Kittyhawk F2H-2 / F2H-2P Banshee - 1:48 Kittyhawk

[Julien]

F2H-2 / F2H-2P Banshee

1:48 Kittyhawk

 

 

The McDonnell F2H Banshee was a single seat carrier capable Jet Fighter developed by McDonell from their FH Phantom aircraft. The new aircraft was to use the newly developed Westinghouse J34 turbojet. The J34 would have 3000lbf thrust compared to the J30’s 1600lbf. It was originally the idea that the Banshee would use much of the Phantom design, however due to changes in required fuel and armament loads this was not to be the case. At this time the US Navy recognised they would have to move away from the WWII .50 Cal Machine gun round to the heavier 20mm Cannon round (Something that took the USAF longer to realise). Even though the Banshee was not to use the Phantom structure there were enough similarities that a prototype of the Banshee was available in August 1948, a staggering 3 months after Phantom production finished.

 

The Banshee would be produced in three versions, The Nightfighter (F2H-2N), Photo-recon (F2H-2P), and the day fighter (F2H-2B, later F2H-3). The nightfighter had a 2’10” nose extension to house an AN/APS-19 radar units, and the Phot-recon version had a 2’5” nose extension to house 6 cameras. The Day fighter version would also feature eight underwing/stub pylons allowing for 1580Lbs of bombs/rockets to be carried. The aircraft also had a specially strengthened inner port pylon to allow carriage of either a MK 7 or Mk 8 nuclear store. In total upto 1953 895 aircraft would be delivered. The main users were the US Navy & Marine Corps. Overseas use would be only the Royal Canadian Navy. The Banshee being the only Jet Aircraft operated by them.

 

The Banshee would see extensive use in the Korean War by the US. I was realised that straight winged aircraft we no match to North Korean MiG-15’s and the aircraft operated primarily in ground attack and interdiction roles. No Banshees were lost to enemy aircraft in the Korean War due to this decision. The photo-recon aircraft with the ability to operate at 48000 ft generally stayed out of the range of AAA fire. The aircraft were in high demand for their pictures often being escorted by USAF fighters. Again there were no Air 2 Air losses with only 2 being lost to radar laid AAA fire. The last use of the Banshee would be in 1955 and again for the photo birds with secret overflights of Chinese positions for a suspected invasion of Taiwan taking place.

 

The Kit

This new tool kit from Kittyhawk arrives on three large sprues of grey plastic, a clear sprue, a small sheet of photo-etch and a decal sheet. The parts are finely moulded with fine engraved panel line and rivet details. The kit can be built as the fighter or photo-recon Banshee, with the option of having the wings folded if needed. Construction starts conventionally in the cockpit. The ejection seat is built up from 6 parts with PE belts being provided. The seat is then installed into the cockpit floor with the sides and rear bulkhead being added. Decals are provided for the side instrument panels. The rear decking behind the cockpit is then added to the rear of the bulkhead. The next step is construction of the front gear well, and leg. The leg is a less than straightforward affair with 6 parts and the one piece nose wheel . The front gear well is 6 parts and is built up around the gear leg. 

 

 

Once the cockpit and front gear well are complete they can be added into the main fuselage. Also added in at this time is the rear mounted arrestor hook and its recess. Once all these parts are in the main fuselage is closed up. The modeller now has to decide which nose is going on the aircraft.

 

 

If the fighter nose is chosen then a full complement of cannons are provided along with their ammunition boxes and feed chutes. These are built up and the nose parts closed up around them. Two panels are provide (one each side) which can be modelled open to show off the gun bay. Once the complete gun nose is attached to the main fuselage the nose cap can be put in place. If the modeller is going with the recon nose then a full camera fit is provided along with the mounting brackets and screens between cameras. Unfortunately they are no open panels to display the cameras but you will be able to see some of the detail through the camera windows. 

 

Now that the main fuselage and nose assembly is completed construction moves to the main body/wing area.  First up two complete engines are made up along with their intakes and exhausts.  These are then installed into the low main wing centre section along with other structural parts and then end plates for the main inner wing. The top two sections can then be added to the lower wing. Flaps are then added to the lower section. The main centre section of the wing can then be joined to the fuselage. Also at this stage the instrument coaming and instrument panel are added, with a decal being provided for the instruments.  The canopy and tail planes are then added.

 

 

The other wing sections are now built up. These can be attached either down or folded up as the modeller wishes. Each out wing has an upper and lower part and once together the wing tip tanks can be assembled and added.  Flaps are added to each outboard section and dive brakes can also be added in the open position if needed.  If the wings are to be attached straight then they can just be added on at this stage. If the modeller wishes to make them in the folded position then the folding mechanism and hinges need to be added. There are six small parts each side for this.   The instructions then have you make up the main wheel units and undercarriage legs and add them after the wings, though I suspect most will do this before if adding the wings in the folded position. Lastly the gear doors are added and if needed the weapons load can be added. There are two pylons on each outer wing and four under the centre section, with bombs and rockets supplied. The holes for these are in the parts which means if you are doing the photo-recon Banshee you will have to sand these. It seems odd these were not flashed over and the modeller left to open them if needed?

