I’m still toiling with a 1/25th Tiger (yep, I’m a closet armor builder), scratchbuilding the interior- but I want to start another flying machine over the holiday-my choices:
Hasegawa 1/48th hellcat,tamiya type 21 Zero, or the F8F bearcat…
Help me decide guys!
Steve[?]
do the bearcat, its an underrepresented subject [:)]
All 3 are good choices. If you have the Hobbycraft/Academy Bearcat, the kit isn’t bad. Not in the same class as the other 2, but builds up nicely. Guess I would vote for the Bearcat.
Regards, Rick
Do the Bearcat!
It’d be a refreshing change!
I agree with the Bearcat suggestions. The other choices are always being done but Bearcats are rare.
Either that or do something completely different and do a seaplane/floatplane and join the ‘It Floats and Flies’ Group Build [;)]
Definitely the Bearcat
Thad
The hell with the Bearcat. Do the Hellcat. (sorry, bad pun attempted)
I’d go with the Bearcat. I haven’t seen one built up in a long time.
do you want a quick build or another project? if you want quick the zeke.
joe
While the Hellcat is tempting I think I would rather see the Bearcat.
Wow, looks like it’s a hands down for the Bearcat, yes it is the Academy 1/48th. It comes with two cowls, and a high and low stabilizer. French or US Navy (gotta be navy). I can’t seem to be able to tell the difference in the cowlings though, looking at them they seem to be the same? Anyone know the difference between the early version and late version cowls?
I also seem to recall a thread a while back with a warning concerning the landing gear on this kit? I can’t seem to recall the issue, I think I’ll try a search…Oh yeah, I seem to remember a Canadian F8F in NMF finish, maybe that would be cool.
Thanks for the votes guys, the bearcat will be rolled out of the hanger in 2005!
Steve
Why not get the aftermarket decals and build a Rare Bear?
Okay Swanny, you’ve got me there- is that a civilian racing version or what?
If you decide on the Bearcat & want to spiff it up & have deep pockets, Cutting Edge ( Meteor Productions ), makes some great goodies in resin. Beautiful cockpit, accurate replacement cowl & corrected prop. Throw in a Squadron vac canopy & you have a really nice $100 model. Or, you can build it OOB like I did [:D].
Regards, Rick
The Bearcat would be my choice. Just don’t do a French scheme. That would be totally Politically Incorrect. Maybe it would be OK if you had the pilot holding a white flag out of the cockpit.
Rare Bear is a well known and very popular Reno, Unlimited racer. The Bear was #1 in Gold this year. The white paint job with gold trim would look nice. There is also an F-8 that is bright orange with black trim called Gulfhawk. I think Gulf Oil sponsored it in the late 40s Cleveland and Thompson trophy races. The cobwebs between the memory cells are obscuring that one quite a bit. X-)] [alien]
nuff said… I was gonna say Bearcat too… I built the Revellogram bearcat and it is a good looking model! for as simplistic as it was and lack of interior it looks dang good hanging from my ceiling and gets more comments from friends over at the house than my 1/48 AM SBD-5 which I spent 20+ hours on…
I just think it is a really good looking aircraft…
Build the Hellcat.
Oh Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!
Please build the Hellcat. One of the most underappreciated fighters this nation has known.