Planet Models 1/32 XF5U-1

By John Cicchino

Phew! Finally finished the Planet Models XF5u-1. It is a resin and white metal short run kit to which I added 3d designed and printed landing gear. The model is painted with MRP lacquers, and all of the markings except the prop logos and nose art were drawn and cut on a Silhouette and then sprayed.

The model includes a healthy dose of artistic license as there are only about 10 known photos of the aircraft and the configuration differs in seemingly every photo; available line drawings only add to the confusion. In the end I used a combination of those references and plausible pieces and parts from the F4u to fill in any gaps.

To the base kit, I reworked the horizontal tail planes, dropping the elevators(?) and trim tabs, adding actuators and landing and ID lights; trim tabs were added to the vertical stabilizers as well. I opened the canopy and filled the cockpit with assorted pieces of resin, PE and decals.

This was actually a really enjoyable kit, but not in the fall together way. It is a manageable for a short run kit provided you have a plan for attacking each of the components. Outside of the self-inflicted wounds on the spinner and props, the only real balky parts of the kit were the white metal and resin undercarriage which would have benefitted from more precise engineering and better material selection, and the fit of the engine fans where the seam cannot be eliminated if building the kit per the instructions. I chose to cut the entire engine front away from the fuselage and reattach once I had a clean joint.

Despite (or on account of) its challenges, in the end I’d like to think the kit has helped make me a better modeler and, if I could make a suggestion, don’t be afraid to step outside your modeling comfort zone; it will open a new world of possibilities.

The XF5u makes a unique and interesting addition to the collection although I am deathly afraid to disturb it as there are things sticking out of it in every direction making it an absolute royal pain to handle. I’m quite sure every piece was broken off and reattached at least once during construction. The model is deceptively big, with a Spitfire nearly fitting inside of it. It is also pretty tough to photograph, like trying to take a picture of a dinner plate.

For more information on the construction of the model, check out my build thread in the Work in Progress forum. With the XF5u now happily on the shelf, another cool USN aircraft will replace it on the workbench.

Planet Models 1/32 XF5U-1

By John Cicchino

Related Content