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Monogram 1/48 F-80C "Salty Dog"


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 I'd like to show the few pics that I do have of this model. The wind was really gusting the day I took her to the local airport for some pics, and I had to curtail the session early. So, I only have a handful of decent shots. I was glad that I didn’t knock-off either drop tank. I have disengaged them a couple times just moving the model around the display cabinet!    😉

 

In the very first issue of FineScaleModeller magazine that I ever bought (Jan. ’89), there was an article by the great Bob Steinbrun on converting this old kit into one of the P-80s that were sent to Europe in the waning days of World War Two. Bob did an incredible job on his YP-80 and it sort of inspired me several years later when I built this Korean War-era bird.   His bird was finished in grey auto lacquer and really was breathtaking to see.

 

This kit went together well as I recall.   Pretty typical of the "good" Monogram models, lot's of detail, very accurate shape and the need for a bit of old-fashioned modeling skill to wrestle it into shape.   I recall that the joint between fore and aft fuselage sections needed some work.   The model was painted with SnJ aluminum. It came with aluminum polishing powder and the shiniest sections were polished with that powder. I masked some areas to be left unpolished, and some with another shade ( polished without the powder) of the SnJ and some might’ve even been painted with another variety of metal paint. It has been a long time since I built (20 years?) her so some details have probably been forgotten by now. But the now long-gone SnJ was the primary paint used. It was my favorite for NMF by far!  I tried to replicate what Mr. Steinbrun did around the gun bay and added a few flourishes, ie. replaced the kit exhaust pipe with a section of ballpoint pen and a few added bits and pieces.   Thanks for your interest, and for stopping in to have a look! 😀

 

So, here’s the “Salty Dog” at the Cameron Airport.  

 

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Edited by Gary Brantley
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20 minutes ago, Mark Joyce said:

Another nice one, Gary, and the SnJ really makes for a great looking finish.  I always heard good things about those paints but never managed to try them myself. 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

Thanks Mark! 🍺  It was a great finishing system but I guess newer products have super-ceded it now.  I still have one unopened bottle of the aluminum left.   A few years ago, Alclad was all the rage in NMF.  Is that still a popular paint line?   I really appreciate that you took time to comment Mark, many thanks sir! 

Gary

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Beautiful model! That metal skin looks like it's too hot to touch! Very nice job on the old but still great Monogram kit. Can't have enough good Korean War F-80's here on BM!

Mike

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13 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Beautiful model! That metal skin looks like it's too hot to touch! Very nice job on the old but still great Monogram kit. Can't have enough good Korean War F-80's here on BM!

Mike

Much appreciated Mike!  Living in SA, you would know something about that hot metal under the Texas sun.😉   In fact, the last time I did model photos at the Cameron Airport, the temperature was over 100*F while I was out there.  I was watching for signs of "plastic fatigue" in that heat!    :o

 

I have several other Korean War-era planes, photographed at the airport.   I love that period, the early jets being developed with such crazy designs as the F4D and the "Gutless Cutlass" and the Convair XFY Pogo series planes among so many others.   

 

Thank you so much for replying to my thread Mike.   I appreciate that.  🍺

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Great work, I built this one once, didn't turn out half as well as yours though!

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54 minutes ago, Harold55 said:

Very nicely done, great natural metal finish!  Like the base you are using also, looks very realistic.  

Thank you Harold!  She looks pretty good from four feet away. 😉   That base makes it out for all the shoots.  I suspect folks must get tired of seeing it!   But thanks, it's a piece of 3/8" masonite board, sprayed with a product made for repainting car trunks (boots?).  I bought a spray can on a bargain table at the auto parts store.  It does look the part. The tar strips are drafting tape and I masked the yellow lines and sprayed with the AB.  I used diluted enamel and pens to make the oil stains and cracks.  When placed on a card table, with camera on a tripod, one can manipulate the board, orientation of model, background, light and camera position to create a lot of interesting "looks".   Lol, I'm certain you'll see that tarmac again...😃

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23 hours ago, Gary Brantley said:

 A few years ago, Alclad was all the rage in NMF.  Is that still a popular paint line?  

Gary

Alclad, or more properly its reincarnation Alclad II, seems quite popular and is what I use for most NMF.  For me, it's easy and foolproof to use, as well as being very durable.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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28 minutes ago, Mark Joyce said:

Alclad, or more properly its reincarnation Alclad II, seems quite popular and is what I use for most NMF.  For me, it's easy and foolproof to use, as well as being very durable.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

I've been meaning to give that a try Mark.  I've heard a lot of positive feedback on that paint.   Thanks! 

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2 hours ago, RMCS said:

Awsome 

 

50 minutes ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

WOW ...! Thats a good looking F-80. :worthy:

Thanks you guys!  I'm so glad you took a look, much appreciated!:worthy:

Edited by Gary Brantley
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Very nicely done! I was hoping when hobby boss brought their kit out it would allow an easier option, but I hear it’s got some serious shape issues...

Re FSM I vaguely remember an article where the builder modified the monogram kit and had to move the whole cockpit section, it was great but still beyond my capabilities!

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Lovely job. I have one I scribed ages ago to make in the stash

 

There is something about those '70s and '80's Monogram kits in the way that they capture the look and feel of the real thing in a way that some modern kits do not. Once you crack scribing, which is not particularly hard, and have discovered the brilliant RB tools sets and carefully applied superglue/talcum powder mix, you can easily come up with something that looks better than the latest HobbyBoss wonder. 

 

Will

 

 

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6 hours ago, Greg Law said:

That is a great F-80. The metal work is excellent. 

It's great to hear that Greg!  :D   I thought that SnJ turned out pretty well.  I've got an F-86 painted with it that I'll post one of these days. 

5 hours ago, ForestFan said:

Very nicely done! I was hoping when hobby boss brought their kit out it would allow an easier option, but I hear it’s got some serious shape issues...

Re FSM I vaguely remember an article where the builder modified the monogram kit and had to move the whole cockpit section, it was great but still beyond my capabilities!

Thanks FF!  January 1989, FSM featured an article on converting the Monogram kit to the prototype YP-80A by Bob Steinbrun.  Four YP-80A aircraft were sent to Europe in the waning days of WWII but were kept out of action.  I do have a number of great pics of Bob's YP-8, sent to me by its current owner.   I'll try to upload a few of those and show them soon.  :)

4 hours ago, Scimitar F1 said:

Lovely job. I have one I scribed ages ago to make in the stash

 

There is something about those '70s and '80's Monogram kits in the way that they capture the look and feel of the real thing in a way that some modern kits do not. Once you crack scribing, which is not particularly hard, and have discovered the brilliant RB tools sets and carefully applied superglue/talcum powder mix, you can easily come up with something that looks better than the latest HobbyBoss wonder. 

 

Will

 

 

Yeah, those old Monogram kits are a great canvas upon which a good modeler can usually create a very nice reproduction of the real deal.  They are usually quite accurate in shape and size, and depending on which kit, can include a great deal of good looking detail.  The raised panel lines?  Well, there are aircraft where that effect is appropriate and if not, as you mentioned, one may rescribe them.   I won't however.  I would rather stick a hot needle in my face than rescribe an entire model, lol. 😉 I have wasted so much good model making time as it is; at my age, I'd rather not spend time rescribing an entire kit.  I replace lines lost to assembly but that's about it.   There are a number of ways to deal with raised panel lines without rescribing, my current favorite is using a mechanical pencil, point sanded fine, with a flexible straight-edge.   The pencil line is then gently rubbed with a cotton bud to softly "blur" it just a bit.

 

Thanks for leaving a comment Will!  It is much appreciated for sure! 😀

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