| Date of Review |
July 2004 |
| Manufacturer |
Academy |
| Subject |
F-89D Scorpion |
| Scale |
1/72 |
| Kit Number |
1628 |
| Primary Media |
Styrene |
| Detail Media |
Styrene |
| Clear Media |
Styrene |
| Pros |
Nice details, easy build |
| Cons |
|
| Skill Level |
Basic |
| MSRP (USD) |
$20.00 |
Background
Northrop developed the F-89 to satisfy an all-weather continental
defense requirement for the fledgling Air Defense Command. Powered
by a pair of J35 turbojets, the F-89 was designed to with an impressive
(in those days) 1,300 mile range to intercept incoming bombers
before they could get too close to US airspace.
The F-89D was an evolution of the F-89C, replacing its 20mm cannons with 104 2.75" Mighty
Mouse rockets in the two wingtip pods (which also doubled as fuel tanks). In the nose was
a new radar which would guide the F-89D to an optimum firing position for its rockets in
all weather.
Due to the unique stance the aircraft had on the ground plus the swept-up appearance of
the tail, the aircraft was aptly named 'Scorpion'. While the aircraft never fired a shot
in anger, over 1,000 of Scorpions were produced. While many of its contemporaries had
very short service lives in the early days of jet-powered fighters, the Scorpion entered
service in 1950 and would remain on duty for over 17 years.
The Kit
This kit was initially released by Hobbycraft a number of
years ago and versions have been released by Academy since
then. Reviews that have been written for these previous issues
have all been favorable (from what I could find) though the
kit has been out of production for a while.
Academy's release of this kit is quite welcome, and as you can
see in the photos, the molds are as crisp as ever. Molded in light
gray styrene, the F-89D kit features beautifully scribed panel
lines and nice detailing throughout. There are flashed-over holes
on the underside of the wings, but these are not used with this
version of the Scorpion.
Markings are provided for two aircraft:
- F-89D, 61 FIS, Ernest Harmon AFB, Newfoundland, 1955
- F-89D, 321 FIS, Paine AFB, WA
Conclusion
This kit is a welcome re-issue that represents a unique asset
of the early jet-powered Air Force. The bright colors of the
shark-mouthed, Arctic-colored 61 FIS aircraft will make for
a nice addition to your scale flightline.
My sincere thanks to MRC for this review sample!
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