1:72 Sword Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat

[Navy Bird]

There might be just enough time left in 2022 for a "quickie." And speaking of quick, how about a real hot rod? At the end of WWII, the Hawker Sea Fury and the Grumman Bearcat emerged as the ultimate in single-engine propeller driven fighters. I built the Sea Fury a while back (RFI here) so it's about time I built the Bear. I waited a long time for a modern kit to surpass the old Monogram offering, and I picked up one of the three Sword kits as soon as I could. Unfortunately, it looks like I chose the wrong one. I chose this one as the price was right:

 

 

The plastic is the same in all three Sword kits, but only the first one has a full resin cockpit, resin wheels, resin main gear bay, resin rockets, and resin engine. The other two just have the resin engine. Why Sword chose to do this is a mystery to me. Guess that's why I got such a good deal!    

 

The plastic allows you to build either the F8F-1 or the F8F-2 - Sword actually give you two sets of fuselage halves, one with the shorter tail fin (for the -1) and one with the taller fin (for the -2). There is only one set of wings, however, so for the -2 you have to add the bulges for the cannons (which are provided) as well as using a lower front fuselage section containing the oil cooler air flaps. Oddly, Sword moulded this section as a separate piece for the -2 fuselage, whereas the section without the flaps is moulded integral to the -1 fuselage.

 

For markings, my intent is to use the Starfighter Decals sheet 72-121 to model an F8F-1 from VF-31 (Felix the Cat) in 1946. However, I'm not sure if the Felix logo is correct as Felix is inside a white circle. The one photo I have of this specific aircraft shows the circle to be a darker shade of grey than Felix's face - so I suspect the circle is yellow just as it was later and still is. Hmm...

 

Some issues - the engine opening in the cowl should be round. The Sword part is out of round (oval) by 0.5mm. I think I can fix this. Also, I've read that the main gear legs are too long - one site said by 5mm (which is a crazy amount for a model this small). Definitely have to check that out.

 

Here is the nice resin for the engine. Should look quite nice after some metallic paint and a dark wash.

 

 

I don't have any aftermarket for this kit (quite frankly there isn't much) so other than the stickers this will be OOB. And since the scheme is overall blue, including the gear bays, gear legs, and inside the gear doors, there won't be much masking! I have to research the cockpit colours, though. The instruction sheet says interior green, which makes sense to me for 1946, but many references say black. Maybe @Tailspin Turtle could chime in and prevent me from embarrassing myself.    

 

I'll start with the engine and be back soon...

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Learstang]

Nice aircraft to model! I've always wondered why the Bearcat wasn't used in the Korean War (along with the F-47). I guess it just wasn't needed - the Navy felt the Corsair could handle the fighter-bomber duties and the F9F (and F2H?) could handle the fighter duties. Best of luck with the build!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

Edited December 3, 2022 by Learstang
Additional comment added.

[Cookenbacher]

Front row!

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

18 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

Front row!

Im right next to you Cookie. 

[Tailspin Turtle]

8 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I don't have any aftermarket for this kit (quite frankly there isn't much) so other than the stickers this will be OOB. And since the scheme is overall blue, including the gear bays, gear legs, and inside the gear doors, there won't be much masking! I have to research the cockpit colours, though. The instruction sheet says interior green, which makes sense to me for 1946, but many references say black. Maybe @Tailspin Turtle could chime in and prevent me from embarrassing myself.    

 

I'll start with the engine and be back soon...

 

Cheers,

Bill

The way to bet on the cockpit color is nonspecular black for the instrument panel and the top of the side consoles and interior green below that. Also see http://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2015/04/cockpits.html

 

The gear bay color is a good question and there isn't a definitive answer since this wasn't really a specification item. With respect to the F8F options, see http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2014/07/f8f-bearcat-wheels-and-wheel-wells.html

 

Also note that the -1 and -2 had different windscreens but it's pretty subtle: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/07/grumman-f8f-bearcat-windscreen.html

 

The exterior lights are covered here: https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2013/02/f8f-formation-lights.html

 

Finally, with respect to the length of landing gear and the tail height, there is a dimensioned drawing in this post that might be useful along with a not very good comparison of the oil cooler flaps between the -1 and -2: https://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2010/12/f8f-bearcat-1-vs-2.html

[Hamden]

 

I'll take a seat for this one if I may? Loved watching Stephen Grey(Fighter Collection) and the late great Ray Hanna(Old Flying Machine Company) tail chasing at Duxford in Bearcat and Hawker Fury respectively.

 

  Stay safe        Roger 

[giemme]

12 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Im right next to you Cookie. 

