Monogram 1/48 F9F-5P Panther Recon
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The Kit
  This
is a ressue of Monogram's old F9F Panther. Now we have a photo recon version
of the Panther. Like the real thing, the only change in the kit is a new
nose grafted onto the old fuselage and the clear parts for the cameras.
It is molded in gray plastic with raised panel lines. 
 They
did not change the instrument panel, but this is an easy fix. All that
needs to be added is the viewfinder eyepiece to the panel. This will not
be too hard to do. There are some good pictures in the Naval Fighters
book on the Panther (Number 59). 
The markings in the kit are for a Panther from VMJ-3, BuNo. 126278, at
Miami, Florida in May 1954. This plane is overall glossy sea blue and
has red trim. The second option is a Panther from VMCJ-3, BuNo. 126277,
based out of El Toro, CA. This plane, also overall glossy sea blue, has
an attractive trim of white stars on a blue field, trimmed in red and
white. As these aircraft are dark blue, all of the main markings are in
white. The pictures of the decal do not show the white, but it's there.
One nice thing that they did in the kit is a cut-out of the  camera
lenses in the instruction sheet. You cut this out and glue it inside bottom
of the clear part. I do think this will look nice and you will not have
to make any cameras.
Conclusion
The Monogram Panther kit is a decent model of this early jet, and this
new photo recon version opens up some very colorful options.
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