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Frank Cronin
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P-80 Shooting Star

March 9, 2018 · in Aviation · · 18 · 2.6K

I was commissioned to build this and was given a colored plate showing the exact A/C he wanted. The plate described the as being with the 26th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Kimpo Airfield, Korea in November of 1950.

the kit is the F-80A done by HobbyBoss. The plate showed the color on it to be blue but in fact it may be re. whatever, this is what he wanted and this is what he got. All of the blue on this I masked and painted. Can't help but love the P/F-80. I really liked the HobbyBoss kit and I will probably do another one at a later time. There are things about this kit that I really liked but I also think the old Monogram kit is still a superb rendition.

regardless, the customer was pleased.

Reader reactions:
5  Awesome

8 additional images. Click to enlarge.


18 responses

  1. Wow...these posts of yours just keep gettin' better and better, Frank - now that right there's one fine-lookin' build, my friend.

  2. Frank, a very nice F-80, with a very attractive scheme. What did you use for the silver finish ?

  3. Frank, that really turned out well.

  4. Well done Frank, pretty stunning as a matter of fact. Lockheed got lots of mileage out of that old air frame.

  5. You did an awesome job on this one. Well done Frank!

  6. Blue is the 16th FIS of the 51 FIW (third and last squadron to join group). 23rd FIS is senior squadron and would be red, the 26th FIS as #2 would be yellow. But as you say, he got what he asked for.

    Oh, and as long as you really like the F-80, the Monogram kit is correct in shape, though I think it - like the F-86 and MiG-15 are not 1/48 but rather something closer to 1/40, though the F-80 is the closest of the three to 1/48. The HB intakes are totally not right, and unfixably so.

    Oh, and very nice work on this regardless of accuracy. "The customer is always right."

    • Thanks Tom,
      I did some research on the colors and got confused as I could not match the blue with the 26th and before I went too far I called and told him what I had found so far and he insisted on blue... Soooo, it's blue.

  7. Very nice model, and the blue paint job is superb

  8. Another beautiful build!

  9. Thanks to all for the very kind comments... Good to be back and I am taking time to post things I have done this past year or so

  10. This is modeling. Beautifully finished and she looks fast just sitting there. Fine, fine work, Frank.

  11. Profile Photo
    said on March 10, 2018

    Nice work on that P80

  12. Hello Frank...Very nicely done. One of the best looking P-80 models I've seen lately. My compliments to you on a fine build of that bird.

  13. I'm not surprised your customer was happy, Frank, this looks really smart.

  14. Be-yoot-ee-full, Frank! This is a great P/F80. I love the different shades of silver. Despite the red / blue "controversy" the blue is a VERY nice color and your masking is 1st rate. Well done, my friend!

  15. Well done! The blue highlights really set of the NMF finish.

  16. Hey Frank, That really turned out nice! Once again your skill and patience shines!
    Two fingers of "Blue" to you my friend.

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