F-100 kit question

[berniemckenna]

Would like tom build an F-100 in either 1/48 or 1/32. Which is the better kit Monogram or Trumpeter(HobbyBoss??). How bad is the 1/32 Trumpter kit. Would like to getone done before my hands give out. Worked on the at Tuy Hoa and Phan Rang.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks 

Bernie McKenna

[bashace]

Really depends on how picky you are with the intake, the Trumpeter 1/48 kit is the newer kit with recessed panel lines, but the intake is a little off in shape which alters the look a little. The Monogram is of course dated with raised panel lines, but if that doesn't bother you, it is the most accurate in 1/48 scale. I believe Trumpeter is the only game in town for a 1/32 Hun, not sure of any kit issues, haven't had that one yet.

[Ben Brown]

Hi Bernie,

 

Like bashace says, the Monogram kit is the most accurate F-100D in any scale. The Monogram kit is a little harder to build, but if you split the wings and add them after you build the fuselage, you can avoid much of the seam problems forward and aft of the wings. Rescribing the kit isn’t too difficult.
 

In 1/32, the Trumpeter kits are the only game in town. The Trumpeter kits in all three scales have the same problems. They can be made to look a lot better by replacing the nose piece with a correctly shaped resin one. Replacing the wheels with some that are the correct diameter and shortening the main gear struts a little (~3 mm in 1/32) to make up for the too-thin wing will give the model a more correct nose-up posture. I built the 1/32 D kit a few years ago and it looks pretty good if one doesn’t get too picky with the smaller details. The F-100C also needs to have the tail cut down a little and the fuel tank vent fairing reshaped. The cockpit is a so-so D cockpit, with the wrong seat. AMS Resin made a replacement but I don’t know about its availability. The F-100F kits suffer from a cockpit that’s too long to the point where you can almost add a third seat. They really blew it with this one. You’d be better off tracking down a War Eagle, Fox 3 Studios, or C&H Aero Miniatures conversion for the Monogram kit. There’s just no way to correct the Trumpeter F without replacing the canopy and redoing the cockpit.

 
I’m assuming since you worked on F-100s in SEA, you’re wanting to build one from that era. You’ll need to convert the Monogram or Trumpeter kits’ 275-gal drop tanks to 335s by either adding a 28” (scale) plug or using AMS Resin conversions (Sprue Brothers). AMS also made a 335 conversion for the 1/32 kit’s drop tanks, but I don’t know if it’s still in production. The Monogram kit depicts a jet fitted with RHAWS, with the wider tail fairing and cockpit display. It just needs the little antenna fairing under the intake (comes with the AMS drop tank noses) and the wedge-shaped antenna on the back end of the tail fairing. The Trumpeter D has the earlier, unmodified tail.

 

Ben

Edited February 18, 2022 by Ben Brown

[berniemckenna]

thanks for the info guys.

 

Bernie

[seawinder]

I built the Trumpeter 1/48 -D some years ago and found it a PITA. IMHO the nose is more than a little off -- it just looks plumb wrong. AMS makes a resin correction piece (AMS 48039) which is apparently available from various vendors. Trouble is, the Trumpeter fuselage is chock full of recessed rivets, and getting the resin piece to blend in harmoniously with the plastic is difficult to say the least.

[BillS]

I’ve built all of them and Ben gives a really good account. I think it really comes down to how much you want to invest in aftermarket (if at all). Dollar for dollar and considering accuracy, the good ‘ol Monogram kit is a good place to start. Fit is a bit of an issue but not insurmountable plus you have loads of decal options to tart things up. The nice thing is if you were at Tuy after ‘66 or so, you can do camo and it hides a lot! Thats why it’s called camouflage!

[ElectroSoldier]

15 hours ago, seawinder said:

I built the Trumpeter 1/48 -D some years ago and found it a PITA. IMHO the nose is more than a little off -- it just looks plumb wrong. AMS makes a resin correction piece (AMS 48039) which is apparently available from various vendors. Trouble is, the Trumpeter fuselage is chock full of recessed rivets, and getting the resin piece to blend in harmoniously with the plastic is difficult to say the least.

You have the same problem intergrating the nose piece on the Monogram kit. a fraction to high and the bottom isnt flat, a fraction low and the ridge on top of the nose doesnt look right.

 

I went with a Monogram kit myself. I will be trying the Trumpeter one but that will be in natural metal finish. The camo scheme hides a lot of sins.

[GeneK]

14 hours ago, BillS said:

I’ve built all of them and Ben gives a really good account.

Ben always gives great (and substantiated) advice, in particular as concerns the F-100!!

 

Gene K

 

[ElectroSoldier]

1 hour ago, GeneK said:

Ben always gives great (and substantiated) advice, in particular as concerns the F-100!!

 

Gene K

 

Yep.
I was building one recently and it was Ben who helped me make it look a little bit more accurate.

[Ben Brown]

Aw, shucks. Thanks, guys! I’m happy to help.

 

Ben