José Pires builds Planet Models’ all-resin XF10F-1 Jaguar…Grumman’s first foray into variable geometry wings
Grumman’s XF10F-1 Jaguar was the first combat aircraft to be designed with the ability to change its wing-sweep angle.
Conceived as a single-seat, long-range, general purpose carrier or land-based transonic fighter, it was to be fitted with the developmental Westinghouse J-40-WE-8 afterburning engine.
This innovative design was to be a single airframe project, despite the 112-aircraft order placed…and although ultimately regarded as a failure, was a critical step towards later, more successful designs.
The build of Planet Models’ offering was aided greatly by the excellent Naval Fighters series book on the type, written by the only pilot ever to fly the XF10F-1, Corwin ‘Corky’ Meyer.
Cast delight
Planet’s Jaguar comprised 61 cream-coloured resin parts, all cast to a high standard, with the major components packed separately inside individual plastic sleeves. Smaller and more detailed pieces, which included the cockpit sub-assemblies and wheels, were grouped by size and similarly well protected. Two vacuum-formed (vacform) canopies were provided and these arrived in their own plastic bag.
The decals…
