Grumman Jet Cat in 1/48 scale

[Brian da Basher]

Post W.W. II budget cuts hit the U.S. Navy hard. Just as the jet age was dawning, fiscal concerns prevented them from developing new aircraft. However, a loophole allowed for the modification and improvement of existing designs. After some extensive tweaking of the F8F Bearcat, the Navy's first jet fighter, the Grumman Jet Cat was born.









The F8F's original Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W Double Wasp twin-row radial engine was swapped out for a Westinghouse JEX 33 experimental turbojet developed by Westinghouse's Jet Research lab in Monaca, Pennsylvania. The new engine improved speed, max altitude and rate of climb exponentially. The Jet Cat prototype hit Mach .99097 in a shallow dive during testing in 1948. The Navy ordered three squadrons of Bearcats to be modified into Jet Cats. This would prove a fortunate decision.







In June, 1950, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Ticonderoga left San Diego after a major overhaul. Aboard was VF-51, the "Screaming Eagles" and their Grumman Jet Cats. While straight-winged jets were no longer cutting edge, the Jet Cats were more than a match for anything else flying, partly due to their excellently trained pilots. Shortly after the Ticonderoga made a port call at the mid-Pacific island of Maug-Maug, a coded, emergency flash order was received to proceed at full speed to the Sea of Japan and provide air cover for U.S. and South Korean forces retreating from the Red invasion.





The Ticonderoga was on station just off the coast near the 38th parallel in no time and the pilots of VF-51 began patrols over the middle of the Korean peninsula. Soon the Screaming Eagles would meet the Reds in air-to-air combat. Ensign Benson would become famous for shooting down two Red Yaks in a single mission and would go on to become one of the U.S. Navy's first aces of the Korean War. As there was little good news coming out of Korea, Life magazine's July 17th issue featuring Ensign Benson and VF-51's Jet Cats turning back the Red tide was a huge morale boost.



The necessities of war finally allowed the Navy to get new aircraft and the Jet Cats were soon replaced. Nothing of their gallant service in the cause of freedom exists today except that Life magazine and this desk model.



Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

A while back, my friend fins (Bill) sent me a care package of model kits and parts. Included was a classic bagged 1/48 scale Hawk F8F Bearcat kit. Everything was there, including the vintage instructions.





It's a little hard to make out, but this kit's as old as I am.



However, this one came with all the bells and whistles.



Including the special set of decals



and a very nice full-color photo on card of some Bearcats.



With a reference like that, there's no way you can go wrong!

Well, um, actually there is. Especially if you have the shock cone and ring from a 1/72 MiG-21 laying around and notice it fits pretty nice.





That took care of the front of my Jet Cat, but I also needed to fix up the back and add a jet nozzle. Some minor surgery was called for.



Originally, I'd made a nozzle by cutting up one of the kit's bombs.





However, after seeing my progress via email, Bill said that nozzle looked too small for the huge jet intake. Doggone it, the man was right! I thought about it for a few days and then cut as much as I could from the tail and added a new scratch built nozzle.





Jeff Fontaine suggested adding wingtip tanks, which I thought was too good to pass up, so I found some large ones in 1/72 scale that seemed to work. Decals were all scrounged from spares and the model was brush-painted by hand with acrylics. This project took me about ten days, give or take a couple needed for consultation and problem solving.





I hope you enjoyed the Jet Cat and the forgotten history of VF-51. A tip o' the pin to Bill & Jeff for all their wonderful ideas! Thanks a million, gents!

Brian da Basher

[MaxHeadroom]

Looks good, Brian!

At first sight, I asked myself "Where is the difference... ooops; he has forgotten the propeller!" (Sorry, Brian )

I think, the barrel-like fuselage of the Bearcat has room enough without need to extend (in opposite to the slim fuselage of my Ju87/387) to implant a jet-engine.

So, well done... and I like the cover of the LIFE-magazine also!
But, why did you put a blind canopy on the cockpit?

Max

[ysi_maniac]

 

[Volkodav]

As always, outstanding and imaginative!

Got me thinking of the original Hawker Jet Fury sketches with the bi-fractured jet pipe which eventually led to the Seahawk.  Jump, a Bearcat bassed jet with solid nose, forward located cockpit, bi-fractured inlets and jet pipes?  Would take more than ten days though, for me it would likely be left incomplete for my kids to sort out in several decades time.

[CSMO]

A prop-less Ryan Fireball on steroids. Adios, Larry.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The Jet Cat reminds me a lot of the North American Aviation FJ Fury in appearance.  Very nice work and the modifications look convincing.  It is also a real surprise to see Brian building in 1:48th scale too

[finsrin]

You saw a Jet Cat lurking within the Bear Cat and brought it out for all to see  :)
Love how it so much looks the part of F8F getting converted to a jet in late 1940s 

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[taiidantomcat]

I will never cease to be amazed how you can make such simple modifications and make a pure stunner.  If I attempted something like this I would be elbow deep in putty with another shelf queen in the to do pile