Teknics

1/48 F9F-2/3 Down & Dirty Conversion Set

Product # TK48089 for $28.99 for Trumpeter/HobbyCraft kit

Product Article by Steve Bamford on June 5 2007  

 

 

 

This new resin conversion set from Teknics is the F9F-2/3 Down & Dirty Conversion Set for Trumpeter/HobbyCraft.  This set also applied to the XF9F-2 and X9F-3 after tip tanks were mounted on the prototypes. The Trumpeter kit kindly provides separate outboard flaps that you can show dropped if you wish.  Unfortunately, the Panther had FOUR flaps, not two, and when one went down, they all four went down.  This conversion kit includes a new inboard lower wing part with integral flap bays and separate inboard flaps. The other requirement to model a Panther with the flaps dropped is the drooped leading edges, which lowered 26 degrees when the flaps were lowered.  Since the Trumpeter leading edge panel line is not in the correct location, it's pretty difficult to do this conversion yourself.  So, Teknics has done it for you!  Their set contains both outboard wings with the sink marks removed AND the leading edges drooped 26 degrees. These outer wings also include the inboard rib detailing that is completely missing on the Trumpeter/HobbyCraft kit.  Since the Trumpeter/HobbyCraft tip tanks are about 20% too small, these tip tanks corrected for length, diameter, and shape. 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

Because the aft ends of the tip tanks were actually fuel dumps, Teknics has properly shaped them and provided them as separate pieces to glue on the aft end of each tip tank-allowing the fuel dump detail on the tank aft end to show through!  They've also included the F9F-2 style wing fences that were fitted to nearly all Navy Panthers about halfway though the Korean War (although the land-based Marine Panthers typically did not receive them until after the war).

Resin casting is of a very high quality and all the detail is very well done with no air bubbles.  There is one page of instructions that take you through this easy to install set.  This new resin set from Teknics will permit modelers to make an accurate F9F-2/3 Panther.  This set WILL NOT fit the Revell/Monogram F9F-5 kit.

I would like to thank Meteor Productions for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford