This is the Academy 1/48th kit, built OOB except for some homemade belts. The finish is modified Tamiya acrylic sea blue. I used kit decals, they were not very good. I finished this kit in about 10 hours. I overcoated with some satin, and it came out well. All comments welcome. (I read all the reviews about the inaccuracies of both the Testor and Academy kits, but, didn’t care much.)
Steve
The “Last Cat From The Grumman Iron Works!” I like it. Those modelers who are building with the intent of winning contests must of necessity eliminate even the most minute of errors in a model. Those of us who build for the enjoyment of building can just overlook the errors. Congratulations on a job well done.[alien]
What did you think of that Kit Crockett (davey???[;)])? I eyeballed it hard this last weekend. She sure has some long legs huh. Which Tamiya Sea Blue you use?? the flat? how did you modify it?
Jeff
Well Jeff, It was a most basic kit. I picked it out of the pile because I needed to do a “basic” OOB build after my Tiger project. Overall I would say “decent”. The kit offers parts for two versions, the -1 and -2, the latter having a taller rudder and different cowl/exhaust. I chose the -1. The most glaring issue is the fuselage molding to the windscreen does not match up. This is easily fixed, if you know it’s coming. Most don’t find out until they are ready to install the windscreen. Fit was pretty good. I used Tenax to weld the fuse and attached the upper wings first. This is a must, lower wings to fuse is a challenge, but I used NO filler. I would recommend it, since it is the only decent Bearcat out there. There is a lot of AM offered for the kit, which suprised me.
Steve
Oops! forgot about the paint, it’s Tamiya Royal Blue, not sea blue, and I darkened it adding about 10% gloss black. I decanted some satin clear coat (laquer)from a rattle can and oversprayed the entire plane with the Badger after the acrylic base had cured for about 2 hours. Most builders say that this is a real no-no, but I’ve been doing it for years (before I knew better), and I guess I have been lucky, because it has never failed me and is really the only way to get that dark Navy blue just right.
nice looking build!!! I like!!!
what do you think about the Testors 1/48 kit? I did it waaayyy back when and have no idea of the accuracy of it… but it came out looking decent… it fit together with no putty as well…
reason I am asking is I am considering another one soon and if the Academy kit is better I might try it out… the Testors one though spartan in interior detail was alright on the exterior…
Tom,
I don’t have any experience with the testor kit, but I’ve read reviews that it pretty much sucks. I added detail to this cats interior, it is rather barren. There are some excellent PE sets out there for the Academy kit to make it into a real winner.
LOL Steve
Excellent job on that paint, Steve. Looks right to scale. Gotta agree about those long legs…
Very nice job Steve. I built this kit a few years ago & thought it was pretty good, better than the old Testors kit anyway. Good looking model. Thanks for sharing.
Regards, Rick
Very nice, Steve, especially considering it only took 10 hours to build it and get the great results you did.
Mark
Hiya Steve,
Coolish, the kit looks to be an over all good build…!!! You did her justice thats fur sure…!!!
How did you rate the build/fit of Academies bird?? Isn’t this basically the Hobbycraft kit reboxed??
Thanks for sharing Steve.
Flaps up, Mike
I don’t know which came first,but the Academy & the Hobby Craft are the very same molds. Very nice, Steve! I’m doing one for the Nav Air GB that I was going to put in my squadron’s display case. The Eduard Zoom set spruced it up quite a bit in the cockpit but my example had some bottom wing/fuselage issues. I was hoping to have it done by the end of the week. Maybe someday I’ll build one OOB! LOL - Calvin
Nice build Steve.One you don’t see all the time. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Crockett. I used the Tamiya flat dark sea blue and it looks just like that (minus the satin finish).
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Gorgeous bearcat! You did an excellent job, I really enjoyed looking at this model. Thanks for sharing,
Darren.
Nicely done. Don’t see Bearcats often, and you’ve done this one proud.
Very nice Work…congrats…
Regards
Beautiful work Steve, thanks for sharing! [:)]
I have one of the old Testors kits that I was in the process of modifying it into Lyle Shelton’s “Rare Bear” unlimited racer… I got to the point of decaling, then stopped. (didn’t have any decals)… maybe one of these days I’ll finish it.
Take care,
Frank
Looks great. It is fun to see the bearcats when they do get done 
Leon
Crockett,
Very nice - It looks like you got the right “Special sauce” recipie for the dark Navy Blue.
I think the Bearcats had to be rather long legged to keep that giant prop from slicing into a deck.
Chris