As some of you know, not only I'm working on a P-47 Thunderbolt for this Group Build, I also decided to do a Hellcat instead of the Spitfire as originally planned. With that in mind, I noticed the Hellcat Mk.I has gun barrels on the wingtips as opposed to the Hellcats in the Navy during WW2. Since the 1/48th scale Hellcat kit is Hobby Boss brand ( www.1001modelkits.com/.../17137-grumman-hellcat-mk-i-1-48-hobby-boss-aircraft-model-kit-80360.html ), I'm having a tough go at finding aftermarket conversion kit for the gun barrels. The only one I found are Quickboost brand but they're designed to be assembled with Eduard Hellcat kit (item # QB48190). My question: is it possible that I could use it on a Hobby Boss Hellcat kit?

This is the gun barrel conversion kit by Quickboost I'm looking at:

www.1001modelkits.com/.../28320-grumman-f6f-3-hellcat-gun-barrels-late-designed-to-be-assembled-with-model-kits-from-eduard-1-48-quickboost-by-aires-.html

Any help is appreciated.

It can likely be done with some extra work on your part to make the parts fit.

Thank you guys.

Bish, yes, that is the panther badge of the 4th S-boot flotilla on the side partially visible in the photo that I posted.

Gamera, that rib work is snowballing. I add something, go back and check my reference photos, and find something else that might be visible so I decide to add it.

Right, I didn't realise it was a Flotilla badge. The Revell kit has that but its a different boat, S-204 that surrendered to the British in 1945. I had assumed it was personal to that boat. Thanks for the info.

My thoughts exactly stik. I think I am going to take the chance and buy it. Before I do, I'm gonna do a test fit on the wings to determine an idea of how much work I may have to do to make it fit.

Now that's what being a modeler is all about 214 ;-)

Bish, this kit came with those same markings for S-204. From the research I have done over the past few days many of the S boot Flotillas had some sort of unit insignia.

Thanks. If that is the case, I am not sure how they tell one boat from another. A few seem to have their ID number, but not many.

Just as I think I am getting to grips with German equipment, they throw another spanner in the works.

NIce- she's really starting to look like a P-51!

Bish

Thanks. If that is the case, I am not sure how they tell one boat from another. A few seem to have their ID number, but not many.

Just as I think I am getting to grips with German equipment, they throw another spanner in the works.

From my few hours of web research...   Individual boat markings seem to be in two places: on the sides of the cockpit/bridge- based upon the commanding officer...

(over the 8th Flotilla leaping stag)

and/or on the stern

go pick up that spanner and throw it back across the Channel 

Right, thanks stik, that explains the ANG on the side of the bridge. Spanner thrown

68, nice work on the Mustang.

Anytime my friend.  But I must wonder about old Walter up there.. frontal or rear view? And they think we have restrictions... ;-)

Cromwell is coming along. Tracks are on, but the tank is buttoned and in reverse - 7th AD did overtime duty in North Africa and no reason to lead with our chin near Caen. Lots left to do on pigments and then camo.

Stik: pity there isn't a bigger kit of your subject. All that wood would make for some very fun weathering. I've got the old Revell 1/72 PT109 with PE. I bought a 1/72 Hasegawa Jeep towing a 37mm gun so I could stick it on the deck. Not sure the old lady would be worth the effort, but we'll see.

Eric: Looking good! The mud on the running gear came out really nice.

Now that you have tracks you can use your superior speed and agility to run around and shoot Bish's Panther in the backside....

stikpusher

Anytime my friend.  But I must wonder about old Walter up there.. frontal or rear view? And they think we have restrictions... ;-)

Eric, nice to see the tracks on, looking sweet. Revell does have two 1/72nd kits of the S-100 and Italeri has a 35th kit. I hope to do one of the Revell kits for the 45 GB.

Gamera, we will see . My rear is well covered.

Bish

Revell does have two 1/72nd kits of the S-100.

Thanks for that info Bish.  Now I'm sure a Schnellboot will be my first boot build...I mean boat build!

Yes, one of those bigger Schnellboot kits would be very nice. I have seen the Revell kits build and the are VERY nice! I can only imagine the 35th scale Italeri kit...

stikpusher

Yes, one of those bigger Schnellboot kits would be very nice. I have seen the Revell kits build and the are VERY nice! I can only imagine the 35th scale Italeri kit...

I know, that thing must be huge. But I think the 72nd will do for me and will fit nicely with the u-boat.