 

 

 

Decals
Decals are provided for 4 examples;

• F2H-2P - Bu No. 125687 USMC VMJ-1 (Overall Gloss Sea Blue).
• F2H-2P - Bu No. 128870 USMC VMJ-1 (Grey over white).
• F2H-2 - Bu No. 124978 USMC El Toro. (Grey over white + large red areas).
• F2H-2 - Bu No. 125068 USN VF-11 - Korean War (Overall Gloss Sea Blue).

 

 

Conclusion

This is a welcome new tool of an important Korean War era aircraft for the 1:48th scale modeller. Recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of
  and available soon from major hobby shops.

[Homebee]

See also here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234960623-148-mcdonnell-f2h-2p-banshee-by-kitty-hawk-released/&page=3

and here: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.be/2016/09/kitty-hawk-148-f2h-22p-banshee.html

 

To my great regret and to put it clearly the new KH F2H-2 Banshee is a subject that often causes irritation.

 

By the way Furball Aero-Design is working on dedicated decals.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/FurballAeroDesign/photos/a.218975504866883.46149.218345081596592/1200419146722509/?type=3&theater

 

 

V.P.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by Homebee

[71chally]

Looks good to me.

On those sprues the upper fuselage curve doesn't look so prominent, and it looks like there is some rake to the intakes, over some of the earlier shots.

[AntPhillips]

There's a build review over on Modelling Madness today, Scott built it canopy closed and it certainly looks much better and doesn't appear as short and stumpy as some of the earlier pics suggested.

[Homebee]

On ‎14‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 23:14, AntPhillips said:

There's a build review over on Modelling Madness today, Scott built it canopy closed and it certainly looks much better and doesn't appear as short and stumpy as some of the earlier pics suggested.

 

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/korean/us/usn/f2h.htm

 

Much better ????  Come on.

 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregistry/banshee-124988.html

 

 

Source: http://aviationphotodigest.com/flying-leatherneck-aviation-museum/

 

V.P.

Edited October 17, 2016 by Homebee
please dont post copyrighted photos.

[AntPhillips]

OK take your point, but the lack of length is certainly not as noticeable with the canopy closed as it is with canopy open.

 

 

[Homebee]

I hate to be so virulent - it's not in my nature - but considering they claim having had the full support of the Detail & Scale specialists the Kitty Wok designers did, in my opinion and for this model, a really bad work. The serious shape inaccuracies observed in this kit - the intake bulge and exhaust subtle curves being the biggest issues - are therefore and for me totally unacceptable.

For such a modern product shapes and details are in my opinion far below the generated expectations though my little rant.

-----------------------------------------------

I forgot the belly shapes around the engines... Even Hawk did it in a better way in 1956!

 

Source: http://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5341/29733710123_03f29b7e04_c.jpg

 

Source: National Archives

 

See also here: http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/message/1484266991/List+of+differences+with+Kitty+Hawk+F2H-2-2P+kit+and+actual+aircraft

"List of differences with Kitty Hawk F2H-2/2P Banshee kit and actual Aircraft."

...

 

V.P.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Homebee

[71chally]

The Tailhook topics blog seems a lot kinder with accurate info to back it up, which I trust.

 

The only point outstanding point to me is that upper wing to fuselage joint, the height of that area and intake, without having the kit yet I'm unsure how correctable this is, but shouldn't be beyond the wit of man.   Certainly not unacceptable as you say.

Seeing it built up and painted, none of it is as obvious as the early sprue shots were showing.

Edited October 15, 2016 by 71chally

[JeffreyK]

I have to agree with Homebee. The exessive wing bulge throws the sleek lines of this A/C totally off.

I do wonder if a replacement upper inner wing part might be a possible option...

Cheer

J

[hopkp]

I have to agree with Homebee too, to me the Kittyhawk Banshee doesn't even come close.

 

I wouldn't class myself as a 'rivet counter', in that I can live with small errors/discrepancies as long as the model captures the overall 'look' of the full-size subject. I really wanted this one to be good because it's a subject that I like (the reconnaissance variant in particular) and it would have gone nicely with my Kittyhawk Cougar in the same scale, but the whole intake/inner wing area ruins it completely.

Edited October 15, 2016 by hopkp

[Julien]

Gents, discussion of the kit is welcome, and one of the reasons we like the site, but please dont rant on these things. Keep it polite and respectful.

 

Julien

[ancient mariner]

 A couple of reference photos. http://plasticnostalgia.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/banshee.html

[Tim T]

Being polite and respectful, I have to say that this is not one for me.  Another opportunity squandered by Kitty Hawk in my opinion. 

