IMC
kit No. 482-100 'Battle Damaged' 1/72 scale F-100D
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Blatantly based on the Revell F-100C kit of the 1950s, which is actually
about 1/69.5 scale depending on which way it's measured, IMC revised
the vertical fin fairing to look more like a D model's but it's too small
even though the basic shape is close, and added a cranked refueling probe.
IMC missed the major change to the main wing that added increased flap
area, though. All the raised markings indicating decal locations have
also been removed, a big plus in my view, but whoever revised the tool
must have thought the locations for the turbine warning stripes were
panel lines as those are still present. Other than those changes and
a new display stand the other major revision is of course the optional
'battle damaged' parts, in this case an extra fuselage half with a mostly-shot-away
fin tip and a couple shot-up areas on the fuselage. This plane must have
been a real missile magnet! The fin area is fairly convincing
but the fuselage areas not so much since there's no internal detail in
the kit - I suppose it would look okay with some careful painting, certainly
not contest quality. There's also a 'damaged' canopy but to use that
one would probably have to modify the pilot slumped over in his seat....
 The
34 dark gray and four clear parts in my kit are mostly flash-free but
the detail is a bit soft, probably because the tooling was reverse-engineered
from a Revell kit and then modified. There are a couple nasty sink marks
on the outside of the fuselage opposite the locating pins for the pilot/cockpit
piece which will make it difficult to retain the raised surface detailing
for a silver-painted model. Speaking of the cockpit detail, it's typical
Revell for the period. A fairly well-done one-piece unit with a nicely
engraved pilot figure and ejection seat - certainly adequate for a gear-up
shelf model. Fortunately, the raised panel lines and rivets are nicely
done and well worth preserving, this not being a good enough kit to justify
rescribing the entire model.
 Decals
and painting instructions are provided for either a plain-Jane aluminized
lacquer TAC bird or an even more plain SEA camouflaged scheme. They might
have been barely usable but a bit thick when the kit was new but mine
have yellowed over the years and will certainly be replaced if I ever
actually build this one.
 My
kit, purchased off eBay, was missing the main gear struts and doors but
since I plan to build this one gear up on an original Revell swivel stand
it's no big deal - I won't need the struts and a little plastic card
will take care of the doors, which probably wouldn't have fit very well
anyway. There are of course much better 1/72 scale Super Sabre kits available
now but I enjoy building these old kits. I had been trying to figure
out how to build a Revell original and retain the panel/rivet detail
while removing the engraved decal locations - this being a virtual duplicate
of the Revell model means I can easily do just that with just a little
reshaping of the fin fairing. IMC's cheating is serendipity for me!
First released in the early 70s, this kit was later issued by Testors
after they bought out IMC, and even more recently by Lindberg, so it's
not hard to find although the parts would probably be crispest in the
original IMC guise. In any case this model should easily be available
for $10 or less.
Until next month, "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to" (and
I don't want to build this one!), have fun, and be sure
to visit Al's
Place while you're surfing the 'Net!
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