HobbyBoss 1/48 F6F-5 Hellcat - finishing a part built shelf queen!

[Dave Ward]

Whilst waiting for my Airacobra replacemet canopy from Eduard, I decided to pick up a model started long ago ( at least 4-5 years! )- it was in the same box as a Eduard Weekend Hellcat ( unstarted ).

The original boxart, and decals are missing, but otherwise seems complete


A few sub assemblies made up, and some painting done


I obviously decided to build this with the wings folded! There are two sets of wing spars, one for folded, the other not!


AM decals, and the cockpit assembly - finished, apart from the lack of seatbelts! I'm looking to do the bottom marking scheme

I can't think why I should have stopped this build - it looks pretty good - the major internals are just about done, it's probably going to be more about the paint job from here on................
Dave

[JR]

Will watch, bet something more interesting arrived in the mail, a long sort model at the right price :smiling2:

[Dave Ward]

Will watch, bet something more interesting arrived in the mail, a long sort model at the right price :smiling2:

John,
I've no recollection of it at all! I remember getting the Eduard Hellcat, but not the HobbyBoss! - but I think you can safely say it was at a favourable price
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Did you buy it part made?

[Dave Ward]

Did you buy it part made?

It's a possibility - I've tracked the decals back to October 2018, bought from Hannants, so it's not as long ago as I thought!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Just thought that Dave because the interior paint wash finish is a bit messy compared to your usual work....

[Fernando N]

Have fun finishing it Dave:thumb2:

[Dave Ward]

Seatbelts added, and the fuselage closed up - I added the wing centre section - the seams need a little seeing to!


The wings can be finished completely - including decals - before fitting to the fuselage. There are 6 rockets that can fit under the wings, but would they be fitted with the wings folded? Same goes for the two bombs that are provided. I'll have to do a bit of looking at pictures to see what was common practice. I've found conflicting pictures of the engine - one with black cylinders & silver rocker covers & pushrod tubes,the other with silver cylinders & rocker covers & black pushrod tubes -I'll have to look at a few more pictures................
Dave
ps, the instructions ( top left ) show a tubular framework & various tanks being added to the cockpit firewall - but these are totally enclosed by the fuselage & therefore invisible - so left on the sprue!

[outrunner]

Looking good Dave, I am not a wingy type but I doubt it would be parked with folded wings with live ordanance fitted, I could be wrong of course and it would not be the first time.

Andy.

[Dave Ward]

Well, I've looked at quite a few piccies of Hellcats with folded wings - discounting any restored versions. It seems that they did carry rockets & fold their wings - but only when they were 'spotted' for a mission - the pictures I've seen had their engines running - pilot on board. I've decided not to fit the rockets, or bombs, which means I need to scratch 12 stubs, as the rockets were carried on 'zero length' mounts. The bomb racks will need sway braces & shackle locations. The engine, I've decided will have aluminium cylinders & rocker covers, with black pushrod covers. A lot of pictures show restored engines, or museum exhibits, so are atypical................
Dave

[Dave Ward]

Fuselage seams seen to, elevators added - I couldn't resist dry fitting the wings.........................


Engine painted - and put aside - it mounts on the fuselage - and doesn't support the cowling at all, so I can temporarily fit the cowling for painting.


The underside if this Hellcat is all white, including the wheel wells, undercarriage legs & drop tank, so I can add all of these before starting painting.
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Nice, love the US carrier aircraft.

[Dave Ward]

After adding the undercarriage etc - I sprayed the lower surfaces with Stynylrez White Primer.

This is only the primer - I'll be using the rest of the colours from this set:-

Hataka paints can be a bit hit & miss, but one thing I have found is that shaking is essential - at least 5 minutes, then 5 minutes more! Looking in the box, I see that I have the prop, wheels, aerial, pitot tube & canopy to add - really a very simple kit! - Not quite one of HobbyBoss's Easy Assembly, but pretty close - OOB, I think this would be an ideal model for a first 1/48 attempt!

[Dave Ward]

I brush painted the upper surfaces Sea Blue on fuselage wings & tail - I'll need to mask this off, before I spray the Intermediate Blue, & it's much easier to mask off the tail & wings, than the fuselage. Insignia White sprayed on all the lower surfaces

The white is far too bright & clean, I'll sort that when I get to washes & weathering..............
Dave

[Dave Ward]

After a few touch ups, I'm reasonably happy with the 3-colour fuselage:

Wing top surfaces finished ( they are the same colour, it's just a light trick ). There is a fair amount of detail painting to do, but very little assembly - next is a gloss coat before the decals............

It's the first time with spraying a 3-colour USN camo, I think the Hataka paints are not ideal, their consistency is not very good, and drying time seems to vary a lot between colours - If I was thinking of doing another USN aircraft ( I have a SBD-5 & a F4U in the stash ), I think I'd have to try another paint set ( maybe AK3 ) but that may be in the future!
Dave