MCDONNELL F2H3 "Banshee"
Hobbycraft 1/72
The McDonnell F2H Banshee was the immediate successor of the FH1 Phantom, which it strongly resembles, although it is a completely new design. Larger and heavier, it replaced the FH1's .50 cal guns with 4 20mm cannon, weighed 22,300 lb fully loaded (Max takeoff) as opposed to the FH1's 12,000 lb, and had 2 engines (J34s) of 3,250lb s.t each as opposed to the Phantom's 2 1,600lb s.t J30s. She had a cruising speed of just over 500 mph, more than twice the FH1. So despite the outward similarities, the Banshee was a far more capable aircraft. The first F2H flew on January 11, 1947, and the first flight of the F2H3 modeled here took place March 29, 1952. It was the first major success for the McDonnell Aircraft Company, formed in 1939. It put the company that had manufactured parts for A20s, B29s and C46s through WW2 on the map, and on track to be one of the largest manufacturers of jet aircraft ever. This was built outofthebox from the Hobbycraft kit, and it went together very well. Scribing is a bit heavy on the kit, and cockpit detail is almost nonexistent, but there isn't much choice in 1/72 for this aircraft! I'm happy to have it on my shelf, notwithstanding that it's not Hasegawa. Paint is again Model Master, and I did the the flying surface leading edges with Bare Metal foil. The tip tank fronts were done with Model Master Chrome paint. Engine exhaust tubes were painted with one of my favorites: PollyScale metaline Oxidized Aluminum. You can brush it on with no stroke marks, too. The kit decals were used, and they went on fine.
Italeri 1/72
I have a thing for Navy aircraft. Part of it is being a pilot myself just a Private Pilot and having nothing but respect and admiration for guys that fly highperformance aircraft, filled with volatile fuel and highexplosives, on and off of pitching carrier decks in all conditions. I also just love the color Dark Sea Blue! One of the most interesting periods of Naval Aviation is the transition from= prop to jet power, during which they had to operate sidebyside. We can see the ultimate developments of the great WW2 prop fighters, such as the F4U Corsair, the A1 Skyraider, the Sea Fury,Seafire and many others hugely powerful and lethal alongside the early successful jets, sleek new experiments that were just starting to slip through the sky at previously unheardof velocities. The story of the Corsair is too wellknown to repeat. The F4U5N was a nightfighter variant equipped with Air Intercept Radar. This particular aircraft (BuNo 124453) was flown by the Navy's first Korean War Ace Commander Guy Bordelon. It was attached to VC3, and usually flew off the deck of USS Princeton (CV37). The kit is the Italeri F4U5N. It has been criticized for having a nose that is too short, which is probably true, but I built it outofthebox (added some seatbelts) and it looks good to me! It went together like a dream, and the detail level is superb. Decals are from the kit, and I had no problems with them. Paint is Model Master Dark Sea Blue.
