History

The Grumman F8F was one of the most potent piston engined fighters developed during World War II. It was too late to fly in combat during the war and was quickly replaced by the new jet powered fighters.

The F8F was the smallest airframe that could be designed around the most powerful available engine to create a high performance fighter for the US Navy during World War II.

Design started in November 1943 and the first prototype flew in August 1944 but they were about to enter service when World War II ended.

They flew with a number of Navy squadrons but were soon replaced by jet fighters.

Over a hundred were used by the French in Vietnam, some were given to Thailand and 29 were given to South Vietnam where they remained in service until 1959.

This model represents a F8F-2 flying with VF-83 from the USS Franklin D Roosevelt in March 1949.

Monogram 1:72 kit with SuperScale decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 2021.

Data

MODEL: Grumman F8F-2 (VF-83, US Navy, 1949)

ROLE: single seat fighter

TIME PERIOD: 1944-1959

ENGINES: one 1566kW Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial piston engine

WING SPAN: 10.92m

LENGTH: 8.61m

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 5,873kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 678km/h

RANGE: 1778km

CREW: 1

ARMAMENT: four 20mm cannon

SCALE: 1/72

KIT:

GALLERIES: , ,

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