HobbyBoss F8F-1 Bearcat 1/48th scale

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Evening all, I've had a chance to look and fondle the plastic now, and as per Mike's review - this model features very nice crisp recessed panels lines ( including some of the nicest cowling fasteners I've seen). The parts are all crisply moulded, and fit is very good.

Now before I go further - let me state a couple of things:

The Bearcat is one of my favourite aircraft, and I've got to know her kinks and foibles shape wise over the last few years, especially during my build of the Hobbycraft model on here.

Everything I am about to say and do is my take on what you "can", if you so choose to, do to a model if your enjoyment of our hobby is also about making a more accurate facsimile of the real thing.

If you want to build a well fitting nicely detailed model which will resemble a Bearcat - then I have no axe to grind, nor will I berate or belittle your efforts.

This is my take.

The Hobby Boss model has 2 real areas of inaccuracy, one is easy to fix, the second will require work.

First up is the cowling: As yet no one has managed to get the cowl shape right, so HB are in good company here.

Second are the wings: Put simply HB have really, really messed these up big time: They are way too thick with inaccurate air intake openings, too close to the fuselage; the flap and ailerons are moulded with some kind of rippling effect that looks like a contour map of the Alps. The rocket launchers are works of pure fiction. The UC location is too far inboard, though this may also be due to the fact that the wing seems to be short spanwise.

I think to save further ado - these pics may show up what I mean reagarding the wings

Above images copyright to Grumman History Center/ Memorial Park

Now take a look at this - look at the left wing as you see it in the pic.

I think this demonstates the overly thick kit wing as moulded, and the distance of the air intakes to the fuselage, plus their shape. On the right you can see my first stage of thinning. However in doing this you loose most of the wheel bay detail....

...Which is no bad thing as its hoplessly bad anyway ( again - no other model has managed to this area justice). But by electing on this course of action - you will need to rebuild the gear bays and reprofile the air intakes to capture the blended slight bee-sting lip look of them.

More to come: Next up the cowling - how to fix in 20 minutes.

Cheers

Jonners

Edited November 21, 2011 by Jon Kunac-Tabinor

[Tim T]

Jonners, this looks like another tour de force. Always a joy to follow your posts as you wrestle these things into submission.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Afternoon chaps - the cowling.

As its moulded the kit cowling has 2 easily fixable problems. The first is the shape of the cowling front curve which is too blunt along the top edge, the second is that the cowling opening seems too small and is also weirdly not centred within the cowling - its lower than it should be - again making the top lip appear too thick.

If you have the kit part look at it front on and you'll see what I mean.

so about 20 minutes work with a scalpel and some sanding sticks will get you from this:

to this:

Notice how the top cowling lip is now a smoother more graceful curve, and the larger cowl opening has evened out the hole so its central ? I've also rounded the inner lip of the cowling howl too - again its more prototypical

If you have this model, and are in a mind to do 'some' mods on it, do the cowling fix if nothing else. - it will improve the look no end and is simple.

The fit of the insert into the underside of the cowling is excellent BTW, though when HB release the dash-2 version the extra vent insert would really need to be replaced with a hollow version, a sits mounded solid.

Next time on DIY F8F: giving the wing intakes some shape, and opening the cowling cooling flaps.

Cheers

Jonners

[Mike]

Nice work Katy - the cowling fix is nice & simple. Does it result in a correctly sized aperture? Also, what will you do with the wing roots on the fuselage? I.e. how will you thin them to match the wings?

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Nice work Katy - the cowling fix is nice & simple. Does it result in a correctly sized aperture? Also, what will you do with the wing roots on the fuselage? I.e. how will you thin them to match the wings?

Katy? I preferred Conehead Tambourine.

The cowling opening is now far closer to the proper size- but I am very much a "by eye" measurer for type of thing, and yes, to me, it looks right now.

Wing root fix is easy - pics to come later.

Cheers

Jonners

[HOUSTON]

AWESOME work so far....WOW !!!

[Moofles]

Coming along nicely.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Hi guys, after much work, I am reluctantly consigning this model to the "where are they now" file.

There is simply too much to put right, in my book, to justify effort and time on what I have now come to consider to be a classic modern paradox of model kit making: beautifully designed, well moulded, but abysmally researched and hopelessley inaccuate.

In short - my time to spend on the hobby I love is finite, and while I don't mind a bit of work, the more I have delved into this model, the more I find I need to do to make it look right. And I love Bearcats too.

I will not vent my spleen at the rank amatuerishness of the research that went into this kit, nor will I rail at the obvious contempt the kit maker must hold its customers in, to release a model so inaccurate as to be a joke of the sickest kind.