And I'm right next to you both  

 

Ciao 

[Navy Bird]

Typical of these short run kits, these big honking styrene towers need to come off so they don't interfere with the engine firewall:

 

 

As many of you are aware, the last time I removed such beauties I managed to plunge a nice sharp chisel blade underneath my fingernail. Not this time! If nothing else, modelling teaches you not to be a silly sod. But still, give me time - I'm sure I'll reach such status again soon.    🤪

 

The engine doesn't look too bad. Some shade of Alclad (I don't remember which), a black Future wash, and some detail painting. It'll work.

 

 

The cockpit was painted interior green, and the fuselage sidewalls were painted black. I think that will meet the requirements of black above the consoles and green below. A photo in the Ginter volume seems to show the bulkhead behind the seat is interior green, and not half and half. The instrument panel and consoles are various bits of decal from The Island of Misfit Stickers. Photoetch harnesses came from somewhere. Rudder pedals are some generic photoetch from an ancient True Details fret. The gunsight will be added later - the one that was moulded to the panel was just a blob, so I removed it. I have some resin gunsights that I'll use.

 

 

 

I will be departing from the instruction sequence (who - me?). The fuselage halves will be joined, and the engine firewall and cockpit will be added afterward through the bottom of the fuselage. This will help me position the firewall, and to make sure the cockpit aligns properly.

 

In the meantime, I've managed to get pneumonia again. That's twice this year - it's so much fun to be immunodeficient. It seems like I catch everything. Anyway, doc has me on all sorts of pharmaceuticals. Fun, fun, fun.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Learstang]

Sorry about the flu, Bill, but nice work on the cockpit. The engine looks rather nice also. Get better! And that's an order from Marshal Zhukov himself!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[billn53]

Looking good so far!

 

I don’t know why, but the Grumman cats (Wild, Hell, & Bear) have never appealed to me, and I don’t recall ever having built one. But, if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to decide, I’d go with the Bearcat.  
 

I guess I’ll follow along, (just in case) 😆

[Hamden]

 

Sorry to hear you're not well, hoping for a quick and full recovery

Nice work on the cockpit and engine

 

  Stay safe          Roger

[Memphis]

Interesting. I will watch. I couldn't buy this kit. I have HB F8F-1B kit (with Indochina decals) and ART-model F8F-2. I read that ART-model copied Sword.

 

Get well soon!

Edited December 9, 2022 by Memphis

[giemme]

Get well soon, uncle Bill! 

 

Meanwhile, great start with the Bearcat

 

Usual NBS, I see

 

Ciao 

[Fukuryu]

Sorry to hear about your health issues, Bill, and hope you get better soon.

 

In the meantime, I will be waiting here at the back, sipping a porter (it's late spring here, and we are enjoying 100F temperatures... Don't want to think about the summer). While the subject matter is not one of my favourites, at least it has a propeller and is in the right scale. And above all, it's a Navy Bird build! Those are always a delight, not to mention a great source of tips and tricks.

[Cookenbacher]

Rest up and feel better Bill, that's a great start on the cockpit.

[Dr. Quack]

I'll tag along if I may. I like the Bearcat, and quite fancy one in a French Indochina scheme - just before they sensibly bowed out leaving the US to take the reins in `Nam.

Looks quite Sea-Fury-esque in some regards.

Good start.

 

Hope you're back to full fitness soon.

Regards.

Q

[Navy Bird]

23 hours ago, Learstang said:

And that's an order from Marshal Zhukov himself!

 

Well then, if I ever want to be a Hero of the Soviet Union, I'd better listen to the Marshal! Although - isn't he dead?   

 

23 hours ago, billn53 said:

I don’t know why, but the Grumman cats (Wild, Hell, & Bear) have never appealed to me

 

No? How about the Tiger, Jaguar, Tiger Redux, Panther, Cougar, or Tom? Not to exclude Fifi, of course. Everyone has a cat named Fifi.   

 

8 hours ago, giemme said:

Usual NBS, I see

 

NBS, yes! Nuttin' But Stringz, my favourite Jamaican violin dudes!   

 

2 hours ago, Fukuryu said:

In the meantime, I will be waiting here at the back, sipping a porter (it's late spring here, and we are enjoying 100F temperatures...

 

I could use some of that heat here! It's no fun having an upper respiratory infection when it's cold outside. Come to think of it, send me some of that heat, and send one or two of those porters while you're at it.    

 

*****

 

Thanks for the good wishes. Hopefully the pneumonia will soon dissipate in the onslaught of the meds. I sure hope so. Meanwhile, I have the fuselage halves together (didn't exactly fit very well, with a lot of flash in the tailwheel aperture), and the cockpit and engine firewall are secured. There will be some putty work no doubt. I had a look at the cockpit rollover structure as supplied with the kit and, well, I'll be scratchbuilding one.

