I've seen them in 1/48 and 1/72, but never in 1/32. I would love to get my hands on one in this scale.

Not that I nknow of. The biggest currently available kit is the hobbycraft/Academy 1/48 one:
http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=MH2186

Yeah, I've got that one. I'd like to find a 1/32 as they are easier to detail. 1/48 is too small.

Yeah, my close-up vision is going too :).

Tamia needs to produce a 1/32 Bearcat kit just like their 1/32 Zero kit (with the operational landing gear and everything). I would put my name on a waiting list, and I'd be willing to pay just about any amount for that kit! That would be the "bee's knees" of all aircraft kits!

I can't believe there's no interest in a 1/32 Bearcat kit????????????????????

As noted on the other thread of the same subject...

Trumpeter 1:32 F8F Bearcat (http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tru/kit_tru_2247.shtml)

Available at Squadron.com:
http://www.squadron.com/NoStock.asp?item=TR32247

Trumpeters kit is new. I think its currently sold out at Squadron (or they don't have it yet). Its a pretty nice kit from what i have seen. Well worth hunting/waiting for.

I can't believe someone finally produced a 1/32 scale Bearcat!!!!!!! EEEEEEEHHHHHAAAAAAAAAA!!!! It's about damn time!!!!!! I'll probably build several of each version (-1 and the -2) as I noticed one kit reviewer said there will be several decal sets available for these kits, including the Gulfhawk IV G-58A that Major Al Williams flew for the Gulf Oil Co. back in the 40's and 50's. I'd like to build one or two in military trim, the Gulfhawk, a Blue Angels version would be nice, and if someone were to produce a decal set for Rear Bear I would be literally estatic!!!!!

For Trumpeter its pretty good. Not as screwed up as their Mustangs for sure...

For Trumpeter its pretty good. Not as screwed up as their Mustangs for sure...

Have you built one? Pics?

Have you built one? Pics?


No actually, the Bearcat is probably one of my least favorite Navy planes. The kit looks very good though. Kit wise its nice. If it were something more appealing to me I would definitely build it. The kit is nicer than their Hellcat which came out at the same time. I wish the Hellcat had the quality of the Bearcat kit.

FWIW, I emailed Tom Cleaver (a fairly well known model kit reviewer) after reading his review on the Bearcat kit. He said that someone was planning to do a decal set for the Gulfhawk IV (G-58A), which was a civilian version of the Bearcat owned by the Gulf Oil Co. back in the late 40s and 50s. He replied by informing me that company is Red Pegasus. I emailed Keith at RP to ask him when these decals will be available and if he plans to do decal sets for the Blue Angels Bearcats, and the highly modifed Reno air racer Rare Bear. I'm anxiously awaiting his reply. I could see myself building a military version of this plane, a Gulfhawk version, a Blue Angels version, and a Rare Bear version. Can you tell I like the Bearcat?

No actually, the Bearcat is probably one of my least favorite Navy planes.

Are you kidding? How can you not be completely intregued by the Bearcat? It was the very pinacle of piston powered fighters in terms of sheer performance. This plane was the ultimate hotrod of the skies until it was replaced by jets. To this day, it still holds world records for speed and climb performance for piston engined planes.

To me its unimportant. I build combat planes. And not much US stuff either. I like 30s through mid War and some early Jets like the Panther and Cougar. For me the Bearcat just falls (like the real plane) into a funny time period. Too late for World War II and gone by Korea.

My fav Grummans are the F3F biplane or F4F Wildcat...

To me its unimportant. I build combat planes. And not much US stuff either. I like 30s through mid War and some early Jets like the Panther and Cougar. For me the Bearcat just falls (like the real plane) into a funny time period. Too late for World War II and gone by Korea.

My fav Grummans are the F3F biplane or F4F Wildcat...

Now I like those too. In fact, I have an old unbuilt Monogram 1/32 Gulfhawk II (F3F) kit (the one that had the retractable landing gear you retracted by turning the prop) that's dated 1961. I will of course never build this kit as it would be worthless if I did. I will probably also build one of the many 1/32 Wildcat kits that are available at some point. I think someone makes one with a retractable gear. Do you know which company makes it?

There are only two Wildcats in 1/32 and none with operating gear. Revell has their old late 60s kit, and Trumpteter does a couple variants in 1/32 themselves. No other company did one.

Monogram's Gulfhawk is pretty cool. They aren't that rare... at least the fighter version. I have a couple of those floating around. The Gulfhawk is a bit more accurate as the real GH had shortened wings compared to the fighter, whcih the kit replicates. But the fighter kit uses the same short wings from the GH...

I could've sworn someone made a 1/32 Wildcat with retracts, and they were operated with the prop just like the Monogram F3F kit. Maybe it was the Revelle kit?

I don't know any more. I'm old and the ol' recall function upstairs ain't what it used to be. Maybe I'm confusing retracts with folding wings or something. :confused:

I received an email reply from Keith at Red Pegasus Decals. He said he will be producing the "Gulfhawk 4" decal set for this kit. He also said the "Beetle Bomb" set will be available soon, which was one of the Bearcats used with the Blue Angels demonstration team. I'm still waiting on a reply from him about whether or not he'll be producing a "Rare Bear" decal set.

Decals for the Trumpeter kit were discussed a few times on Hyperscale. I didn't pay attention, though.

The Revell Wildcat had fixed gear but folding Wings. From about 1970 until the Trumpeter release, it was the only 1/32 Wildcat. It still holds up well for its vintage.

Decals for the Trumpeter kit were discussed a few times on Hyperscale. I didn't pay attention, though.

The Revell Wildcat had fixed gear but folding Wings. From about 1970 until the Trumpeter release, it was the only 1/32 Wildcat. It still holds up well for its vintage.

It's the Revell kit I was thinking of then.

There certainly doesn't seem to be much interest in here about this new Bearcat kit.

Sure there does, but it's all from you! ;)

FWIW, the review I read said the new kit's only major fault is that it's covered with very obvious rivets, and on the real 'cat the rivets sorta disappeared as soon as you stepped back a few feet.

Sure there does, but it's all from you! ;)

FWIW, the review I read said the new kit's only major fault is that it's covered with very obvious rivets, and on the real 'cat the rivets sorta disappeared as soon as you stepped back a few feet.

Yeah, I don't get the whole rivet thing. The real one used flush rivets, which you more than likely wouldn't be able to see on a model anyway, so why put them there at all?

I think most airplane kits fall under the grossly overscale rivets category. But I have to admit that they look good that way. For example, I've gotten up close and personal with the Tomcat (yes, modern, but the point is valid) and you really can't see all the panel lines, rivets, and all that other engraved detail you get on the kits.

BUT, all that detail makes the kit look good. When the little plastic planes are too clean, too absent of detail, they end up looking like toys.

I'm not a big enough fan of WWII to get excited about the Bearcat, I'm a modern jet and space kind of person.