Well I finally finished her. I can not honestly say how long I was working on this kit on and off, but I do know that it was over a few years. This is Monogram’s 1/48 F-8E Built mainly OOB. I added some scratch built detail to the wingfold but most is not visible. I also removed the RWR from over the rudder. At some point in construction I lost the nose IR sensor, so I scratch built a replacement using an old Revell Phantom Sidewinder. I replaced the kit kit’s Sidewinders with some AIM-9Ds taken from a couple Italeri F-16 kits. The ones in the kit are not correct for the Crusader I chose to represent. Lt Cmdr D ick Bellingers F-8E, VF-162, USS Oriskany October 1966 that claimed the USN’s 1st MiG-21 kill of the Vietnam war. I used Humbrol Satin White and Gull Gray for the camo colors, Model Master Insignia Blue for the rudder and Tamiya Flat Black for the Radome and walkways on the upper rear fuselage. Tamiya Silver Titanium for the bare metal rear fuselage. Decals are by Cutting Edge. Not the best decals I have used- they were difficult around the compound curves of the front fuselage. MicroSol was not effective, so I ended up trying Solvaset. I used HB pencil for the raised panel lines and a cotton ball drawn back along airflow. Tamiya Weathering medium for the APU and cannon soot, and Pro wash in the Wheel Wells. Final top coats are Humbrol Matte Clear over the Gull Gray and Satin Clear over the White.
And since this was my last aircraft to be completed this year, I posed it with my other completed USN fighter, the F6F. The MiG Master and the Zero Master.
Looks nice, Steve. Whatever problems you had with the decals aren’t apparent on my end. Weathering looks realistic and I really like the 'pit. Was that a CAG bird?
Really like your build! I finally bought myself a Gunfighter last week after wanting one for some time. Don’t often see them modeled with the wings folded, was that an option with the Monogram kit, or did you cut them and do it yourself?
Some things that might of helped your Monogram Challenge a little:
Tires aren’t totally flat black, I would paint them with model masters tire black.
The wash is most likely to dark. It is usually a brown instead of a pen ink like color.
The gun stains seem a hint too dark, I would tone them down a bit. Last, I would(can’t tell in these photos) also weather the panel lines where the decals go. The decals look too clean in proportion with the rest of the aircraft. [Y] [H]
Other than that said, I would say you have done an extraordinary job on your Mig Killer. The Crusader certainly was a mean jet. I love your sidewinder missiles, very well detailed, and I like your cockpit. Best of all the, the base codes are my initials.
Nice build on one of my favorite kits. I’ve had one or two of them in the stash since Monogram started molding them back in the late 80’s.
To prove you can never be too old to learn something new, I never noticed that some schemes have the wing national insignia entirely on the outboard wing panel, as opposed to some units having the star & bar painted across the wing fold hinge, which always made applying a decal somewhat tricky if the wings were to be folded later on.
FireSmacker, thats not the CAG bird. The CAG bird nose number always ends in double zero. I looked through my F-8 reference books & the markings for the CAG bird for that squadron from that time frame differed in that the stars on the rudder were each a different color.
Daywalker, the outer wing panels are separate, solid one-piece parts (center section is a top & bottom piece assy). The problem is that they fit terribly. There are sizable gaps between the outer section & the center section. I always have to fill in the gaps with strip styrene shims. Folding them can save about 2 hours worth of work.
Herc, I agree 110% about the Gray/White birds and their markings-very eye catching and visually appealing.[H]
Jeff, she is not a CAG bird. As said above, those always have the MODEX ending in “double nuts”-00. And usually all the Air Wing Squadron colors are on there somewhere as well. This was just a “line bird” used by Cmdr Bellinger that day for that kill.[8-|]
Frank, the folding wing option is in the kit. Either way needs work. Extended needs filling and folded needs added detail. I just wanted to try something different so I went with folded. Now to find some space to display her…[^o)]
Andrew, believe it or not the tires are a very dark gray with a flat black wash, just one of those things that does not show up well in these pics.The only wash on this kit was in the wheel wells where I used Pro Modeler wash. First time I have ever tried that stuff in wheel wells. Gonna have to work on it or go back to pin washes. All the panel lines were highlighted with an HB pencil after the decals were applied. It does not show up well over the darker colored decals.[;)]
Ish you are right about the star positioning. I just followed what was on the decal sheet guide. [whstl]
That’s a really nice build. I have that same kit about 80% done on the holding shelf because one of the tiny landing gear door support struts broke off when removing from the sprue and I am contemplating the major surgery it would take to put it in a gear up configuration…
Hutch, the stash is never too big until you are six feet under.[;)] And no collection of modern fighters is complete without at least one Crusader!
Gamera, these are the “Glamor shots”…LOL! And thank you! I just put them on the other thread to show the reason for lack of progress on my Centurion. Tomorrow that one goes back on the front burner. I only have to do a tad more scratch building on the turret.and then that beast will be ready for painting.
Mike I have an ESCI Crusader kit that also has VF-162 markings. It has the Snoopy Sidewinder tail art. But according to the Cutting Edgedecal sheet intructions, their research showed that this Crusader did not have that on board at the time of the kill. Too bad, because I really like Snoopy. I’ll have to look for that book. I am fascinated by the Vietnam Air War.
Sparrow, I had one of those little arms break off as well during construction. Thank goodness for the tweezers and Tamiya’s Extra Thin Cement to get it back in place.
I agree with you 100% on the Stash size issue. Although mine isn’t nearly what it was before. And yeh, I have the glue, but the Carpet Monster was patrolling when it broke off. Did I mention that we have off-white/gray carpets… Almost exactly the same color as that kit’s plastic.
You just proved that the old RM kits can be built into very nice looking models. You did a great job on this one. I have several in my collection and even completed one when they first came out. I entered it into a contest and while we were in a meeting going over the contest rules a man let his children play with several models. My F-8E did not hold up to being flown several feet. His comment almost resulted in a hanging. “Why are you so upset? They are only toys”.
Berny, a lot of folks must agree with you on this build. She took first place last night in the Advanced Catagory for our local IPMS chapter!I was informed by our contest guy afterwards I now have to moveup in catgories. Coming from him, that is quite a complement.
There were several children in attendance at last night’smeeting, but thankfuly they were raised better than your Crusader killers. Lord knows the use of excessive force would be justified…
I’ll have to look for that book. I am fascinated by the Vietnam Air War.
I was informed by our contest guy afterwards I now have to moveup in catgories. Coming from him, that is quite a complement.