Re: 1/32 Crusader question--ADDENDA

>the naval version is out now. can anyone offer any info as to how

>>different other variants may be? I've always bought the Trumpeter >>1/32 kits when they first come out and then wonder how different the >>other versions really are and if I should have waited or not. >> >>My only knowledge of the Crusader is from the movie Thirteen Days, yes >>a novice in every way. From what I have read, the Navy version was >>the primary version >> >>Santa needs to know ! >> >>thx - Craig >F8U-1/F-8A: Initial production version with smaller nose, no belly strakes, no

bulge on the port side of the fuselage for the refuelling probe bay. Bulges were later retrofitted.

F8U-1P/RF-8A: First photo recon version, made famous by John Glenn's "Project

Bullet" transcontinental supersonic flight.

F8U-1E/F-8B: Added refuelling probe/bulged bay. >F8U-2/F-8C: Added belly strakes and underwing stores. >F8U-2N/F-8D: Improved F-8C. >F-8E: New nosecone for bigger radar. Also built as the F-8E(FN) for the French

Navy, with some hardware differences.

RF-8G: Remanufactured RF-8A with many of the later model's improvements. >F-8H: Remanufactured F-8D with A-7 Corsair II landing gear, F-8E nose and other

upgrades. Some exported to the Philippine Air Force.

F-8J: Remanufactured F-8E. >F-8K: Remanufactured F-8C. >F-8L: Remanufactured F-8B. >F-8C NASA version: Rebuilt with alternate wings to test new aerodynamic designs. >F8U-1T/TF-8A: One-off tandem-seater trainer. >XF8U-3: One-off enlargened redesign, built to compete with the F4H Phantom II.

Okay...so I got the latest Model Art magazine from Japan (hurray for the IPMS/USA Reviewer Corps!) and I see that the Trumpeter kit is of the F-8E, which was developed during and after the Cuban Missile Crisis. So chances are they'll probably come out with the French version and the Phillipine Air Force version and maybe an RF-8G Reconnaissance version. I'd have to see the molded pieces to see if they engineered the kit in such a fashion that repopping with variant parts for the earlier versions would be a possibility. Stephen "FPilot" Bierce/IPMS #35922

formatting link

Reply to
Stephen Bierce
Loading thread data ...

They have announced the F-8J, which is the same as the French F-8E(FN), although I doubt the kit will come with Matra 530 or 550 missiles, or the ECM fairing added when they were upgraded to F-8P. The F-8H is problematic like all of the other earlier versions (it's a remanufactured F-8D) as it had a smaller radome and the fuselage nose would have to be reshaped for that. The RF-8 would require a complete new fuselage. Since the fuselage halves are one piece on a sprue with other parts, they would have to modify the mold for other versions, unlike for the -J where they just replace the sprue with the wing flaps and stabs. You'll see a -J for sure, possibly a late F-8E(FN)/F-8P, but I suspect that will be it from Trumpeter.

Dave

Reply to
Dave Williams

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.