1:24 Airfix Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat - Finished

So, another day spent on the engine, finally got all the exhausts on. This is really fiddly, especially since the ignition wires have been added (I think if these had not been added the exhausts would have been much easier). By trial and error I found the easiest way was to fit each 'pack' of exhausts in pieces and then glue together once I got them in place. The first 'set' I assembled the pieces together (some of the exhausts are 2 piece) and then had a devil of a time to get them in place!

Anyways, here's how she looks just now...........

As always, comments and critique welcome.

More progress today, got the engine and other related parts fitted, outer panels to follow after dirtying the engine up a bit more. Undecided on whether to leave some or all of the panels off else I'm gonna end up covering a beautiful (in my opinion) engine.

Comments / critique always welcome...........it's how we improve.

So, I finally took the plunge with this model and have tried pre-shading.

For those brave souls who have gone before me could I please have a little feedback on how it's looking..........I think it looks ok (but the wife thinks it doesn't....but what does she know...lol) If figure if it's not so good then I can just go heavier and cover it all up!

Generally it looks good.

I would not have treated the control surfaces that way, as they were all fabric covered except for the short flaps on the stub wings. Or maybe go the other way and post shade the spaces in between the ribs.

So, I have continued some more in my first ever attempt at pre-shading. Following on from advise in a nother thread I have sprayed the grey, and with great care in masking, started on the second color. Think it looks reasonably OK..........what do you guys think?

Love the engine! Agree with you I wouldn't want to cover it up.

Did you find a way to hold those panels on? I ve used the liquid tape before with similar results, sometimes it sticks too well. I have used blue tack, poster putty before. It works ok if you aren't turning the model upside down. A little risky in that case.

in terms of preshading, my observation has been that the camera doesn't pick up the contrast real well. If that's the case with your pics Iwould think the underside is a tad on the light side. The top looks good to my eye. All said in the interest of sharing opinions. Weathering tends to be not only an eye of the beholder thing in my book, but also dependent on real pictures that you might be using. Sometimes people don't like the look but the modeler did a stellar job of simulating a real plane or ship or car. Hope this helps 

So, she is finally wearing her colors. Gonna pop her in the airing cupboard for the night, then tomorrow she will get her clear-coat...........Alclad II Klear Kote Gloss ALC-310.

Looking at photos just reminded me that there is a little more white paintwork to be done on the front cowling............just realised!   Best not forget tomorrow.

@TheMongoose, thanks for the kind words. Pannels have been temp held on with liquid mask, seems to do the trick. As regards using photos, I tend just do things that look about right to my eye. I greatly admire people who use many references to produce 'authentic' models...........but that's just not my thing. Maybe one day 

Outstanding Steve.  I think your preshading looks quite good.  Those MRP paints certainly spray nice, but I hate how glossy they are. 

lawdog114

Those MRP paints certainly spray nice, but I hate how glossy they are. 

 

Thanks Lawdog, high praise coming from you, I have been mightily impressed by your work.

I agree with you on the MRP paints, they are too glossy..........but, they most certainly spray well straight out of the bottle (used the MRP for the underside and green top side). I found them to be much more 'controlable' WRT the underlying pre-shade. However, a clear coat seems to have evened things out. Just started this evening on the decals, no photos yet. Another clear coat after decals then a little more weathering and then gonna try my first ever car! Just like many, many others....I find I have a lot of time on my hands just now as we/I am house-bound due to the current situation.

I am pretty happy with how my first attempt at pre-shading went, got a little 'heavy-handed' in a few spots, but hey.....this is a learning process. If you don't try then you will never learn :)

In hindsight, maybe I should have tried this on a cheap model first instead of ths one which ran at about £130 (more like £150 with paint!)

So, here she is.....all decaled up and painted. Still needs another clear coat to seal the decals and then some weathering and then the final assembly of flaps, undercarriage, panels etc.

Appreciate any final comments before I seal this up completely.

One question, I got carried away in the early steps and drilled the holes for the 5 inch HVAR's (3 per side), but now when I find myself at the end I note that the HVAR's do not seem to appear on the FAA scheme I am doing!  Does any kind soul know if the FAA version would ever have had these HVAR's or am I going to have to fill the holes back up?? Thanksin advance for any info.

Oh that looks pretty! Love it.

Wow this thing is turning out great.I really have to get me one of these.

TheMongoose

Oh that looks pretty! Love it.

