A few months ago I put together a AMT F-8H which was aboard my carrier the Hancock CVA-19 it’s carrying markings of the Ticonderoga. Today I found a older Revell F-8E with the Hancock and VF-24 markings. I’m wondering if there were any differences physically or paint layout between the two. Thanks for the read . Buddy B.
First off, nearly all available kits represent the F-8E, F-8J, or F-8E(FN) (French Navy). The F-8C was a rebuilt F-8D with the smaller radar dish and nose, so to accurately model the H, you would have to do a bit of rhinoplasty. Not terribly noticeable to most folks, and may not be worth the hassle. Paint jobs should be about the same, with flat light gull gray (FS 36440 topsides and gloss white undersides and control surfaces. By the 1960s, the “hot” sections of the rear fuselage were unpainted. Radomes could be either flat black or white, so go with photos.
I think that Paul was trying to say that the -H was a rebuilt -D, not that the -C was.
The paint jobs were, as he said, pretty much the same with a couple of exceptions. My dad was a plane captain on F-8’s on the Shangri-La in the late 60s, I remember looking through tons of 8mm film and slides. Depending on the scale you are building, there have been conversion kits released that will allow you to use an -E kit to make the -H model. The two most noticeable differences between the -D and the -E variants were that the -E had the larger, more rounded nose and the hump on the “spine” of the wing center section----although the very first -E models did not have that hump on the top, most of them did have it. Also, the radomes could be other colors besides black or white, I have seen a light color similar to radome tan, and i have also seen red. I mentioned that there were a couple of exceptions with the paint jobs–the early F-8A and -B models ended up being used as trainer aircraft, and in this role they were painted in a dark blue/yellow scheme. The other exception was with the RF-8 recon aircraft, later on after all the fighter versions had been retired, the RF-8G’s flew with a low-visibility scheme. There were also a few Crusaders modified as drone control planes–DF-8F models. These also had a different paint scheme, often similar to the trainer role colors. Best bet is to find some photos of the exact plane you wish to model so you can get yours as accurate as you would want.
DOH! See what happens with a late-night posting? Yaawwnn!
Yes, I meant to say that the H was a rebuilt D.
Thank you Paul and F8Fanatic. You know your f-8’s! Since I’m going back to the “E” the nose size looks just right to me, and the Checkered Tail will be as I remember it. I hope. You gentlemen confirmed in what I thought, black nosed, gloss white belly, light gray top, and red trimmed. Thanks so much. Buddy B.