Well I ordered the cannon for my Hellcat Mk.I. Can't wait. Now if I only can get a little motivation to get back to my Thunderbolt. LOL!

I've been working quite a bit on the Sherman, I was too embarrassed to post any pics earlier, because it was looking dog's-butt ugly for a while, but I think she's presentable now.

Just a few washes at this point to tone things down a bit, especially the bright white stars.   I'm going to weather it a bit, but I'm not confident enough at this point to do too much.

Steve,

Your Sherman looks great!  Nothing to be embarrassed about there.  More pics!

Bish

stikpusher

Yes, one of those bigger Schnellboot kits would be very nice. I have seen the Revell kits build and the are VERY nice! I can only imagine the 35th scale Italeri kit...

I know, that thing must be huge. But I think the 72nd will do for me and will fit nicely with the u-boat.

I was just stumbling around the 'net, and found that Griffon makes an amazing PE set for both 1:72 Revell kits.  Here's one of them.

Raven it looks like you did a good job in building that beauty, how about some weathering, pigments, a little mud on the tracks, get your hands dirty. These tanks were used in a lot of foul weather unless you were going for a museum type look. Just imagine her coming off on Normandy Beach and fighting her way into the hedgerows. She's going to get a bit beat up. Do you have any close up shots theres no embarrassment here, a lot of people that'll help you out. We're all about making each other better modelers.    

Raven, that does look good, but I agree about your build needing some weathering. 

Well my package from Sprue Brothers came today... some Quickboost MG barrels for my Marauder

and since it was only $8, I could not resist....

I wont be able to get Hoffman's Torpedoboot done in time for this GB, but it is a "to be done soon" project.

Raven,

Like it or no, weathering is essential with armor. Tanks moved together over poor roads and rough ground so they were being pelted with dust/dirt etc from those in front as well as stuff coming from their own tracks. Rain, or even dew, will cause streaking on dusty vehicles in short order. US vehicles, if anything, were more prone to some "distress" than others because olive drab was very matte and thus picked up dirt immediately and faded extremely quickly. (It was well applied at factory however, so a lot of elaborate chipping is not needed.) In addition, the eye will always pick up some kind of shadowing when looking at a large object. 

You can spend lots of money on DVDs or spend hours on YouTube seeing how the blizzard of materials available for weathering from companies like MIG, AK and now AMMO (among others). A cheap introduction is to check out a page found on the fine site Missing Lynx which in 2003 published a series of articles written by arch guru of heavy weather "Spanish School" Mig Jimenez. These are worth everyone's look because they were written in 2003 before Mig himself became a businessman and thus they explain how to use non-branded materials to make the effects. (He also recommends a trip to the art supply store - nice to see smart people agree with yourself.) Topics include pigment, washes, filters, chipping and rainmarks and are nicely illustrated. Check:

http://www.missing-lynx.com/rareworld.htm

Eric

Raven, weathering is easy with all the stuff they have out there now.  The Sherman I built for this GB was my first real attempt at weathering. And it came out ok . . . at least they tell me it did (see pics on 1st page to judge for yourself).  I pretty much followed the advice in the "Building and Detailing Realistic Sherman Tanks" book available here.  I also added some pigments and stuff and did whatever stikpusher told me to as well.  When it was finished I was happy with it.

Thanks guys! This is definitely still an in-progress build. I'm not embarrassed by it at all, in fact I'm pretty pleased with how it looks at this stage. A week or two ago though, when I was still laying down decals and fixing problems...you couldn't have convinced me to post pics at the time.

I have a set of Doc O'Brien's powders that I'm planning to use, I just need to get an idea in my head of how I want it to look and how to get that look.

Raven: Looks pretty darn good to me too! Only thing I'd add is if you have an old model you might want to practice your weathering on it first. Though I think most of the pigments you can wash off if you don't like the results. And I have to say it's good to see a Sherman here, since it was used by the US, UK, and Canadian forces it's kinda not right to run the GB without one!

SP: Wow, those look nice. I've been too cheap to buy barrels like that but gee they look sooooo good!

Steve, that's really nice. Can't wait to see it done.

Mike, ye I got the Griffon set for mine. You can buy it in smaller chunks if you don't want to go the full hog, its damn pricey, a touch over £70 for the full set. But it does include metal gun barrels and torpedo's. I also managed to get some 72nd depth charges and sea mines.

There was a WiP thread on the Revell kit with the full Griffon PE, but I haven't seen any updates in a few weeks.

Great work everyone!