Here's my newest
finished model, the old Monogram F8F Bearcat. It's a build which sprung
from the woes of a "modeler-error" accident.
I'd been putting together a different kit for a model contest, and suffered a
"glue-on-the-glass" mishap. Distraught (or, at least, somewhat
ticked), I set that model aside and quickly cast about for something I could
assemble in a couple weeks, regardless of my glacial building pace and overtime
work schedule.
Monogram's Bearcat filled the bill! If you leave off the underwing
weaponry, it can be assembled using less than two dozen kit parts. For its
age, it's fairly detailed, excepting the wheel wells. Fit is wonderful and
assembly is filler-free. It repays improvement, giving the builder a
chance to try out some modeling techniques.
Most of all, it's just plain ol' FUN!
I attended to one "glaring" inaccuracy of the kit--its fin height.
As molded, the fin's size is somewhere between that of the F8F-1 and F8F-2.
Since my subject was a -2, I trimmed off the tip, added the requisite plastic
card based on scale drawings, replaced the tip, sanded, and then performed
scribing to retrieve the rudder outline.
As for the spartan wheel wells, I did some boxing in and let it go at that.
The cockpit includes an instrument panel decal, a joystick, rudder pedals
and a seat with embossed harnesses. Not bad for a kit from the '60s.
Main "office" color is Interior Green, with appropriate detailng
added. For kicks, I put in a narrow black decal on both sides of the
interior, speckling these with "switches, buttons and gauges" to give
a vague impression of side consoles.
Painting the Bearcat was really simple: Sea Blue...exterior, wells, landing
gear, even the inside of the cowl (tho I'm not positive this is the correct
color there). The Sea Blue was "cut" about 20% with
light gray (FS36495) and a couple drops of Testors Beret Green, which comes
in those teeny square bottles that used to cost a dime, way back when Monogram's
Bearcat first came out, and which nowadays sell for over a buck!
Markings represent an F8F-2 from VF-82 in the Summer of 1952.
The very last things I attached were scratch-built, drilled-out cannon barrels,
a scratch-built underwing pitot tube (ooooo!), two stretched-sprue dorsal whip
antennas and a nylon-thread aerial.
The model was barely weathered--a hint of exhaust stains on the fuselage siides,
a bit of scuffing in the cockpit. That's it. I almost skipped adding
a panel line wash. Who'd notice it on a Sea Blue aircraft? But add
it I did; and surprisingly, it popped out the exterior raised and recessed
exterior details nicely indeed.
Well, I made the contest deadline with one day to spare. And on Veteran's
Day, November 11, 2006, I sallied forth to Darien, Illinois for the annual IPMS
"Butch" O'Hare contest. Had a grand time up there; got to view
some superb models and pick up a couple "can't-beat-this" deals at the
vending tables. The donuts at the chow area were dee-lish, too.
I didn't hang around for the judging. NO WAY was my simple F8F gonna cop
an award (besides, I'm from a small town; the prospect of making the rodeo ride
thru suburban Chicago traffic around 5PM--even on a weekend--didn't exactly
infuse me with enthusiasm!).
...But during the day, I noticed a number of attendees pausing for a closer look
at the Bearcat. It caught the eye of Eric Seman, who was kind enough to
share the contest photo you see here. This pic is one of many images of
the event Eric has posted on the Net.
Bill
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