1:72 F-8E/H Crusader Detail set Academy

F-8E and F-8H Crusader detail set 1:72 (Aires)

A resin detail set for building the American carrier fighter Vought F-8 Crusader in the E and H versions in 1:72 scale. The box states the Crusader from Academy as the target kit. The maker is the Czech company Aires Hobby Models, whose detail sets usually combine resin castings with photo-etched parts; an exact list of the contents is not stated by the manufacturer under this number, so it is not named here.

The real subject

The Vought F-8 Crusader was a carrier fighter with an unusual solution: the whole wing was set to a greater angle for takeoff and landing, so that the aircraft could land on a deck with the fuselage at a shallower attitude. Its armament was four 20 mm cannon, and because it was the last American fighter built primarily around gun armament, it earned the nickname the Last of the Gunfighters. The E version had radar and hardpoints, while the H was an upgrade of older machines.

Usage tips

Wash the resin parts in warm soapy water before gluing, so that the mold release agent disappears from the surface, otherwise the paint will not hold. Cut the casting block off with a saw or a cutting disc, never with sprue nippers, which will break resin up. Sand the mating surface flat and glue the part with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) or with epoxy, because cement for plastic will not hold here. When sanding resin, use a respirator or sand wet, as the dust is not good to breathe.

Who the set is for

• builders of Cold War carrier fighters in 1:72 scale
• modelers who want to add details beyond the plastic kit
• anyone interested in American naval equipment and the war in Vietnam
• more advanced builders used to working with resin

This is an add-on for a model, not a kit. The base kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.