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Joe Caputo
154 articles

Lindberg 1/48 XF-88 “Voodoo”

March 27, 2017 · in Aviation · · 13 · 3.5K

The XF-88 "" , first flown in 1948, was an under powered version of came to be the . It was designed to be a long range fighter to escort B-29's.

The kit really shows it's age and outside of filling out my Voodoo collection, is not worth much. For it's day, it had rivet detail, and a panel that opened exposing an "engine" Also, movable control surfaces. Things it did not have include wheel wells and a cockpit. Between sanding rivets and putty, I was glad to be finished with this one. Surprisingly enough, the old decals, of which there were few, worked. I can't say I'm not happy with the result, but I can say I would never go through the trouble of kit bashing the cockpit and wheel wells.

Reader reactions:
6  Awesome

5 additional images. Click to enlarge.


13 responses

  1. Didn't put on them huge tip tanks, huh? I still have mine in the spares box from my build way back. With all them rockets.I hear tell that if you have a redundant F-84F cockpit, you can fake it. That goes for their Pogo, too. Who's gonna know?

    I always wanted the Aurora F-90, which I suspect is even more basic, to add to the nifty 50s collection. Nope, no Blackhawk markings, either.

    I recently found out that the Lindberg F-104 kit has the original intakes on it. That got me to thinking, too. Nostalgia builds all!

    Good to see a part of my misspent yuth. You did a first rate job on her, and she deserves to be remembered.

    • The F-90 was my very first model. I still have it, but it's beyond repair. I'd like another to do over. The wing tip tanks are long gone. Ended up as "side pods" on some 1/32 F-1 slot cars, to make F5000 cars out of them.

      I've only seen one picture of the XF-88 with tip tanks, and I thought really detracted from it's looks. Big, blunt, and ugly. I forgot to mention it comes with a stand ! The Pogo and the XF-91 "Thunderceptor" are both still in the stash. One day...

  2. Sometimes you just build what is available if you want to have a particular subject in your collection! I've done that many times... It really was a pretty ugly airframe compared to the 101, but you can obviously see the similarities. Nice to see an unusual subject built up, and you did a great job with an old kit!

  3. Joe, ditto- I look at that Thunderceptor, and I just shake my head. Agree about the tip tanks on the F-88. They just look freakish.
    Why not a 48th F-107? That would be a grabber!
    Or a buildable F-94C...

  4. A nice addition to the "Golden Age" of aviation collection. Besides, the build didn't turn out all that bad.

  5. A nice build of an old kit Joe.
    Who needs resin cockpits etc.

  6. 🙂 ... Greetings ... 🙂 :
    Joe ... very nice build . It surely serves as a valuable means to look back at the evolution of the VOODOO.
    Thank you for sharing this fine piece.

  7. A great blast from the past!

  8. That's fantastic! I remember my uncle gave me one of those and a Lindbergh B-17 when I was about 7. They were giants!

  9. Joe, that is a really unique and cool looking jet. In the XF-88 you really can see the basic concept that evolved into the F-101- thanks for posting it.

  10. Gotta love it, and I do, nice job Joe on a blast from the past.

  11. I like Voodoos if only because they remind me of one of my favourite Jimi Hendrix tracks, and this one looks pretty cool despite the age of the kit, you've built it up very well.

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