Kitty Hawk 1/48 F9F-8/F9F-8P Cougar
By Gary Meinert
INTRODUCTION
Grumman's Cougar was essentially a swept-wing version of the Panther . The F9F-6, the first version, entered U.S. Navy in 1952. The improved F9F-8 featured a redesigned wing that offered greater range, payload, and better handling. A photo-reconnaissance version of the F9F-8 with an extended nose, the F9F-8P was also produced. Some of the F9F-8 Cougar fighters were later converted to drones (QF-9J) or trainers (TAF-9J).
Last year, Kitty Hawk released the two-seat trainer variant of the Cougar. Now comes the single-seat Cougar with optional parts to build either the F9F-8 or F9F-8P.
KIT OVERVIEW
The gray plastic parts are well-molded without sink marks, gouges, or other obvious defects. Some flash is present on some of the smaller parts. The petite surface detail is recessed and is very well done. The sprue attachment points are medium-sized and strong enough to hold the parts securely to the part trees. I don't see ejector pin marks in visible areas, except for just inside the air intake lips. The clear parts are also of high quality.***image4***
The part trees are packaged in four large plastic bags with the trees folded over on each other, so there are actually eight trees when you cut them apart. Two separate small bags contain the clear parts, one for each version. The decals and photo-etched parts are in a separate resealable bag.
The instructions are the typical exploded-view diagrams grouped logically into sub-assemblies. Both a parts map and a full-color painting and marking guide are provided. Color call-outs are for Gunze Sangyo Mr. Color paints. One error throughout the painting guide and instructions is the call for Gray FS36222: this should be white instead.
PHOTO-ETCHED PARTS
The PE parts include seat belts, canopy mirrors, wing fences, lateral control spoilers (also called flaperons and flaperettes), console tops, and instrument panel faces. The console and instrument panel parts have recessed detail; decals are supposed to go directly over them. There are two different instrument panels, but the instructions do not say which one is for the -8 and which one is for the -8P Cougar.
KIT DESIGN
The fuselage has a front section which contains the gun bay or camera bay, a middle section which encloses the cockpit and nose wheel well, and an aft section which includes the tail and the engine exhaust chamber. Each of these sections is split vertically into left and right halves. The inner wing sub-assembly has three large pieces which also form the bottom of the mid-fuselage section. The possibility of fit problems from this complicated design requires the modeler to take extra care in test-fitting and adjusting the sections as needed during the build.
The outer wings consist of top and bottom halves with separate flap parts. The rudder parts are also provided as separate pieces. The horizontal stabilizers have circular attachment pins so that they can be positioned as desired. Also regarding the wings, the landing light and trim tab should be on the left wing only--the kit has them on both wings. On the real aircraft, there are tiny fuel dump vents on the rear wingtips, but these are understandably not molded on the kit wings.
There is no mention in the instructions of nose weight for the model, but I suspect that it will be needed.
OPTIONS
Among the other kit options are these:
--Grumman or Martin-Baker ejection seat
--folded or extended wings
--extended or retracted speed brakes
--camera bay hatches open or closed to show cameras
--gun bay with guns and associated parts, but no provision to show this area open (on the real aircraft the nose slides forward on rails to reveal the gun section)
--boarding ladder for left forward fuselage
--main canopy can be posed open
--external stores including drop tanks , Sidewinder missiles, and rocket pods
--boundary layer splitter plates (parts D7 & D8) Note: some Cougars did not have these plates.
--rear lower fuselage blade antennae (parts E17 & E18) Note: many Cougars did not have these.
--two dorsal beacon lights Note: many Cougars had only one of them.
--refueling probe Note: some Cougars did not have the probe installed.
DECALS
The decal sheet looks very good overall, with bright reds and yellows and stencils that are actually readable (no gibberish). The red bar in the national insignia is slightly off-center. The "Blue Angels" lettering looks too large according to my references. The decal markings otherwise appear to be accurate when compared to reference photos.
The choices are for the following aircraft:
--F9F-8 of VF-61 in Gull Gray and white
--F9F-8 of VF-121 in gloss sea blue
--F9F-8 of Blue Angels in Blue Angel Blue
--F9F-8P of VFP-61 in Gull Gray and white
--F9F-8P of USN Photographic School NAS Pensacola in orange and white
CONCLUSION
This is an impressive kit of a much-needed subject for naval aviation fans. From a First Look review perspective, my only major criticisms are the lack of air intake tunnels and the too short nose gear (it does not display the proper amount of oleo). I have not built any Kitty Hawk kits before, but I am very much looking forward to tackling this one.