Really nice job . Great work

Rick

That's a realy nice build I don't have the talent for doing a pit that nice.

I do have that kit and look at it often but I always seem to end up building a Luftwaffen'.

That's beautiful BK! The camo turned out fantastic and the white stripes are perfect. Now I want to build a RN Hellkitty!  

Hey BrandonK,

    Sweet looking Hellcat!  The painting and weathering looks excellent!

Gary

Thanks everyone, you all have been very positive on this one. I'm very happy you like it; I'm rather pleased with it myself.

I parked it next to my Zvezda BF-109F4 and it looks like a bomber next to that tiny thing.

Thanks again,

BK

bvallot

Great job with this one BK.  Excellent control with your painting overall...panel lines aren't overstated...very neatly constructed. =]  Looks like it fell together! I wish mine felt like they'd build themselves that easily. I really like you color selection for the nav lights as well.  That light green really does pop like it's on.

What's next in the line up for you?

 

Next up on deck, other than the ongoing B-17, is a KittyHawk AH-1Z Viper in 1/48. Then on the the Hasegawa P-40E and work to commence on the OS2U. 

BK

Great job with this one BK.  Excellent control with your painting overall...panel lines aren't overstated...very neatly constructed. =]  Looks like it fell together! I wish mine felt like they'd build themselves that easily. I really like you color selection for the nav lights as well.  That light green really does pop like it's on.

What's next in the line up for you?

A fine job you made of it, BK. I like the paint scheme, rather out of the norm, makes me aware of the different places this warbird saw action. In fact, this may be the first Hellcat I've seen without US markings.

Very well done, thanks for posting text and photos.  

Patrick

Another beauty BK! Looks really cool in the camo. Well done!

Very nice build!  Will have to pick this kit up for myself.

Mike

Really good looking model! Thanks for all the time it took to post the build. I think you've pushed me over the edge as well - I'm a sucker for good box art and the kit's a bargain knowing how well it goes together.

Mike

plasticjunkie

Looks great BK. Mine will be coming in soon from SB. I think i will open up some panels to show off the engine and the internal tanks.

 

This kit will certainly make a fine one for showing off the details it comes with not to mention any you add as well. Thank for the comments and I will be looking for your build.

BK

Looks great BK. Mine will be coming in soon from SB. I think i will open up some panels to show off the engine and the internal tanks.

 Looks just fine from where I'm sitting.  Having missed the beginning I went there to catch up.  The nav lights turned out great.

Alrighty then, I'm gonna call this bird complete.

I finished all the weathering, added the antenna wire and completed the final assembly. Like I said before this kit is all OOB except the Nav lights. If you wanted to add some additional bits it would be mind blowing. As it stands this is a VERY nice kit with no issues to really speak of. This is certainly a kit anyone should be getting for thier stash. SB has them on sale for half off now at $18. I'm gonna buy more, what a sweet heart to build. Detail level overall is quite high. Anyway, enjoy the final shots in the bright sunshine I was blessed with today.

FYI, the cowl on this kit can be removed and reinstalled AT WILL, so you can show off that beautiful powerplant. 

BK

Ok, so I finished most of the weathering in these shots and I thought I would show you the engine without any added detail, this is OOB. I also could have done more pretty detail work like ignition wiring and some other odds and ends but I decided to just leave the kit OOB, except for the Nav lights.

BK

BK

I have no clue why I missed your WIP here! That is one gorgeous looking Hellcat! I have been thinking about getting the HB one and your input may just encourage me into getting one. I read a few reviews about the fuselage being a bit too wide as is the pit and seat. What are your thoughts about the shape issue? That is what has been keeping back on getting a couple of them but  I love the folded wing feature cause it looks different not to mention saving display space. 

Hey Brandon, she still looks pretty darn fine to me!  Really nice work! 

bvallot, 

I was more mad at myself for doing it the way I knew I shouldn't do it. I should have painted all the upper grey and then added the green. But I painted the pattern grey and then opposite green, which I've done before with the same issue. I thought I would lick it this time but it was worse. My bad, I can live with how it looks. You kinda gotta be looking for it anyway. I was just mad at me. I'm over it. Won't happen again.

