AWESOME "When Hell Freezes Over!" Groupbuild...

I find my taste in aircraft has changed alot from when I was a wee one. Thought the P-51 was the greatest plane, but as I am older now it just doesnt hit me the same way. I love aircraft with character, the Helldiver is full of it too. Just look at the rear gunner position. Sliding canopy with a collapsing section, and dont get me started on the Avenger... The SBD is a nice plane but everytime I look at it I see a T-6/SNJ with dive flaps. Still good looking though. 

Again nice find Manny!! Full of detail!

Doh!  I knew that was Hartman's, in fact I just did a version of that plane with my 7yr old son, a Pegasus 1/48 snap together.  I think your Youtube with Galland had me flustered.

Ninetalis

and Doogs, okay, but just one thing,
to be honest, From far away, I think that a P-47 razorback has a lot in common with a Hellcat...
So why the hard feelings with the Iron works bird and not the Jug?
Just wondering actually...

No hard feelings toward the Hellcat - it was a great plane and very well-suited to its role. It was also allegedly really easy to fly. I just find it very vanilla, that's all. Slab-sided, square wings, three guns per, three-bladed prop. I actually think the Wildcat has more character in its design with the bizarro landing gear and the curvature in the fuselage aft of the canopy.

As for the Jug vs. Hellcat, well, it's got a lot of weird surfaces bouncing off each other. The big barrel of a fuselage, the aggressive razorback, the sharp creases of the canopy combined with the sweeping curvature of the wings and tail surfaces. It's a very discordant design, actually. Reminds me of an old Jeep or Power Wagon or something where they couldn't decide between boxy or round and so there are just both thrown in at random. I see the same in some of the Spitfires. My favorite marks are the ones that ruin the classic beauty with clipped wings, ridiculous-looking tropical filters or the comically ridiculous modifications needed to fit the Griffon engines.

The Hellcat's a more cohesive design, but that's exactly why I find it vanilla vs. the Jug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=NC_1mCYrzt0&list=PLB5AE409D744C495D#t=40s

Reasoned

Manstein's revenge:

 

 

 

 

Who's is the top plane?

How'd you get Galland's tulips done?

Manstein's revenge

 

 

 

Who's is the top plane?

How'd you get Galland's tulips done?

Thanks Manny..... now I must........

Hahahaaah! awesome!

Manstein's revenge

A few in my collection...

With regards, Ninetalis.

VanceCrozier

And an aircraft doesn't even have to be beautiful, to be interesting enough to build. I'm working on a He177 Grieff right now, I'd hardly call it "beautiful", but I'm enjoying the build!

This. What I was trying to say. 

Honestly, I like my aircraft like I like my cars. Quirky and rough around the edges. Most of my favorite aircraft are ugly, ungainly, or raw and brutish. I mean...P-47, SBD Dauntless, PBY Catalina, Hawker Typhoon, none of them are traditionally beautiful aircraft, but I find them plenty attractive for what they are. 

The B-24? Looks like somebody strapped a whale to a really big popsicle stick. But I love it all the same and prefer it to the B-17 and B-29, looks-wise.

The Helldiver? Doesn't deserve its reputation. It's a lingering case of bad first impression, in my opinion. Once they got the kinks worked out, it did just fine. 

Still not a traditionally beautiful aircraft. Nothing wrong with that, nothing wrong with finding it attractive despite (or because of) the awkward proportions. 

Reasoned

I don't think anyone is that vested into a particular a/c's aesthetics to get upset if somebody else doesn't share their sentiment.  That being said.....don't NOBODY say anything bad about the 109 or... I PITY THE FOOL!

A few in my collection...

I don't think anyone is that vested into a particular a/c's aesthetics to get upset if somebody else doesn't share their sentiment.  That being said.....don't NOBODY say anything bad about the 109 or... I PITY THE FOOL!

nice one hermech lol!

And I tottaly agree on that one VanceCrozier!

Pzl66, I agree with ya, I find those to be good looking aircraft to!
As with the Corsair, It is also one that I'm less fond of, compared to other US Navy aircraft. (But my girlfriend loves those!)

And hell yeah manny, Folding wing planes are AWESOME!

With regards, Ninetalis.

Manstein's revenge

 

DoogsATX:

 

 

Ugly aircraft were pretty much the norm for the US Navy throughout most of WWII. The Wildcat? Stubby and goofy. The Avenger? Hideous. The Kingfisher? It rocks its seaplane look pretty well, but strip the floats, put wheels on, and close the glass and make sure you've got a paper bag around. The Hellcat isn't ugly or pretty, it just kind of is. For truly looker aircraft, you're basically left with the Corsair or the "almost made it to combat but not quite" F7F Tigercat and F8F Bearcat.

 

 

I think the Hellcat, although somewhat utilitarian in looks, was an attractive design...

 

The Hellcat's like an unassuming pickup truck. Not hideous, not Spitfire or what-have-you pretty, but beautiful in it's sheer functionality.

And an aircraft doesn't even have to be beautiful, to be interesting enough to build. I'm working on a He177 Grieff right now, I'd hardly call it "beautiful", but I'm enjoying the build!

