Joe's 1/72 Academy Grumman F6F Hellcat

[flyjoe180]

Build thread here http://www.scale-models.co.uk/thread...hellcat.30989/


Academy 1/72 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat. Originally it was my intention to complete it per the box art in the colours (or scheme) of VF-17 on USS Hornet. However after a decal disaster and a structural failure along the way I changed it to an F6F-5P Hellcat of VF-85 (Sky Pirates) based on USS Shangri-La in 1945. The F6F-5P is a photo-reconnaissance version of the F6F-5 Hellcat, but these were armed and fully capable of striking the enemy when required.


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The Grumman F6F Hellcat ended World War Two with a kill to loss ratio of 19:1. Hellcats accounted for 5,223 enemy aircraft whilst operated by the US Navy, US Marine Corps, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, more than any other Allied fighter type. It's perhaps one of the most under-rated fighters of all time and is now days often overshadowed by other more famous types of American fighter.


The finished build:


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[Guest]

Lovely looking wee plane, that is some k/d ratio add well. You did a good job considering the problems, nice build mate

[Guest]

Looking good Joe!


Clean work

[Guest]

Great build, naughtily I didn't follow the build, so am unaware of your probs, to look at it wouldn't think you had any, so they didn't detract from the over all build, well done.

[Guest]

Great build mate. I do like the rockets


John

[Neil]

I do like these planes and this is a good build considering the problems especially the decals you had fun with.

[Guest]

Nice Joe.... I like it .


John.

[flyjoe180]

Thanks guys

[john i am]

Happy to see Ian that your decal problems and structural failure didn't detract from a great 1/72 build of your hellcat. Nicely done cheers John

[papa 695]

Very nice indeed Joe even with all the problems you had ( kit and own made )

[PhilJ]

Really nice mate, great effort


Regards


Phil

[Guest]

Nice one, Joe. Sometimes you just get one of those builds where everything goes wrong - your perseverance paid off in the end.

[Guest]

Joe cracking little build looks very very good

[Guest]

Very nice Joe. Sorry to hear about the problems. The very devil when these things happen.


Just completed reading my latest book. The chap who wrote it Henry Hank Adlam just passed away early in the year. 93 years old.


To think in this little aircraft he was on Russian Convoys then down in the China area across the Atlantic.


He thought it a great aircraft and many times was scathing that RN could not produce anything better than


the Seafire.


The Fleet Air Arm Pilots are not given their due. Not only did they face the enemy as all pilots they faced take off and landing


on a bucking broncho with a pea sized deck. Plus the stress of finding the carrier in a wild sea with low visibility. Plus if


the engine conked out that undoubtedly in most case was you lot.


Nice tribute Joe to those boys.


Laurie


PS Hank actually has a number of his painting of Carrier aircraft and marine painting hung on the wall at Yeovilton.

[flyjoe180]

Nice tribute Joe to those boys

Thanks Laurie. The Hellcat really was a significant contributor to the Allied air war, mostly in the Pacific with the Americans, but as you rightly say, the Fleet Air Arm in many other theatres of the war, not least with the Russian convoys.


When I was reading Rowan White's book 'Phoenix Squadron' about HMS Ark Royal and the Guatemalan affair in the 1970s, it was pointed out that US Navy experience in Vietnam showed pilots were more stressed and their bodies more anxious when landing on an aircraft carrier, than they were when under fire or engaged in combat. That in itself says something about pilots who have the skill and nerve to do this day in and day out. It must have been the same for the pilots of past eras. Those pilots of the Second World War would not have had efficient navigation aids, nor the landing assistance offered by lights and Instrument Landing Systems. Ditiching in the North Atlantic, as you say Laurie, would almost be a death sentence in the winter months. Big steel ones on those guys. That book sounds interesting, must look it up , cheers.


Thanks to everyone who has commented.