Flag Plot

  Hasegawa F9F-8 Cougar Here's the model finished as a VF-61 Cougar embarked on the USS Intrepid circa 1955. The Kit:   This is the Hasegawa kit with decals from the kit & the SSI sheet "Carrier Air Wing 8" 72-338. The kit was painted with Model Master gloss Dark Sea Blue and Alclad ll duraluminium ALC-102. The  nose decal from the SSI sheet didn't come close fitting around the nose cone, so I used the kit decal. It's a bit translucent. Note that this is an early version of the dash 8 Cougar, the intake splitter plates were left off.     An enjoyable kit.  RJ 

Hasegawa F9F-2 Panther  Here's the model finished as a VMF-115 Panther based at Pohang Korea. History:   In 1949, VMF-115 was the first Marine Corps squadron equipped with Grumman F9F-2 Panther jets, and on November 20, 1950, the first Marine squadron to carrier qualify all 18 pilots aboard the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. The squadron then deployed to Pohang, Korea, for combat operation in February 1952. In late-June 1952 they participated in the attack on the Sui-ho Dam. Throughout the Korean War, VMF-115 expended more ordnance than any other Marine jet fighter squadron. A total of 15,350 flight hours were logged on 9,250 combat sorties with a price of 19 aircraft lost. Six pilots were lost with their aircraft in a single day and a total of 14 pilots were killed in action. Close air support was provided by VMF-115 in battles such as Bunker Hill, The Hook, Reno, Carson-Elko, Vegas, Berlin, East Berlin, and the Marines famous battle at the Chosin Reservoir. (1)  The Kit:   This is th