Hobbycraft F8F VNAF

[Stikpusher]

So I’m kicking off my build today, using this Hobbycraft kit.



It’s one of their later moldings and is pretty nicely detailed, inside and out. Here is a photo of the real aircraft in the early 60’s



and the kit sprues… not too high of a parts count, so this might be a fairly rapid build



And of course, assembly starts out in the cockpit



I’ll get some paint on there in the next few days…

[Stuart]

Bearcat - nice choice Carlos, it's a great looking aircraft and that's not a bad looking kit.

So you're building a Vietnamese airforce bird?

[Stikpusher]

Thanks Stuart. Yes, I’m building a RVN aircraft, I have never built any aircraft in those markings before. This is my first. But I do have quite a 1/48 line up in my stash of many of the types used by the VNAF.

[Duke Maddog]

Excellent choice Carlos! This will be fun to follow.

So, are we all showing the sprues first before we start? I'll try to remember that when I get mine going.

[Stikpusher]

Thanks Mark. I normally don’t show the sprues, but since everybody else was… show me yours and I’ll show you mine…

[Stuart]

Thanks Stuart. Yes, I’m building a RVN aircraft, I have never built any aircraft in those markings before. This is my first. But I do have quite a 1/48 line up in my stash of many of the types used by the VNAF.

That's a cool choice Stik, I assume they didn't steal the leftover Bearcats from the French?

[Stikpusher]

My understanding is that they were either directly handed over by the French to the Viets after the French withdrawal, or they were “returned”to US ownership, then handed over to the Viets under the Military Assistance Program.

[LyleW]

Interesting. I don’t think I’ve seen a Bearcat in that theater. How long did they last?

[Stikpusher]

The French had them there for most of their war. Or at least the second half. The Viets had them from the French withdrawal until 1961 or so.

[Stikpusher]

Started slinging paint on the Bearcat today. First up I used Tamiya Rubber Black in the cockpit and wheel wells. It works for a good faded black.



since USN cockpits in the post war era were painted in flat black from the level above the side consoles and IP, and Interior Green below that, I’m just gonna mask off the black areas tomorrow, then paint the green after giving the paint overnight to dry and cure before masking.

In the wheel well areas, I used Tamiya Yellow Green as Zinc Chromate Yellow over the Rubber Black



more to come tomorrow…