Model by Wilfried Eck

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F-8 H Crusader, Monogram 1/48 Modifications and additions:

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• All panel lines engraved with rear of pointed scalpel or sewing needle (all raised kit lines sanded away afterwards).
• Ejection seat scratch (black and yellow handles "Fimo", see page F).
• Windscreen and canopy formed PVC (see page C), frame and rear view mirrors added.
• Ailerons and flaps scratch (plastic filed to appropriate thickness to fit wing and form flat wedges, laminated with thin plastic sheet so edges protude a little bit);  rear of outer  wings filed/sanded  to form sharp edges.
• Elevators filed/sanded to get sharp edges; same on rudder.
• Details of wing fold mechanism added (see page "raised wings")
• Navigation lights from clear plastic rod (see page "lights")
• Main landing gear wells detailed according to photos.
• Cut out airbrake under fuselage, detailed fuselage interior (criss cross strips) and made new brake (thin plastic sheet formed over polyester form with a second holed part glued in)
• Detailed the fuselage opening under the wing by scratch: To give the outer wall of the engine compartment something to rest on I glued thin strips of plastic lengthwise in the fuselage halves so the rounded part could simply be snapped in after the fuselage halves were joined. Naturally there were front and rear bulkheads inserted first. Thin tubing running along the engine cover by stretched sprue. Some additional detailing according to a photo in "Squadron Signal F-8", the whole affair when finished was painted white.
• The worst part: Corrugated front ends of wing and front end of engine compartment. I tried everything and came out with parts of embossed aluminum, which necessitated removing some material from wing and forward fuselage to make room for the depressions; space between filled up with putty, after this had dried the parts were snapped off and fixed permanantly with CA glue.
• The landing gear was left as it is for the Crusader was a pronounced tail sitter (contrary to some not so well informed modellers who see a need to correct this).
• Entrance step: After fuselage rectangle was cut out a piece of plastic of slightly larger diameter with holes at the sides was glued to the inside; thin steel wire bent to form a narrow "U", horizontal part sandwiched into thin top and bottom parts to form step; loose ends were then glued into holes of plastic part.
• Painting with Humbrol enamels (this VF-62 F-8 had a painted tail pipe indeed), decals for VF-62 were lousy.

General thoughts and tips for modeling see "Modeling ABC"