 

 

lawdog114

Wow this thing is turning out great.I really have to get me one of these.

 

Lawdog...........thanks for your kind words.The kit goes together very nicely and I've only needed a little bit of filler. That said, you do have to follow the instructions carefully......very carefully!  The only real issue I had was making the two fuse halves join, the cockpit was slightly too wide so a little filling was needed to  make it a little 'not-so-wide' 

My kit is OTB with the exception of some brass gun barrels, tho to be honest, now everything is closed up I wish I hadn't bothered and just gone with the kit ones, guess it depends if you want to leave the ammo covers off or not.

A fruitful weekend, got this finished up 

All the 'bits'n'bobs' got added, flaps, undercarriage, ordinance, antennas and pitot (have lean't that they get added very last thing else I always end up snapping them off no matter how careful I try to be!)

Overall, very happy with the way it's turned out. Built up easily with no major fit issues, very little filler was used throughout the build and personnally, I'm very happy with my first pre-shade model.

Enjoy:

As always, comments and critique most welcome, it's how we know if what we are doing is good or not (and where to improve)

Nicely done.  Have one on the shelf and nice to hear you didn't run into the issues that snapdragon is having.  Don't know yet how much aftermarket to add, as there are still goodies coming out.

Again, nice job.

First off, thanks for sharing this WIP with us. I've wondered about this kit and it was very nice to be able to watch a well-done job and learn a little about what the big kit is all about.

Great work!

That turned out beautiful. Now I have to get this kit. Thank you for taking us along.

I love that livery!

very nice job there.

The HVAR rockets were not used on FAA aircraft. instead an adaptation was done so standard UK rockets could be used. Also, the hard points for bombs were adapted so standard UK ordnance up to 1000lb could be carried.

Airfix didn't think that this option(s) would be needed.

Take a look here.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235046552-faa-hellcat-info-needed/

Most Hellcats seem to be CAP with just the guns. The one I am doing certainly was. Just have to decide about D-Day Stripes or not

https://topnotch-success.net/vinyl-masks/insignia/royal-navy/hellcat-i-faa-800-sqn-lt-blythe-ritchie-insignia-masks/

https://topnotch-success.net/vinyl-masks/camouflage/royal-navy/grumman-hellcat-faa-vinyl-camo-mask/

Great looking kit, and you should be well proud of your results. 

Was wondering though, was it a deliberate decsion on your part to go with what looks to be an RAF day fighter colour scheme topside, instead of the naval colours of the FAA (Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey)?

regards,

Jack

jgeratic

Great looking kit, and you should be well proud of your results. 

Was wondering though, was it a deliberate decsion on your part to go with what looks to be an RAF day fighter colour scheme topside, instead of the naval colours of the FAA (Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey)?

 

regards,

Jack

 

Thanks for the kind words. 

As regards colors, (based on a seperate question in another post and a reply from Stikpusher) I looked at https://www.ipmsstockholm.se/home/urbans-color-reference-charts-part-i/urbans-colour-reference-charts-united-kingdom/ and came up with this:

Went with the FS numbers so figured they would be correct  Either way, I'm happy with how it turned out...........even if it may not be historically correct.

Mopar Madness

I love that livery!

 

Cheers Mopar, was a fun and reasonably painless build.

lawdog114

That turned out beautiful. Now I have to get this kit. Thank you for taking us along.

 

Thanks Lawdog, you really should lay your hands on one. Not a cheap kit to be sure, but a good 'un!

snapdragonxxx

very nice job there.

The HVAR rockets were not used on FAA aircraft. instead an adaptation was done so standard UK rockets could be used. Also, the hard points for bombs were adapted so standard UK ordnance up to 1000lb could be carried.

Airfix didn't think that this option(s) would be needed.

Take a look here.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235046552-faa-hellcat-info-needed/

Most Hellcats seem to be CAP with just the guns. The one I am doing certainly was. Just have to decide about D-Day Stripes or not

 

https://topnotch-success.net/vinyl-masks/insignia/royal-navy/hellcat-i-faa-800-sqn-lt-blythe-ritchie-insignia-masks/

https://topnotch-success.net/vinyl-masks/camouflage/royal-navy/grumman-hellcat-faa-vinyl-camo-mask/

 

 

Thanks for your kind words. 

WRT to the rockets, got this from someone on Britmodeller when they pointed out that the kit rockets were not correct for FAA build.