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Here's the 1/48 Revell F-8E Crusader.
It's the same kit as the OOP Monogram, but I think this one is a cleaner mold.
I bought the Monogram kit on E-Bay, then I saw this Revell kit at the
local hobby store for the same price, $16.00. This kit comes with a better
decal sheet than the Monogram kit. I didn't use either sheets for
this a/c, so...I can't tell you how they work.
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I bought a Superscale
sheet, markings for the Marines VMF(AW)-312, with the checkered tail.
Now, I found out that Aeromaster came out with at least three sheets for the F-8
Crusaders. They all beautifully printed with mostly Navy markings. I
wanted to build mine as a beloved Corps flyer. The Navy markings are
also pretty, especially with the rainbow colors tail markings of the CVW-19
CAG Bird.
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My 3 yr. old son Nicholas likes the rainbow tail. I
presented both options to others at the workshop, and they decided for me.
Mary convinced Nicky to go for the Checkers tail. Once this decision had
been reached, there's no turning back. The Gunfighter will be wearing
the Marines Corps battle dress. |
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The kit fit together well for the most part.
I don't quite get it though. There gaps in the main landing gear, between
the struts and the fuselage, in the wheel wells. Gaps at the wings
folding joints, refueling probe cover, and a bad seam inside the intake under
the nose radome. Nothing I can do about the main landing gear and the
wheel wells. Lucky enough, this area mostly concealed by the much
detailed wheel wells and after weathering, it's not as noticeable, unless you
pick it up and look underneath the a/c. This was shown even on the
picture on the Revell box. I don't know if it was intended to be
there, but it doesn't look right. Option for the wings to be folded.
No details for the folding mechanism, though. My daughter Stephanie said
it looks weird with the wings fold. Okay, the wings would be straight
then. The gaps had to be filled. The same goes for the refueling
probe cover. If you want them to be closed, be prepared to do some
filling and sanding.
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Click on image to
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For the seam in the intake, I used the
"filling gap without sanding" technique that's featured in
"Tool's n Tips" on ARC. I used Squadron Green putty and Cutex,
nail polish remover, and it works. Credit for this article goes to Steve Bamford and
Will Hendriks.
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I was worried about the main landing gear after
reading the article on the Monogram kit by Wayne Hui, in the
"Gallery" on ARC. I dry fitted the landing gear and prayed
for the outcome. I was not ready for that scratch-building stuff.
Luckily me, the kit will work without ANY modification. I looked at the
photographs in the Osprey series, and they show the Crusaders sit very low.
For other builders, if you plan to build the Revell kit, do not worry.
Without the tires, the wheel covers will touch the ground as it does not have
enough clearance. With the tires attached to the gears struts, the kit
is fine. Now, go out and build that Crusader.
My regular routine as far as painting. I use ModelsMasters enamel for
this project. I painted the tail markings
on instead of using decals. It took some works with the masking tape,
but it's well worth the trouble. I painted one color at a time and gave it
about 36-48 hrs for the paint to cure before masking it for the next color.
I scanned the decals sheet and cut out the tail markings from the paper.
I want to see if the decals will match exactly with the kit, without trimming.
I then copied the checkers onto the blue masking tape, which I cut out the
checkers. Placing one square at a time until the tail area is covered.
I painted the white color first and then the black. Once this had
accomplished, I painted the red trim outside the checkers to complete the
markings. The rest of the a/c was standard color with the usual
technique.
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Couple coats of Future and the rest of the
National insignias and other markings went on without any problem. I
used Solvaset and Solva-Sol to help them settle onto the a/c skin. Sealing
them in with another coat of Future, and it was ready for weathering.
Oil wash was done in the landing gear areas and recessed areas. Flat coat it,
and then the pastel chalk on top of that. I want to make it a somewhat
dirty Marines Crusader. I think I over did it a little, but it looks ok
in the pictures. I'm happy with the result. I want to build
another Crusader soon. Nicky still wants that rainbow tail airplane.
It'll be the next F-8 project. Happy Modeling!
Thang
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