1/72 MPM Darkshark

by Pavel Hrncir

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This MPM plastic kit of the Ryan XF2R-1 Darkshark (in the upgrade version) appeared in the hobby shops I guess two years ago.

Uncommonness of  conception with simultaneously applying a gas turbin unit in the forward engine mounting and a jet engine in the rear part of the fuselage and the presence of resin parts in this version caught my interest, so I bought the kit. 

The kit is designed as a short run kit with 34 plastic parts, plus a strip of photoetched parts, 11 resin parts for cockpit, vacuformed canopy and the decal sheet. 

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I began the assembly with the cockpit. The control panel was improved by “holes” representing controls, pilot’s seat was supplemented by seatbelts and also the area behind the seat went through some changes.  Serious thinning of the cockpit sidewalls was need before placing side consoles (parts P2 and P3). I opened the bottom air intake and made a new deeper front wheel well before putting the fuselage together. Don’t forget to add weight to the nose! The kit dorsal fin is too high and must be lowered.

It's good to make new wheel wells for the wings as well.  Attaching the wings to the fuselage was problematic in the front wheel well area and air intakes in the roots of wings. These jet engine air intakes got ribs. Darkshark was not armed and so I did not drill holes for machine guns and did not use a gunsight.  

I made a new wheel for the nose gear and modified its mechanism according to references.  The main gear was modified too.

Blades were separated from spinner (part 9) and both sections were done separately. It is definitely better.

All parts were airbrushed by Mr. Surfacer before their painting by Gunze Sangyo Gloss Sea Blue.

Weathering was made by black oil paint and the whole aircraft was sealed with semi-gloss clear. 

If you are willing to put in the effort, you will get a nice replica of this nice plane.  

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References:        

  • Steve Ginter’s Naval Fighters no.28

  • Walter Oetzell’s plan for the Ryan FR-1 Fireball

  • APKR magazine no.37  

Pavel

Liberec, Czech Republic

 

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Photos and text © by  Pavel Hrncir