Manstein's revenge

Ninetalis:

DoogsATX:

Dude. The Helldiver's ugly...

 

Once again I repeat, In my eyes...

Before the entire forum ends in an entire fight with each other,
look, one guy will like one plane more than another guy, I don't like the 109, nor the luftwaffe,
but that doesn't mean that I will not respect you nor your judgment for liking the luftwaffe more than other aircraft or air forces, but in return I would also like the 'respect' for my likes and dislikes.
I never intended to say that the Helldiver is better in all it's ways than a dauntless, but I would like to break through some rusted minds to prove that the Helldiver ain't all that bad as it is often pushed forward by many.

So before we all end in tearing each other digitalised hair out, can we keep to facts or some sh*t like that?
Instead of discussing the indiscussable, let's just focus on Manny's new acquisition and the history behind the aircraft itself or so...

Anything that has folding wings is beautiful in my eyes!!!

They will all fold with enough force

I think in my eyes the Helldiver, Avenger, Wildcat and Hellcat are very good looking aircraft. The Corsair is the one that looks strange to me. But nice post Manny, looks like a sweet kit how I wish it was 1:48 scale.

Ninetalis

DoogsATX:

Dude. The Helldiver's ugly...

 

Once again I repeat, In my eyes...

Before the entire forum ends in an entire fight with each other,
look, one guy will like one plane more than another guy, I don't like the 109, nor the luftwaffe,
but that doesn't mean that I will not respect you nor your judgment for liking the luftwaffe more than other aircraft or air forces, but in return I would also like the 'respect' for my likes and dislikes.
I never intended to say that the Helldiver is better in all it's ways than a dauntless, but I would like to break through some rusted minds to prove that the Helldiver ain't all that bad as it is often pushed forward by many.

So before we all end in tearing each other digitalised hair out, can we keep to facts or some sh*t like that?
Instead of discussing the indiscussable, let's just focus on Manny's new acquisition and the history behind the aircraft itself or so...

DoogsATX

Ugly aircraft were pretty much the norm for the US Navy throughout most of WWII. The Wildcat? Stubby and goofy. The Avenger? Hideous. The Kingfisher? It rocks its seaplane look pretty well, but strip the floats, put wheels on, and close the glass and make sure you've got a paper bag around. The Hellcat isn't ugly or pretty, it just kind of is. For truly looker aircraft, you're basically left with the Corsair or the "almost made it to combat but not quite" F7F Tigercat and F8F Bearcat.

DoogsATX

Dude. The Helldiver's ugly...

tigerman

Mikeym_us:

That reminds me why did the Navy switch over from the Dauntless to the Helldiver anyways? The Dauntless was more reliable than the Helldiver.

 

 

 

Not to mention a much more attractive aircraft.

Says you! 

Mikeym_us

That reminds me why did the Navy switch over from the Dauntless to the Helldiver anyways? The Dauntless was more reliable than the Helldiver.

 

 

Not to mention a much more attractive aircraft.

Ninetalis

 

Reasoned:

 

I have the 1/48 AM SB2C in the stash and must say that it is one of the uglier planes in there.

 

Maybe you should build it first before saying she is ugly.
You don't hear me talking crap about the 109, and I don't like that one, I know she's your favorite.
You can't say what is ugly or beautifull about anything, it's different to every person.

That's why I said, In my eyes...

With regards, Ninetalis.

 

Dude. The Helldiver's ugly. Nothing wrong in finding the beauty in that ugliness - hell two of my favorite planes are the Dauntless and the PBY Catalina...not exactly going to be winning any beauty contests with those. 

Ugly aircraft were pretty much the norm for the US Navy throughout most of WWII. The Wildcat? Stubby and goofy. The Avenger? Hideous. The Kingfisher? It rocks its seaplane look pretty well, but strip the floats, put wheels on, and close the glass and make sure you've got a paper bag around. The Hellcat isn't ugly or pretty, it just kind of is. For truly looker aircraft, you're basically left with the Corsair or the "almost made it to combat but not quite" F7F Tigercat and F8F Bearcat.

Hey Manny. Is there a WW2 aircraft that you haven't gotten in the last few weeks. You're on a tear!!

VanceCrozier

 

 

1/72 scale?? Niiice!

Manstein's revenge

 

1/72 scale?? Niiice!

Manstein's revenge

I always read that the Dauntless had that title???

What I know is that the Dauntless had sunk more tons of shipping in 1943 than any other aircraft,
I can't really say what is true, and articles aren't allways true,
I have read from a lot of Helldiver pilots that the Helldiver was a terrific aircraft, and that the old models did have their problems, but that the -3 and later versions are very good, if not outstanding aircaft!
Though, we allways read how 'bad' this aircraft was.
I think that only navy records can tell us how it really went down, and I must say that, 44 airborne kills against 17 losses to airborne units isn't a bad number at all, especially for a bomber.

Btw, I also think that 'Shipping Kills' stands for, number of ships sunk by Helldiver, and that the Dauntless had sunk the most tons of shipping.

With regards, Ninetalis.

Ninetalis

 It was responsible for more shipping kills than any other aircraft.