it deserves from the major manufacturers. [B)] - Calvin

2

Academy has 1/48th F8F Bearcats for about $20 US, depending on where you shop. I haven’t seen any from Italeri. The Academy Bearcats are very good quality.

3

The Italeri and Testors are the same kit. It has been repackaged by both companies many times. It is a good basic kit but very little interior detail

4

Are the Academy Bearcats reboxed Hobby Craft “Cats”. As far as I know the old Hawk/Testors and the Hobby Craft Bearcats were the only 1/48 kits out.

5

Yep, the Academy kits are the very same kits as HobbyCraft. I have a couple of them and a HobbyCraft F8F. The Hobbycraft ones you can find at a Squadron sale every so often for about $10. I just have never seen a Bearcat boxed by Italeri. I have a Testors kit and while the outside looks OK, there is no cockpit or wheel wells. - Calvin

6

Yeah, I know that theTestors and Italeri kits are the same… but what about a 1/72 Bearcat?.. is there any?..

7

Didn’t Monogram have a 1/72 Bearcat? I seem to remember a small scale F8F being made.

8

Yes, Monogram made a very nice 1/72 Bearcat in the 1960s:
http://www.inpayne.com/models/angels_bearcats.html
Not sure if it’s still available, but it’s possible.

The Italeri 1/48 kit is the same as the Testors kit, which itself is a rebox of the old Hawk kit from th 1960s. (Testors bought all the Hawk molds a long time ago).

HobbyCraft’s 1/48 Bearcats are the most recent ones made, and Academy is reboxing them under their own label.

9

Sword released a limited run 1/72 Bearcat a few years ago. Much more detailed than the old Monogram kit, but just as rare these days.

Regards, Rick

10

The 1/72 Mono Bearcat is fairly easy and inexpensive to find on Evilbay. I see it on there all the time. - Calvin

11

I have a F8F-2 kit by hawk in 1/48 scale and it came chrome plated anyone want to buy it as I am going strictly 1/72 and I have a revell Bearcat in that scale

12

The Hobbycraft builds into an OK cat!