1/72 Hasegawa Grumman F9F-8 Cougar |
Gallery Article by Michael Keogh
on
Oct 13 2003
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This is my first submission to ARC. I've been building aircraft
models off and on over the past couple of years after about ten years away
from the hobby.
Lately I've been concentrating on early jet fighters. This model
depicts an F9F-8 Cougar of VF-43 from the Saratoga during the fall of 1956. The
F9F-8 was last version of the F9F line which began with the F9F-2 Panther
(the XF9F-1 was a four jet engine design that never left the drawing board). The
major difference between the Cougar and Panther was the swept wings [starting
with the F9F-6]. which replaced the earlier aircraft's straight wings.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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This model was built totally out-of-box. I had originally
planned on using some photo etched details for the first time, but obtaining
these for this particular kit has proved difficult. Cockpit detail is
non-existent; the instrument panels are decals. Building this model was straight
forward though there were a couple of major problem areas. Where the
top of the wings met the fuselage, were horrible gaps that required lots of
filling and sanding. On the bottom, at the rear of the wing assembly, the
alignment with the tail section was way off. Plenty of shaping and filling had
to be done, but I still wasn't able the remedy the flaw to my satisfaction.
I used Model Master enamels and acrylics with brushed on MM
clear acrylic gloss top coat before applying the kit's decals. Two coats of
Testors Dull Cote was used for the final finish. In the end, I was able to make
this kit a nice, presentable model.
Michael Keogh
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