Hasegawa F-8J Crusader

Very nice!  Skills are in evidence!

Very nice! The wingfolds really add a lot of interest.

PJ, Your Crusader is absolutely stellar. Really beautiful work. The wing folds definitely add to it a lot. I'll have to look into getting that addition for my F-8 kit. I am a huge fan of Flory washes and your use of them is excellent. Thank You so much for sharing this fine example of your skills and techniques.

Well done!  How do you do the yellow canopy (det cord?) masking/painting?

John and Mike thanks.

JOE RIX

PJ, Your Crusader is absolutely stellar. Really beautiful work. The wing folds definitely add to it a lot. I'll have to look into getting that addition for my F-8 kit. I am a huge fan of Flory washes and your use of them is excellent. Thank You so much for sharing this fine example of your skills and techniques.

 

Thanks Joe. If you have this one in the stash, the canopy ears and rear frame area needs to be sanded down and thinned on the inside so the canopy can be displayed in the open position, no need for further mods.

The engine sticks out about 1/4 " which is incorrect and needs to be flush with the skin. Otherwise it's a really nice kit. The Wolfpack wing folds also supply the entire wing tip that is cut from the model.

Excellent work!! That is a real looker. Awesome!

BK

keavdog

Well done!  How do you do the yellow canopy (det cord?) masking/painting?

 

Thanks kdog.

While the masks were still on I used a 10/0 brush and yellow craft paint to make the yellow stripe. I use craft paint for this because it can easily be corrected with a water damp brush even it it bleeds under the mask and comes off in a pinch. You have to make several passes to build up the color.

Thanks BK.

I thought the det cord was in the canopy above the pilot, to break the canopy if it failed to detach in the ejection sequence.  Isn't the yellow actually a sealant on the windscreen panels?

jeaton01

I thought the det cord was in the canopy above the pilot, to break the canopy if it failed to detach in the ejection sequence.  Isn't the yellow actually a sealant on the windscreen panels?

 

I was gonna paint it on the canopy too but then I saw pictures with the windsreen only or both so i went with the windscreen only.

double checked and even the Nam era ones I saw on my search had it on either or both canopy and windscreen. Replacement canopies? I thought this is some type of seal/putty?

The det cord was used in later aircraft. The "yellow" is in fact a sealant. If the canopy should fail to separate for an ejection there are pieces on top of the ejection seat that will break the canopy (in theary). That is a great job on the F-8.

rangerj

The det cord was used in later aircraft. The "yellow" is in fact a sealant. If the canopy should fail to separate for an ejection there are pieces on top of the ejection seat that will break the canopy (in theary). That is a great job on the F-8.

 

Thanks ranger. I know I read somewhere about it being a sealant so thanks for verifying it. I also recall that it was whitish as new and yellowed with age and exposure.

Forgot to mention about the landing light I rigged up. I punched out a small disc from a chrome colored plastic chip bag to use as the light's reflector. The clear light was painted white and glued in place. I then glued on the mylar disc with clear parts cement on the light's  face and added a drop of the clear cement on top for the lens. Once dry it looks and reflects as an actual light.

Now you've piqued my interest in the F8, PJ.

Outstanding work on what looks to be a workhorse of an aircraft.

Cool plane.

Cool model.

Cool build!  

Very handsome "Last Gunfighter" you got there.

Thanks Greg and G!

Beautiful work PJ. Fine tribute to an old war horse, your panel line enhancement is spot on. A+, thanks for the post and excellent photos.

Patrick

Tj Tojo and Patrick, thanks for your comments.

Back in the 1950 (1957 I think) an RF-8 was flown across the country in record time winning a Thompson Trophy for the pilot, A Marine Named John Glenn. It was a time when sound breaking jets was all the rage and the pilot got lots of publicity and even appeared on the Game Show "The $64000 Question" which he won (the money went to charity). I can only speculate, but I would guess that is what got the pilot into the space program and the oportunity to be the first (U.S.) man to orbit the earth in space. He flew Corsairs in the PTO in WWII, F9F5s with the USMC in Korea and he had Ted Williams as his wingman, F-86s while TDY with the USAF on his second tour in Korea, and the rest is history as they say. Also note that he went back into space at age 77 in the space shuttle while he was a U.S. Senator from Ohio. 

Your F-8 is a great tribute to a great airplane, "The last gunfighter".

Hey thanks for the nice comment and the history info about Glenn. He had quite a colorful and exciting career.

PJ,

Very well done F-8! I really like the wing folds. Great job!

hogfanfs

PJ,

Very well done F-8! I really like the wing folds. Great job!

 

Thanks Bruce.

Awesome F-8! Spectacular build of a cool plane. BTW, I saw John Glenn's on the Midway last year. Impressive. 

Your finishing is super crisp and clean. Very sharp. Congrats. 

Hoss WA

Awesome F-8! Spectacular build of a cool plane. BTW, I saw John Glenn's on the Midway last year. Impressive. 

Your finishing is super crisp and clean. Very sharp. Congrats. 

 

Thanks Hoss.