Hobbycraft + Cutting Edge 1/48 Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat

by Mick Evans

HyperScale is proudly supported by Meteor  Productions

Here is my 1/48 Hobbycraft F8F-2 Bearcat, extensively modified due to the inaccuracies around the nose cowl and the simplified cockpit, engine and wheel wells.

The front nose area was removed and replaced with the Cutting Edge F8F-2 corrected front fuselage section. These parts have the correct exhaust pipe troughs and cooling cowl outlet flap details and look terrific when complete.

The simple kit cockpit was replaced with the exceptional Cutting Edge cockpit detail set. Once again every necessary detail is included. Now the Bearcat cockpit looked cramped and busy and the top deck details behind the pilots seat was supplied displaying all off the sliding canopy rail details.

Next the wheel well detail was removed and replaced with the Lone Star wheel well replacement set. There is no comparison that can be made between the kit details and this replacement detail set. Lone Star provides all of the parts required in this busy area.

The wing intake trunking for the supercharger air bracing struts and oil plumbing is all provided as is the hydraulic piping and wing structure in the outer wheel wells.

Assembly from this point was straight forward with the wing to fuselage fit requiring a little extra work.

The engine was replaced with an Engines and Things Pratt and Whitney R2800 Double Wasp resin engine. The casting was not the best and required some cleanup work and extra details such as ignition harness to be fitted.

Finally the engine and replacement Cutting Edge cowl were fitted along with a Cutting Edge replacement propeller.

The wheels were replaced with True Details Bearcat wheels and the decals were from Superscale.

The Bearcat was finished in Xtra Color paints with subtle weathering.

When completed with these modifications, the model looks like the speedy, compact and mean aircraft that the Bearcat was.

 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images: 

Text and Model Copyright 2007 by Mick Evans
Images Copyright 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 18 January, 2007
Last Updated 24 December, 2007

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