Trumpeter's 1/48 scale
Grumman F9F-2 Panther

by Peter Espada

Trumpeter's 1/48 scale F9F-2P Panther is available online from Squadron

Here is my 1/48 scale Trumpeter F9F-2 Panther finished using Yellowhammer Models' new decal sheet, the first of a three-part "Hot Cats on Parade" series on F9F-2 variants.

I had the privilege of working with Dave Klaus, president of Yellohammer Models' parent company Cutting Edge Modelworks, in developing information for two of the aircraft represented on the sheet, aircraft from VF-71 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard during its 1952-53 Korean War cruise.

The bird in the photographs here is "PAPASAN", aircraft 101, BuNo. 123469, flown by LCDR J.H. Hill, VF-71's commanding officer.

Another VF-71 aircraft is represented on the sheet, plus the Panther scoring the first Navy jet kill and another Bonny Dick plane from its 1951 cruise. Yellowhammer's other sheets in the Hot Cats on Parade series cover Marine Panthers, prototypes, Blue Angels, plus a spectacular grey-over-white scheme that has to be seen. Check www.meteorprod.com .

We used color and black-and-white photographs from the records of my father and VF-71 squadron member Osvaldo D. Espada, especially a very-well produced and illustrated cruise book.

I am extremely proud of the result and the quality of the decals themselves are superb--"second skin" does not quite go far enough in characterizing their quality.

Trumpeter's F9F-2 Panther is a generally fine kit, but is not without its problems. Fuselage length is a bit off, the shape of the nose is not quite right, and the windscreen is a poor fit to the cockpit coaming (too narrow). Most troubling are the rivets. I've looked at dozens of photographs of Panthers, and none show a hint of rivets, except some on the wings' bare metal leading edges. They were as smooth as a baby's behind.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images: 

Model, Images & Text Copyright © 2007 by Peter Espada
Page Created 20 March, 2007
Last Updated 24 December, 2007

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