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Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

Early in WWII, the US Navy became concerned about its ability to project air power in the event it lost a large number of carriers. One idea proposed was to fit existing types with floats so they could operate from remote islands, the other was to develop new types that could operate from land bases and had the range to cover the vast areas of the Pacific needed to take the fight to the enemy. To this end, the Navy issued to the various makers a requirement for a single-place, single-seat fighter-bomber with specifications that at the time must have seemed like science-fiction: a top speed of 500 MPH, a range of 3000 miles, and the ability to meet these speed and range requirements while carrying a 2000 lb. bomb load. Amazingly, Boeing developed a plane that could meet those requirements, the XF8B. The cost, however, was a singularly massive airplane powered by the then-new Wasp Major 28-cylinder radial engine. The XF8B was even larger than the Douglas Skyraider, then also under development, and included an internal bomb bay. Teething problems with the Wasp Major led to a flight engineer's station being added behind the cockpit during testing. While these problems were eventually overcome, by the time the plane was finally ready it was obvious there was no shortage of carriers, which cooled Navy enthusiasm for the project. Further, Boeing had its hands full with bomber and transport aircraft, and with the end of the war in sight was looking towards aircraft to fill the perceived future need for airliners. Thus, Boeing was not particularly interested in pursuing the design either, and passed up a chance to accept a contract offered as a favor by the Navy officer in charge of the project to the Boeing project manager. The XF8B became just another footnote in history, often incorrectly maligned as a "failure" when in fact it was nothing short of a technological marvel that met impossible requirements, and then suffered when the need to meet those requirements never materialized.

This version of the kit represents how it appeared in the immediate post-war period when the USAAF looked at the type as a potential ground-attack type. In spite of its impressive performance, however, the days of reciprocating-engine aircraft were drawing to a close, and the Air Force chose to focus on the new jet designs then under development or just entering service. The kit features recessed panel lines, photo-etched belts, instrument panel and oil cooler screen and resin cowl and underwing drop tanks. Two vacuformed canopies are provided. As a "short-run" kit, a little care will be needed during clean-up and assembly, however nothing that those with a few kits under their belt can't handle, and you will be rewarded with something a little "out of the ordinary" gracing your display shelf.