Thanks for the ideas.

BK

Nice job so far BK.  I wouldn't sweat the camo overlap so much.  By way of your pictures it looks just fine to me.  Anything you didn't like could be managed with some weathering depending on how much you were looking to do just like you mentioned.  The best time would be right after you put your flat coat on.  A little bit of post shading with the airbrush  would take care of whatever you're not happy with. Add both of those colors to some Buff (just enough to lighten the original color a bit) and work broad patches of surface first before zeroing in on specific details.  Drop another coat of flat and then you can add whatever pastels or whatnot you're looking to do last....and then a flat on top of that to seal the deal.  =]

Looks like the home stretch here.

Alrighty then, I've finally completed all the decalling and it came out great. The decals from the kit are superb, no issues at all. They went down where I wanted and sank into the detail very well. I could not have asked for better.

Now on to the small stuff. Detail work on the engine and landing gear. Clear coat and pin wash, exhaust stains, antenna wire and some odds and ends. It's starting to look pretty good.

BK

BrandonD

What paints are you using? I was able to use thinner on a small brush and blend the paints a little when I had a similar issue. Also, you might get lucky with where decals are placed.

I really think it looks great, and you'll be able to hide any visible flaws with weathering, carefully thinned and applied brush painting, or something else.

The only real problem spot I see is near the port wing root on the fuselage. For that, I might try brushing the colors, then thinning them 5:1 and spraying a few mist coats of each color along the edge to tone down the contrast you might get. The lines won't be super sharp, but it shouldn't be noticeable, and it should be pretty easy to spray the area and miss the stripes and underside.

Anyway, I think it looks like a pretty good build as it sits.

-BD-

 

I gave that a try. Not too bad in the worst places, the rest I'll live with. Weathering should help some. Next time I'll paint it overall like I planned, but changed my mind. Should have stuck to my plan. Thanks for the suggestion.

BK

What paints are you using? I was able to use thinner on a small brush and blend the paints a little when I had a similar issue. Also, you might get lucky with where decals are placed.

I really think it looks great, and you'll be able to hide any visible flaws with weathering, carefully thinned and applied brush painting, or something else.

The only real problem spot I see is near the port wing root on the fuselage. For that, I might try brushing the colors, then thinning them 5:1 and spraying a few mist coats of each color along the edge to tone down the contrast you might get. The lines won't be super sharp, but it shouldn't be noticeable, and it should be pretty easy to spray the area and miss the stripes and underside.

Anyway, I think it looks like a pretty good build as it sits.

-BD-

Well, I got the paint done but I made the same mistake this time I have done before and painted the camo pattern on both colors and missed some edges. Next time I will paint the first color overall, then the second and not have this happen again. I am not pleased with how it looks but I'm not doing it again. Lesson learned. I'm gonna stop working on it till I cool off or I break it into bits.

BK

Update:

I managed to get all the white bands painted and masked off. Today I sprayed the Sky on the belly using Tamiya XF-21 and X-2 in a 5:1 ratio to fade the color a bit. I then reduced the XF-21 further with more X-2 and faded the fabric control surfaces just a bit more.

I don't know how long you guys spend painting, but I think I finally found my method. It took me 2.5 hours to spray the Sky on the belly. I filled each panel seperately and reduced the pre-shading until I was happy with the panel and moved on. Once I had it all covered I painted it overall, faster and from a greater distance to further reduce the pre-shading. I am finally pleased with my results. It takes me quite a while, but if that's what it take, then that's what it takes. 

I may get some time Monday to shoot the first upper color, but then I'll be quite busy and will have to set it aside for the rest of the week. More updates as time permits.

Thanks for looking,

BK

CallSignOWL

that's some nice cockpit detail. Is that straight from the box?!

 

Yes sir, other than the Nav lights this kit is 100% OOB. It is one of the finest quality kits I have seen to date. It it easily as good as the Tamiya Corsair. 

One thing I haven't mentioned yet it the clear parts. They are exceptional. In that they are super clean and clear and THIN, almost vacumn formed thin, but not quite. Easier to work with but they really are very nice.

BK

that's some nice cockpit detail. Is that straight from the box?!