XF5U-1 – Hasegawa Model Kit Review

1. Introduction
Aircraft: Vought XF5U-1
Model kit manufacturer / country: Hasegawa / Japan
Scale: 1:72
Catalogue number: 51563 / SP63
Release time: 1992

Basic information on the XF5U is available in Wikipedia (link) and will not be repeated here. For more detailed information on the aircraft see book [1] listed below in the "Reference Data" section.

2. Kit
2.1. Box
The box is a typical Hasegawa top-opener, 29 x 19 x 4 cm in size. Boxart by Koike Shigeo is wonderful. One minor grudge, though: the XF5U-1 with pre-1947 national insignia and a deckload of operational Cougars do not correlate well.


2.2. Instruction
Instruction is also typical for Hasegawa kits: everything is well explained and clearly marked in their trademark black and blue colors. Painting guide uses Gunze Sangyo color numbers.

2.3. Plastic Parts
The kit contains two frames of light grey plastic parts. The quality of molding is very good. Surfaces are smooth and panel lines are very finely engraved – the very best that we've come to expect from Hasegawa. There are, however, a couple of molding glitches: some visible seam lines, plus slight depressions of the fuselage surface around the horizontal stabilizer attachment points.

Basing on existing historical photographs I would assess the accuracy of the kit as excellent. I see no shortcomings in its geometry. Also, considering the age of the kit, it provides acceptable out-of-the box detail – namely, cockpit interior and landing gear.

There are some issues, none of them major:
 - Both the main wheel wells and the tail wheel well are too shallow: the wheels do not fit inside.
 - Landing gear doors lack interior detail.
 - There are no clear parts to imitate navigation and position lights.
 - Some filling and sanding efforts will be required to achieve seamless fit between engine intake and fuselage parts (I am writing this after separating all parts from their frames and dry-fitting them).

2.4. Clear Items
Clear items include the one-piece canopy and the nose cover. As this is injection molding, the thickness of plastic is of course perceptible.

3. Decal
Markings on the actual XF5U-1 are very simple, and so is the kit's decal. National insignia, BuNo and model numbers look fine on the decal. Since no color photographs of the actual XF5U-1 are available, we cannot be 100% sure as to whether the decal's "Bugs Bunny" logo colors are accurate or not. Similarly, there are no photographs of the cockpit interior, so we can only guess what the instrument panel looked like and cannot assess the accuracy of its representation on the decal.


4. Alternatives & Aftermarket
Still nothing as of early 2020.

5. Conclusion
Pro:
 - Excellent accuracy; no visible shortcomings in geometry.
 - Good overall quality of molding; smooth surface, very fine panel lines.
 - Acceptable out-of-the box detail, considering the age of the kit.
 - Moderate price ($33 in 2009 at Hannants), when compared to other (e.g. Czech made) model kits of exotic subjects.
Contra:
 - A couple of minor molding and fit issues.

This is the only XF5U kit available in the 1:72 scale, and I believe that it is definitely worth having. Unfortunately, actually finding it these days could be a problem.

6. Reference Data
[1] Chance-Vought V-173 and XF5U-1 Flying Pancakes | Naval Fighters Series # 21 | Ginter Books, 1992

XF5F-1 Skyrocket – MPM Model Kit Review

1. Introduction
Aircraft: Grumman XF5F-1 Skyrocket
Model kit manufacturer / country: MPM / Czech Republic
Scale: 1:72
Catalogue number: 72022
Release time: 1995

Basic information on the XF5F is available in Wikipedia (link) and will not be repeated here. For more detailed information on the aircraft see book [1] listed below in the "Reference Data" section.

The real XF5F-1 underwent one major modification – from the original short nose version to the later long nose version. The short nose version, in turn, has been subject to a number of lesser modifications, in particular:
1) Fuselage-to-wing fillets installed.
2) Rudder hinge lines revised (from straight ones to stepped ones).
3) One long side-mounted exhaust stack per engine replaced with 9 smaller exhaust stacks.
4) Small air intake removed from the engine cowling's lower lip.
5) Landing gear doors configuration changed: 2 doors per nacelle replaced with 3 doors per nacelle.

Although the text in book [1] may give an impression that these modifications have taken place in sequence (i.e., have not been carried out simultaneously), there are so far no historical photographs to prove this. Available photographs either show the short nose XF5F-1 in its initial configuration, or with modifications # 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 already in place.

The MPM's kit represents the short nose XF5F-1 in its initial configuration, with the exception of landing gear doors. They are given in their later configuration, i.e. as if modification # 5 has been carried out while all other changes have not. The validity of this is debatable; I would opt for the original landing gear door configuration so as to remain within the bounds of photographic proofs.

2. Kit
2.1. Box
The box is a typical side-opener, compact (26 x 16 x 3.5 cm) and of soft cardboard (therefore, not particularly sturdy). The boxart is lovely.


2.2. Instruction
Instruction is provided on one black & white folded A3 sheet. It explains the building process very well, but information on painting is somewhat sketchy and imprecise.

2.3. Plastic Parts
The kit contains two frames of light grey plastic parts. The quality of molding is acceptable, considering the age of the kit. Surfaces are smooth and panel lines are finely engraved. There is a moderate amount of flash, mostly on smaller parts.

Overall, the accuracy of parts is surprisingly good (again, keeping in mind the age of the kit). There are just two minor issues. First, propellers – especially their hubs – could have been more accurately shaped. Then, landing gear door configuration does not – judging by available historical photographs – correspond the early variant of engine exhaust stacks.

While external airframe detail is quite passable, interior detail is less so. In particular, there is absolutely nothing inside landing gear wells (i.e. inside engine nacelles), R-1820 engines are represented poorly and cockpit detail is very austere.


2.4. Clear Items
The kit contains a vacu-formed canopy which is thin and acceptably clear. There is a slight and easily cured inaccuracy in the shape of its lower aft edge.

2.5. Photoetched Items
A small set of photoetched parts comes with the kit. The quality of etching is good, but the accuracy is less so. The photoetched dashboard detail does not resemble the real one even remotely.


3. Decal
Markings on the actual XF5F-1 are very simple, and so is the kit's decal. But, as it goes with nearly every kit's decal, there are deficiencies:
1) The branch of service letters are too tall on the decal.
2) Representation of figures "1" and "2" in Bureau number is not accurate on the decal.
3) No propeller markings are included (which are very prominent and clearly seen on the actual aircraft).

4. Alternatives & Aftermarket
As of January 2015, there are no other XF5F model kits available in the 1:72 scale, and even the MPM's kit is long out of production. There are no tailor-made aftermarket items for this aircraft, but several aftermarket R-1820 engine sets are available (Vector # 72007; Aires # 7092; QuickBoost # 72059).

5. Conclusion
Pro:
 - Very good overall accuracy.
 - Acceptable quality of molding, considering the age of the kit.
 - Vacu-formed canopy and photoetched parts included.
Contra:
 - Some minor accuracy issues - landing gear doors; propellers.
 - Insufficient detail - landing gear wells; engines; cockpit.
 - Minor inaccuracies in decal.

As mentioned above, this is the only XF5F-1 kit available – and I believe it is worth having, as all its deficiencies are relatively minor.

6. Reference Data
[1] Grumman XF5F-1 & XP-50 Skyrocket | Naval Fighters Series # 31 | Ginter Books, 1995
[2] Grumman F7F Tigercat | Famous Airplanes of the World Series # 100 | Bunrin-Do, 1978
[3] Grumman F7F Tigercat | Monografie Lotnicze Series # 1 | AJ-Press, 1991