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Clark Cook
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Revell (Monogram 1/48 F-8E) Finished

May 17, 2015 · in Aviation · 20 · 3.3K

Hello all!

Well after what seems like an eternity I finished up this build of the old Monogram F-8E Crusader. My goal was to build the kit so that it could stand up beside one of the newer Hasegawa kits. It was a challenge!

I added some updated resin parts starting with a True Details cockpit, SAC landing gear which is a must to correct the kit stance, and the old KMC slat and flap parts. I could not locate the resin parts from Cobra Company that would have provided under wing details and really did not want to scratch build them myself. Normally the slats are extended when the wing is up for takeoff or landing, but I found a photo in one of the Ginter books showing the wing lowered with the slats extended.

I liked the resin pit and gear but the slat and flap work could have just as easily been done using removed and cleaned up kit parts.

Paint is Model Master Gull Grey and Flat White, Futured before decals then over sprayed with Polly Scale Semi-Gloss. (I'm down to my last bottle). Decals are nicely done and come in the kit. Panel highlights were done with pencil and pastels, prior to the Future.

Fit was, well, what you would expect with a Monogram kit of this era. The TERs are really bad. I took a lot of work to get the intake smooth. I need to add the prominent rear view mirrors to the canopy when I find some. They are supplied in the kit but are way too thick.

Thanks to my pal Jim Sullivan for photo work. I hope you like her and now on to something else!

Clark

Reader reactions:
5  Awesome

10 additional images. Click to enlarge.


20 responses

  1. Hello Clark...nice job on that classic ole Monogram kit. Looks like the after-market upgrades certainly dressed her up. Nice paint work and shading/weathering. I'm pleasantly surprised at how well the kit decals went down. The cockpit looks good too. A fine job for sure.

  2. Nice work sir, a fine F 8E .

  3. Looks like you achieved your "goal"...as Jim said, a fine job indeed.

  4. Looks very neat, Clark, a good job on updating a classic old kit.

  5. Hi George, thank you sir for your kind comments.

  6. Nice job on a great looking 'gunfighter' F-8 ! I built the same kit some time ago and it was the Monogram kit released under Hasegawa with a white metal seat and Sundowner markings. This was followed by their own F-8 release which is far superior to the Monogram kit. However, I still believe that Monogram offer good detail at far less! Well done Eugene!

  7. Great looking model od a great looking aircraft!

  8. your model proves that it is the Modeler that makes the model, not the model that makes the Modeler. This is a masterful example of a classic kit - nice job!

  9. That's one philosophy: I took the opposite direction... With my P-38 I tried to do what I could to make an old Monogram kit look OK without going for a "modern" result. That was quite fun too - and the end result turned out a lot better than I had expected from the beginning 🙂 !

    You've made a very nice model of a seriously cool aircraft!

    Regards

    Magnus

  10. Great job on this old classical kit ! Brilliant job.

  11. Thanks Bernd. Now to decide what to build next. Clark

  12. This F8 looks really good, nice job Eugene.

  13. Hello Eugene,
    Great job on this "old" fighter/bomber.
    Thanks also for the tips, because I have the model in my "sight" on the shelves. Yes the same old Monogram. Will have to visit Ebay for the bits and pieces.

  14. Clark,
    A belated congrats on this model. This is absolutely stunning. You did an outstanding job. I love it.

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