Aesthetic Brown Panther

I sometimes like to … well, ...study? -No, focus is a better word. Focus on the aesthetics of an aircraft. I pick a neutrally coloured piece of paper, like grey or brown and assemble a printed model inside out, so you are left with just the shape. The only thing I more or less accentuate is the cockpit. I think you can appreciate the actual shape of the plane better without all the colours, panel lines, roundels and buzz numbers. I did so with the DH.88 Comet racer (without the engine pods) and I also tried it with the Westland Whirlwind fighter (now with the engine pods). I now built the Grumman F9F Panther.

 

I first thought the paper would be kind of unforgiving because it really was on the thicker side and quite sturdy but that wasn’t the case. it actually was easy to cut and it glued quite well. 

Here you can see the model actually is built inside out.

And here the shape of things to come.

For this effect, I printed the model on regular paper @101% and used the canopy part as a
template on an unused bit of brown card. Then I just glued it over the original canopy part.

The main problem was the not-so-good fit of this older Fiddler’s green model I had laying around. In the end it turned out nice enough to add to the collection but it isn’t the best I could do. I only built it in a couple of hours, so I don’t really mind. These builds are sketches, studies after all, and I do really like the end result. 

I certainly like the aesthetics of the Grumman Panther. Way more than its semi-successor with swept wings, the Cougar. The way those straight wings of the Panther blend back into the fuselage looks so right to me. In general, there is something with those early Grumman jets that really looks aesthetically pleasing.
Taking away the dark blue and all the signage on the plane just leaves you with the pure shape of the plane and then it is, in my opinion, more about the shape than anything else.

I usually use embossing tools to get curves into shape. Nowadays I found a shammy underneath is ideal to get more effect. This brown card however, was sturdy and a little reluctant to become rounded.

I am not really a fan of petaled pointy bits. it is always hard to get them to fit snugly and nicely next to one another. But in this one it looks okay, apparently. Especially the nose. Well, anyway, not much more commentary to add to this one. here’s the result:

 

 All right, I have another funny one for you soon.

 Stay tuned. And safe.

--PK