Subject: Re: F9F-2 Panther Submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2013 01:56:06 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
ARC Air - Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.arcair.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: Aircraft Resource Center 
  Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2013 1:49 AM
  Subject: F9F-2 Panther Submission

  "1/48 Scale Trumpeter F9F-2 Panther" 

  by "Burt Gustafson"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  For your viewing pleasure, here are some photos of my 1/48th scale Trumpeter F9F-2 Panther. The Gruman F9F-2 Panther was a single seat carrier-based jet fighter. It was Gruman’s first jet fighter and the 3rd jet fighter to join the US. Navy fleet. The power plant for the Panther was a 5000 pound thrust Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine, the same engine that powered the MIG-15. Pratt & Whitney was later granted a license to produce the Nene under the designation J42 for production aircraft.

  An interesting side note about the jet fuel of the day was that it was no different than the fuel used by propeller driven aircraft. F-9F’s in fact were fueled with aviation gasoline, as were most of the early jets.

  The Panther was a conservative design; it had straight wings, a conventional tail, and a rugged structure. Additionally, Panthers were designed with a pressurized and air conditioned cockpit, an ejection seat, and a jettesonable bubble canopy. Top speed for the Panther was 575 mph. For firepower it had four 20mm cannons mounted in the nose with 760 rounds. The aircraft could also carry rockets and bombs on under wing hardpoints.

  The first F9F took to the air in 1947, from a 5000 foot runway at Gruman’s Bethpage, Long Island plant. The Panther entered the fleet in 1949 and played a significant role in ushering the US. Navy into the jet age. The Navy retired the panther in 1958.

  F9F-2 Panthers flew the vast majority of the Navy’s combat missions in Korea and was the first Navy jet to shoot down a MIG. Panthers never achieved the MIG killer status of the swept-wing F-86; it earned a different reputation. F9F-2 Panthers performed the dangerous grunt work of ground attack. It became known as a tough bird that brought its pilots home, including three Korean War pilots who were, or would become celebrated American heroes: Boston Red Sox slugger Ted Williams, and future astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. F9F’s delivered more ordinance on enemy ground targets than any other jet aircraft flown during the Korean War. 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 05.jpg Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg 

  Construction
  This was pretty much an out of the box build except for the Eduard Zoom set I used in the cockpit. Construction began with the cockpit that included the ejection seat and the cockpit floor assembly, all of which went together nicely. I purchased an Eduard Zoom set for the cockpit but only used the front instrument panel and the seat belts. The side instrument panels for the kit were better detailed than the side instrument panels in the Zoom set. The two part canopy fit was close to perfect.

  Trumpeter produced an excellent F9F-2 kit. The parts fit of the kit was excellent, allowing the kit to go together without any difficulties. There was some seam filling and sanding, but not a lot. Instruction 10 of the well done instruction guide calls out putting a weight in the nose. Be sure to add plenty of weight to the nose or you will have a big time tail sitter. I installed two egg shaped lead fishing sinkers in the nose; there is sufficient room in the nose for a couple of weights. 

          
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  Painting
  All paints for the exterior of this model were airbrushed with Floquil enamel paints. The white areas of the model were airbrushed with Reefer White. The rest of the model was airbrushed with Dark Blue. After the paint dried and cured (about three days) I applied two coats of Future to the model and let it dry for three days in preparation for decals.

  Decals
  The decals for kit were good. They are well printed, easily placed on the model, and snuggled down nicely to the model. The only complaints I have about the decals were that they are rather thin. Trumpeter provides a nice in color painting & marking guide. The decal sheet has decals for two aircraft. I chose to use decals for aircraft 209 of VF 112. Once the decaling was complete, I wiped down the model with a damp cloth and applied a light coat of Future to the model. To finish off the model, I airbrushed it with a coat of MM Gloss Lacquer Finnish.

  Comments
  This kit was a pleasure to build; it goes together without any problems. The parts fit was good, cockpit and external detail is quite good, and the decals were good. The overall quality of this kit is excellent; Trumpeter did a fine job with this kit. I was pleased with the finished model.

  "Burt Gustafson"

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  Just delete any of the boxes below you don't need.....it's not important to include them.....they are there to give you an idea of the finished article.  It is best to limit your article to no more than 60 or so photos, so the finished webpage won't take too long to open.

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  Photos and text © by "Burt Gustafson"