[tempestfan]

I didn't dare hope seeing a quarter scale Banshee in my lifetime. It would have been an absolute natural for Revellogram. I have been lobbying this one for years, but somewhat understandably Bünde wasn't all that interested. Be it as it may...with all caveats of looking at pics of built kits, distorted angles etc., the engine bulge on the underside of the kit seems somewhat pointed, the upper intake lip Looks somewhat too curved, and the intake outer radius seems too large. Some of this may be emphasised by the silver paint on the kit vs. the GSB of the Museum example, but the intake definitely looks oversized. This may even be more noticeable than the fat upper wing section. At least it seems something was done with the seat, as in Tommy Turtle's article it looked decidedly wimpy (tooled by the man responsible for the Aca Hunter seat ?), with too much clearance between it and the canopy.

[Masinissa]

On 10/25/2016 at 0:41 AM, tempestfan said:

I didn't dare hope seeing a quarter scale Banshee in my lifetime. It would have been an absolute natural for Revellogram. I have been lobbying this one for years, but somewhat understandably Bünde wasn't all that interested. Be it as it may...with all caveats of looking at pics of built kits, distorted angles etc., the engine bulge on the underside of the kit seems somewhat pointed, the upper intake lip Looks somewhat too curved, and the intake outer radius seems too large. Some of this may be emphasised by the silver paint on the kit vs. the GSB of the Museum example, but the intake definitely looks oversized. This may even be more noticeable than the fat upper wing section. At least it seems something was done with the seat, as in Tommy Turtle's article it looked decidedly wimpy (tooled by the man responsible for the Aca Hunter seat ?), with too much clearance between it and the canopy.

 

It probably won't take too long for another Chinese kit manufacturer to design and market their own version of the Banshee. If it's Hobby Boss or Trumpeter I hope they put their A-Team on it.

 

Of course if Kittyhawk goes back and fixes things the way Great Wall has done with their F-15 or Eduard with the Bf-109G, then they'll certainly keep a larger market share of 1/48 Banshees. 

 

I'll pass on this kit for now. Too many other items coming out that are calling for me to buy and build.

[bentwaters81tfw]

Having this in my sweaty paws, I would hope the aftermarket make a replacement upper wing section. It would cure the problem in one go.

It will sit in my stash for now. Other priorities beckon. I would have brought it to Telford, but seeing it's already in the shops, there doesn't seem much point.

[eaglesixfive]

I'm an idiot!

 

I ordered one before doing a proper search for reviews.

 

That's two pos from KH i bought.

[DarrenH]

Grabbed one of these as i cant see anything which is so bad as so ruin the "look" of the real aircraft.

Subtle errors yes but far from soul destroying like the Eduard 109 and its mutant wing which looked perverse when sat next to another 48th 109.

 

nice build at modelling news of the Banshee.

 

http://www.themodellingnews.com/2016/11/building-big-blue-banshee-kitty-hawks.html#more

 

 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2016 by DarrenH

[jpk]

On 10/15/2016 at 12:53, Homebee said:

I hate to be so virulent - it's not in my nature - but considering they claim having had the full support of the Detail & Scale specialists the Kitty Wok designers did, in my opinion and for this model, a really bad work. The serious shape inaccuracies observed in this kit - the intake bulge and exhaust subtle curves being the biggest issues - are therefore and for me totally unacceptable.

For such a modern product shapes and details are in my opinion far below the generated expectations though my little rant.

-----------------------------------------------

I forgot the belly shapes around the engines... Even Hawk did it in a better way in 1956!

 

 

Source: http://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5341/29733710123_03f29b7e04_c.jpg

 

 

Source: National Archives

 

V.P.

Before everyone throws Detail and Scale under the bus, it is my understanding that Bert of D&S only contributed research materials to Kitty Hawk. Also, I believe D&S received no compensation other than a box top credit. They wanted solely to help make an accurate kit. It was up to the CAD designer and owner, Mr. Song, to interpret and transfer the material to digital form to cut the molds. The errors present in the kit had nothing to do with Bert or D&S. Song had the material, he interpreted it poorly.

[PLC1966]

To me the intakes look off, but I could live with the rest.......

[Nobby57]

FH-1 Phantom or F2H-2 Banshee?

As I too bought KH's F2H Banshee on a whim, I must say, whenever I get round to it, I'm not too bothered about having to do many extra hours of work trying to rectify Mr. Song's errors after reading some of the posts above. But having  looked at the comprehensive set of photographs and article here...
http://axis-and-allies-paintworks.com/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?7392
It seems we have a bit of a hybrid interpretation of the materials at hand. Perhaps KH have mixed up the 2 a/c. However, the challenges aren't too daunting even if having paid for a shake and bake kit, we've got to go a little further. Nice mouldings.