I will merely say that if you want a nice fitting, well detailed model of something that actually looks like a Bearcat, go and find the old Academy / Hobbycraft model and sand the cowling to shape. Invest a few quid in the eduard etch set and you'll have a pretty nice F8F.

I very rarely say this about any model, and for those that have it, and are enjoying the build, please forgive me for what I am about to say.

Accuracy wise this kit is total and utter pants. HobbyBoss should be pilloried from the highest battlement for what is in effect a rude pastiche of the real thing. I will think long and hard about spending money on another one their models based on this kit.

To my mind we, as modellers, deserve far, far better than this.

cheers, so to speak

Jonners

[Iain Ogilvie]

Crikey...

That bad? I need to dig out one of my 1:32 Trumpy ones now as I can only assume they are based upon the same CAD models

Iain

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Crikey...

That bad? I need to dig out one of my 1:32 Trumpy ones now as I can only assume they are based upon the same CAD models

Iain

Hi Iain, yes that bad.

I have no idea if the trumpy 1/32 ones are based on the same research - so I would not be able to comment.

Let me put it like this this: You have more chance of whittling a peice of wood to the shape of a Bearcat, wearing a blindfold, than you will of making this plastic excressance look like one. Save yourself fifteen quid and buy a damn nice bottle of wine with it for Christmas lunch.

cheers

Jonners

[David H]

Jonners, can anything be salvaged from the kit which would improve the Hobbycraft kit? Anything at all?

-d-

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Jonners, can anything be salvaged from the kit which would improve the Hobbycraft kit? Anything at all?

-d-

Hi David - cockpit ( including roll over pylon) and undercarriage parts, plus the prop would improve the HC kit.

This is the real shame with the model - the detail is good, its just the shape isn't

Cheers

Jonners

[Giorgio N]

Very disappointed to hear this, the Bearcat is one of those subjects I've had in mind for a long time and I was looing forward to this kit (for which I was ready to leave my usual 1/72 scale). Guess I'll have to look for the HC/Academy one.

[Work In Progress]

Personally I still like the 1/48 Testor / Hawk kit. It may be from the Paleolithic era and has diddly-squat detail but it's basically the right shape. Stuff some HobbyBoss bits into that and I imagine you are onto a winner.

[Gary C]

Hi guys, after much work, I am reluctantly consigning this model to the "where are they now" file.

There is simply too much to put right, in my book, to justify effort and time on what I have now come to consider to be a classic modern paradox of model kit making: beautifully designed, well moulded, but abysmally researched and hopelessley inaccuate.

In short - my time to spend on the hobby I love is finite, and while I don't mind a bit of work, the more I have delved into this model, the more I find I need to do to make it look right. And I love Bearcats too.

I will not vent my spleen at the rank amatuerishness of the research that went into this kit, nor will I rail at the obvious contempt the kit maker must hold its customers in, to release a model so inaccurate as to be a joke of the sickest kind.

I will merely say that if you want a nice fitting, well detailed model of something that actually looks like a Bearcat, go and find the old Academy / Hobbycraft model and sand the cowling to shape. Invest a few quid in the eduard etch set and you'll have a pretty nice F8F.

I very rarely say this about any model, and for those that have it, and are enjoying the build, please forgive me for what I am about to say.

Accuracy wise this kit is total and utter pants. HobbyBoss should be pilloried from the highest battlement for what is in effect a rude pastiche of the real thing. I will think long and hard about spending money on another one their models based on this kit.

To my mind we, as modellers, deserve far, far better than this.

cheers, so to speak

Jonners

Sounds like it's an improvement on their F-111 then...

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

I'm looking forward to what the print media say about this model. I have an idea.

I've kind of decided not to completey abandon the build - just work away in the background. So I'll post on here occasionally as I make progress, in between day relaeses from the "institution".

Jonners

[Iain Ogilvie]

Hiya Jonners - would be really good to see you continue - and great to get your thoughts on the problem areas.

Having dug my Trumpeter kits out I very strongly suspect the 1:48 Hobby Boss kits and the 1:32 Trumpy kits are based upon exactly the same CAD models - and I want to get the two I want to build right! (I'm no expert on the Bearcat).

Iain

Edited December 3, 2011 by Iain (32SIG)

[gingerbob]

NOT having dug my Trumpeter Bearcats out, I sure hope you're wrong!

[Iain Ogilvie]

So do I!

But as they're one in the same company, just separate brands, I'd be *very* surprised if the 1:48 versions were based upon completely different CAD models...

Intrigued...

I have a set of Thai decals for one - was hoping for a 'quick build' sometime!

Iain