SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

F6F-3 Hellcat question

1152 views
5 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    June 2013
F6F-3 Hellcat question
Posted by bvallot on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 11:19 AM

Hey guys. I’ve got a question about what I imagine is bracing behind the cockpit of the -3 Hellcats. I’m having a real hard time finding pictures of it. There’s apparently two versions of this and naturally I’m trying to build the one I can’t find. There’s one which is pretty straight forward looking and seems to support the head rest plating behind where the pilot sits. Two bars painted in the Grumman grey running straight from the open bulkhead right into the head rest plate. Easy. The other is seen as the same two bars only curved running 90° down toward middle of the fuselage. I can find no picture out there of end points for either side. I’m looking for some help with a name of this structure or at least a picture of the interior here. 

Many thanks. 

 Untitled by Britt Vallot, on Flickr

=]

On the bench:  

Tamiya F4U-1  Kenneth Walsh

 

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 12:16 PM

I've built the Otaki 1/48 F6F-3. The only thing behind the pilot's head on that kit is the armor plate. Where is your picture from? I would try to find an exploded view of a -3 to see if those parts are labeled in the drawing or photo.

Look here: https://yanksair.org/collection/grumman-g-50-hellcat-f6f-3/

 

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 12:23 PM

Look at pages 11, 12, 13. What you may be seeing is plumbing for the fuel system.

http://legendsintheirowntime.com/LiTOT/F6F/F6F_IA_draft.pdf

 

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    June 2013
Posted by bvallot on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 2:13 PM

SOB. I think you might be right there Frank. Thank you! It doesn't make much sense structurally to do something like that. Nothing intuitive about it at least. I was leaving room for it to actually be a number of things...fuel line wasn't among them though. I do appreciate your help. I'm getting close to closing up this cockpit so I've been getting anxious about finding an answer. 

=]

If anyone does have a picture of damage/wreckage to this area or otherwise, by all means drop it here. I still like to be extra sure.

On the bench:  

Tamiya F4U-1  Kenneth Walsh

 

  • Member since
    January 2009
Posted by F-8fanatic on Saturday, October 13, 2018 12:48 PM
The line you are talking about is a vent line for the water tank, which is installed behind the armor plate.
  • Member since
    June 2013
Posted by bvallot on Thursday, October 25, 2018 8:29 PM
F8fanatic, thank you very much sir. I’ve been coming to that same conclusion. Happy to hear it echoed on the forum. I’m just about to wrap up this cockpit area and close the fuselage halves. I’m pretty happy about the outcome. Thank you very much for all the help. I would not have solved that puzzle without it.

On the bench:  

Tamiya F4U-1  Kenneth Walsh

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.