1/72 Hasegawa Grumman F9F-8 Cougar

Gallery Article by Michael Keogh on Oct 13 2003

 

This is my first submission to ARC. I've been building aircraft models off and on over the past couple of years after about ten years away from the hobby.

Lately I've been concentrating on early jet fighters. This model depicts an F9F-8 Cougar of VF-43 from the Saratoga during the fall of 1956. The F9F-8 was last version of the F9F line which began with the F9F-2 Panther (the XF9F-1 was a four jet engine design that never left the drawing board). The major difference between the Cougar and Panther was the swept wings [starting with the F9F-6]. which replaced the earlier aircraft's straight wings.

 

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This model was built totally out-of-box. I had originally planned on using some photo etched details for the first time, but obtaining these for this particular kit has proved difficult. Cockpit detail is non-existent; the instrument panels are decals. Building this model was straight forward though there were a couple of major problem areas. Where the top of the wings met the fuselage, were horrible gaps that required lots of filling and sanding. On the bottom, at the rear of the wing assembly, the alignment with the tail section was way off. Plenty of shaping and filling had to be done, but I still wasn't able the remedy the flaw to my satisfaction.

I used Model Master enamels and acrylics with brushed on MM clear acrylic gloss top coat before applying the kit's decals. Two coats of Testors Dull Cote was used for the final finish. In the end, I was able to make this kit a nice, presentable model.

Michael Keogh

      

Photos and text © by Michael Keogh