Workbench clearance - Grumman Bearcat

[Leading Observer]

I have had this Monogram F8F sitting around partially painted for ages, and finally decided to get her finished. So I present an RAN Bearcat of 805 NAS circa 1950's based at Nowra NSW. The keen eyed will note that she wears the markings, serials and codes of a Sea Fury FB.11 of the same period. I think the F8F represents a suitable alternative to the Sea Fury in RAN service.

[NARSES2]

Nice looking model and she's a perfectly reasonable alternative to the Sea Fury, especially if Australia had turned to the US earlier than in the real world for its equipment.

I built that kit as a Fleet Air Arm aircraft and thoroughly enjoyed it. Indeed I went out and got another 

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, that Monogram Bearcat is a great little kit, and for it's time it was exceptional. Has anyone done one in 1/72 since, apart from the equally ancient FROG one?

It looks super in that scheme too, and very plausible too. 

[JayBee]

I did my monogram one as FAA but just to be different I gave it a Centaurus engine.
The old FROG kit had different panels for the top forward fuselage, plain and louvred, the latter being for the French example that was one of the two choices in the kit, but Oh what a horrible canopy so terribly thick.
Sword have more recently done it in 1/72, and it gives the choice of F8F-1 or F8F-2. I do not know if it is still available, Hannants certainly do not have it currently listed.

[PR19_Kit]

IIRC the only visual difference between the -1 and -2 was a taller fin on the latter. I lengthened the one on my Monogram kit for my Reno racing version, Miss Smirfnoff, and I SHORTENED the wings!! <Gasp!> 

[jcf]

 

Re: -1,-2 differences, from Tommy Thomason's excellent blog on USN subjects:
http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2010/12/f8f-bearcat-1-vs-2.html

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/07/grumman-f8f-bearcat-vertical-tail.html

http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/07/grumman-f8f-bearcat-windscreen.html

[JayBee]

Yes the F8F-2 had a fin rudder that was 12" taller.
The Sword kit provides this by giving two sets of fuselage halves, one set for each version.

The one bit that I am very interested in is that louvered top panel that FROG gave. I have never seen a photo or a reference to it on the full sized a/c before.
Can anyone out there help?

[JayBee]

I SHORTENED the wings!! <Gasp!> 

This is because you are wise beyond your years Oh senior one.
As one set of wings gets longer so another must get shorter.
Thus the balance of the cosmos is maintained.

[PR19_Kit]

This is because you are wise beyond your years Oh senior one.
As one set of wings gets longer so another must get shorter.
Thus the balance of the cosmos is maintained.

Hehehe, if that's the case there's something, or maybe three somethings, flying around with NO wings after I'd built the three PR19s! 

[DogfighterZen]

Love that kit, and you gave it a great scheme, great job!

[Captain Canada]

Nice work. Defo looks right at home in those colours !

[zenrat]

Good build LO.

I might have added a spinner in order to further its resemblance to a Sea Fury and thus add to the confoundedness of the JMN.

[JayBee]

Well it was built some years ago so many of you may not seen it, but here is my FAA Bearcat FB4,(with Centaurus engine and yes a spinner.) as flown from HMS Theseus during the Korean war.

[PR19_Kit]

I'm surprised you didn't do it as Carmicheal's aircraft Jim. 

[That'll get Lee going I'm sure........  ]

[NARSES2]

I've got the Sword kit in its Royal Thai iteration with its Red Bull markings.

I've also got an Art Models kit which is injection plastic with a fair bit of resin.