 

I've also been working on the main gear wells, which consist of two parts that glue inside the lower wing. I decided to paint these Sea Blue prior to final assembly as I think it will be easier to reach all the portions of the well. Might be difficult once everything is together. I used MRP Sea Blue ANA623/ANA606. I don't recall the difference between these two colours but apparently they're both in the same bottle. The colour looks great, and like all MRP lacquers it sprays like a dream. Beautiful sheen, too.

 

The main wing is a little bit -1 and a little bit -2. It does not have the cannon bulges, so that makes it suitable for the -1. However, it does have the lights that are on top and bottom of the outer wing section. Pretty sure these are only on some of the -2 machines. I'll be filling and sanding those. Speaking of sanding, the tyres have more flash than a Novo moulding from ancient Frog tooling. Plus, the sprue gates are about the size of those injection towers I showed you up above. Yikes!

 

OK, bedtime is here - that's it for now.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Learstang]

42 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

 

Well then, if I ever want to be a Hero of the Soviet Union, I'd better listen to the Marshal! Although - isn't he dead?   

 

I'm not certain, but I believe insinuating that a Marshal of the Soviet Union is dead could earn you a one-way trip to a punishment battalion! Defeatist!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[Fritag]

Excellent.  The Sea Fury was brilliant; I’d say it set the bar high for the Bearcat; but in truth that level is the Navy Bird norm 

[heloman1]

Hi Bill, sorry to hear you befell the flu, more rum in you tea/coffee me thinks... I built the Monogram kit many moons ago long before accuracy was an issue.

This kit looks quite a neat little release. I'll follow your build with interest.

 

Colin

[Fukuryu]

22 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I could use some of that heat here! It's no fun having an upper respiratory infection when it's cold outside.

 

Believe me, is no picnic either in the middle of a heat wave! According to the doctor I am having one at the moment (I have been on sick leave all week) and staying in bed shivering while the air around me seems to be boiling is not something I wish on anyone. Turning the AC on only make thing worse. 

 

Hope you're feeling better by now. 

[Navy Bird]

On 09/12/2022 at 20:56, Learstang said:

...Defeatist!

 

No, Decemberist.    

 

16 hours ago, Fritag said:

Excellent.  The Sea Fury was brilliant; I’d say it set the bar high for the Bearcat; but in truth that level is the Navy Bird norm 

 

Thanks - this build won't reach the level of the Sea Fury. Big difference in the raw materials!  

 

16 hours ago, heloman1 said:

...more rum in you tea/coffee me thinks...

 

Now that's a good idea. How about Scotch though - is that OK? I can skip the tea or coffee.

 

2 hours ago, Fukuryu said:

staying in bed shivering while the air around me seems to be boiling is not something I wish on anyone.

 

Ugh, sounds awful. I go to bed with the blanket and comforter, and then wake up in the middle of the night sweating. I take off the covers and immediately start freezing. Stupid virus!

 

*****

 

Not much today. The tailwheel is moulded as one piece - strut, wheel, actuator and door. One thing that is quite obvious on the Bearcat tailwheel are the lightening holes. I decided to drill these out (all the way through the piece). I used a 0.010 inch drill, and there was room for 4 holes. I think there were five holes on the real thing, but they were all of a slightly different diameter. Anyway, I think this will add to the model. By the way, this one piece tailwheel assembly was a mass of flash and large sprue gates. I've done my initial clean-up, but I think it still needs some more.

 

 

Oh - the tailwheel bears only a superficial resemblance to the real thing. But you won't see much of it.    

 

I added the main gear bay parts to the bottom wing, and the engine and cowling to the fuselage. Next, the wings can go onto the fuselage and a Bearcat shape will begin to emerge. Test fitting shows some issues, though. There's always something!

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Learstang]

At least you're not one of those awful Trotskyites! Fascist saboteurs! Anyway, back to the kit, nice work on the tail wheel.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[Navy Bird]

15 hours ago, Learstang said:

At least you're not one of those awful Trotskyites!

 

True, but I have seen the ice axe that was used to "remove" him. It's in the International Spy Museum in DC.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Learstang]

36 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

 

True, but I have seen the ice axe that was used to "remove" him. It's in the International Spy Museum in DC.

 

Cheers,

Bill

 

Nice. Kind of makes your chisel experience pale in comparison!

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

 

P.S. There's probably a small camera in it taking pictures of everyone who visits the Spy Museum.