GB-65 1/72 F9F Panther - No Propellers

[Hamchuck]

Username: Hamchuck
Name: Al
Category: Intermediate
Kit: Hasegawa F9F Panther
Scale: 1/72
Extras: Eduard photoetch, Reskit/Kelik 3D detail set


Hello gents,

This will be my first time participating in a group build. I'm generally not into building jets but there's something I love about the Panther. Maybe it's because of The Bridges at Toko-Ri. I wish I could get a decal set for the movie aircraft but I haven't been able to find one, so I'm going with a different set.

The kit set of decals depicts an aircraft of VF-781 which flew missions from the USS Bohhomme Richard from May 1951 to November or December.

I'm keeping this one pretty simple, mostly out of the box. The detail on this kit is ok, but not exactly astounding. I've cut out the hump on the fuselage behind the pilot's seat because it's simply not there on the real aircraft. I'll replace that with a flat piece. I'm also adding a cushion (or maybe it's a raft) and belts to the seat.

EDIT: So much for out of the box. This cat needs help.

 

[Wurger]

 

[SaparotRob]

"What hump?"
Marty Feldman

 

[Jock Tamson]

Nice subject, I like the movie too

 

[Hamchuck]

Nice subject, I like the movie too

Some of the best aviation scenes short of The Battle of Britain.

 

[destrozas]

good luck, that mold is.... much encouragement

 

[Hamchuck]

good luck, that mold is.... much encouragement

Ha! Yes, it's something of a flashback to a time of simpler expectations in a kit. I'll do what I can with it.

 

[Wayne Little]

welcome aboard look forward to your build.

 

[Hamchuck]

Oh man, this cockpit is awful. The bulkhead behind the pilot's seat is too thick, at the wrong angle, and too far forward. I need to fill in the deck behind the cockpit and the canopy itself needs a plate under the aft portion. It will be a couple weeks before I can get the sheet styrene. I'm also going to build a gunsight.

Did I say I was going to keep this "out of the box"?

 

[rochie]

Welcome to the Group Builds, great subject.
good progress!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Nice to have you join us and already you're thinking of adding bits. I like it.

 

[Wurger]

 

[destrozas]

Well, you are right, that is why I wish you good luck, I am interested in this plane, for the Korean collection on my shelf, but the mold is hard, hard work, and so I have been lucky that it is one of the molds that fit the wings well because some come out with up to 3mm of space between the insert and the wing...

unfortunately this kit needs work "out of the box"... as you say... and buy a sign for sale or rent in a bazaar, here in Spain they are made of polystyrene or styrene which is the same plastic as the signs of any other brand, they are 0.5mm...

Another thing you could put in the first message the conditions that were stipulated at the time to have all the threads the same, it is to make them all the same. Here I leave you the link here

 

[Crimea_River]

A nice subject but apparently challenging to build. Hamchuck could you please edit your first post to add the required standard information for your intro.

The first post of each GB entry.

 

[Gnomey]

Nicely done so far!

 

[le_steph40]

 

[T Bolt]

Grat start, and welcome to the group build

 

[fubar57]

Missed this one. Love the Panther

 

[A4K]

Welcome aboard mate, look forward to further build progress.

 

[Hamchuck]

I've been away from the project for a while to spend time with family--normally we're geographically separated. This weekend I was able to get re-started.

Nose weight is in and I started bending brass from the Eduard kit. It covers a lot of the weaknesses I noted in the kit, including the gunsight, but the instructions could be clearer. It includes a pilot's seat so I cut out the old one but it's supposed to use the original headrest, which looks kind of awful. I'm not sure yet what I'll do about that.

Minor vent: Sawing out panels might be the most tedious job this side of sanding.