Kit: Academy 1/72 Vought F-8E
Crusader
Box #: 1615
Price: 19.90 Singapore dollars (US$11.90)
The F-8 Crusader was
the US Navy's first supersonic, carrier-based jet fighter. In September 1951,
the US Navy announced a call for competitive bids from eight aircraft
manufacturing companies for a new carrier-based fighter. Chance-Vought won the
bid with it's F-8 Crusader that incorporated a 42-degree swept wing design to
meet the high speed requirement. The design was also unique in providing a
two-position, variable incidence wing that allowed the pilot to hydraulically
raise it 7 degrees to enable the aircraft to land and take off at lower speeds.
Armed with 4 Colt-Browning Mk 12 20mm cannons, the Crusader
could also carry 4 AIM-9 Sidewinder IR-seeking AAMs or Zuni air-to-ground
rockets in it's fuselage-mounted "cheek" pylons. Beginning with the
F-8E version, wing pylons were also fitted to allow carriage of up to 4000-lb of
stores.
Known to its pilots as the 'last of the
gunfighters' due to its quartet of 20 mm cannon, the F-8 Crusader was
numerically the most populous fighter in the US Navy at the start of America's
involvement in the Vietnam conflict in 1964 – some 482 F-8C/D/Es equipped 17
frontline units. It enjoyed great success against North Vietnamese Mig-17s and
Mig-21s during the Rolling Thunder campaign of 1965-68, officially downing 18
jets, which represented 53 per cent of all MiG claims lodged by Navy squadrons
during this period. Marine Corps Crusaders were also involved in ground support
missions in South Vietnam.
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Academy initially announced its 1/72 Crusader a couple of years
ago. Like it's 1/32 Hornet, this kit was delayed a number of times, and I've
seen more than one modeler wonder if it was ever going to be released on the
various modeling discussion boards. After that long wait, the kit has finally
been released and I was fortunate enough to pick one up from one of my favourite
shops in Singapore over the Good Friday holiday. Until this kit, the previously
available kits of the Crusader in 1/72 were from Hasegawa, Esci (recently
reboxed by Italeri) and Heller. All were old kits, and lacked the finesse of a
modern kit, as well as not being entirely accurate. A new-tool 1/72 Crusader is
long overdue, and Academy have delivered in a big way!
Opening the box, one finds 3 crisply-moulded sprues of light
grey and 1 sprue of clear parts. Panel lines are finely engraved with restrained
rivet detail where appropriate. Detail is superb, as can be seen from the photo
of the kit instrument panel. The cockpit is also well done, and a very detailed
ejection seat is also included. The variable-incidence wing and airbrakes can be
built extended or retracted. The instruction is clearly presented with 12
assembly steps and a separate sheet for decal placement included, with a 4-view
drawing for stencil placement and left/right views for the individual aircraft
markings.
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From the breakdown of the kit parts, it is obvious more versions
are planned, with the leading edge flaps and hump atop the wing being moulded
separately (some versions didn't have the hump). There are also Matra Magic AAMs
included in the box marked as unused parts, and with the separate LE flaps,
point to the fact that an Aeronavale F-8E(FN) is being planned.
Weapon options are extensive, with 4 AIM-9D Sidewinder
AAMs, 2 Matra Magic AAMs, 8 Zuni unguided rocket tubes, 2 MERs and 8 Mk.82
Snakeye 500-lb high drag retarded bombs. Decal options included are for 2 Marine
aircraft:
- F-8E 7/150852 of VMF(AW)-333 Shamrocks, MCAS Yuma, March
1967
- F-8E 14/150329 of VMF(AW)-232 Red Devils, NAS North Island,
November 1967
The decals are well printed and in registration in my
example. As with typical Academy kit decals, the whites look slightly
translucent, but with the colour schemes in Light Gull Grey over White, it
should not be too much of a problem. For those wanting Navy birds and not
willing to wait for the Academy US Navy boxing (almost a certainty), there are a
number of old Superscale/Microscale sheets for a number of US squadrons which
will not be too hard to find.
All in all, a stunning and long-overdue release from
Academy!
Mike
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