1/48 VNAF Testors Bearcat

Gallery Article by Hỏa Long on Mar 1 2011

 

Hi all,

This VNAF BearCat is one of my recent builds.  I have quite a few 1:48 Testors F8F kits and also some of the newer HobbyCraft VietNam BearCat. 

I wanted to build the newer Hobbycraft BearCat but felt a bit guilty when I saw these old Testors kits neatly stacked in my cabinet waiting forever to be built.  I guess those Hobbycraft BearCat's just have to wait in line for a bit longer ... 

I quite enjoyed building the Testors F8F though it is old, but the fit is good. 

I've fixed up the vertical tail to correctly represent version that VNAF used. 

I also scratched built the anti sway braces as these are quite prominent in real aircraft.  Also I've replaced the cowl flaps with soft drink can alumininum.

The kit was finished with kitchen aluminium foil to feature the NMF VNAF F8F.  All decals were home made.

Click on images below to see larger images

  

As this F8F is 'gear up', I thought it would look 'cool' to photograph it against real sky. 

It was a sunny windy day and the propeller was powered by the wind. I had lots of fun in taking pictures of a spinning propeller model. 

I hope you enjoy my model as much as I enjoyed building and photographing it.

This VNAF F8F is dedicated to all VNAF men who fought for Viet Nam's freedom.

Hoa Long

Photos and text © by Hỏa Long