Grumman F6F Hellcat blog

[noddy927]

Completed the console and dials and they are in place. The Port side of the fuselage is complete, have started the starboard side and it is ready for some paint.

Arrestor hook in place

Another view of the cockpit with console

The radio equipment in the back

And these are the masks for Flt Lt. Blyth Richie . He was the 1st to shoot down a FW190 in the F6F , this was over Norway.

[Russelle]

That’s some great work Pete

[noddy927]

Masks that I forgot to add

Pete

[Panzer_modeler]

Ooo very nice, I thought you were going to paint this as a USN Hellcat… but this is even better!

[noddy927]

Happy New Year…more updates on Hellcat soon

[noddy927]

As promised a few pics of the hellcat

Pete

[Panzer_modeler]

Great progress!

[md72]

Wow, huge is an understatement. Looking good!

[noddy927]

Thanks guys. Hope to get the fuselage together today.

Pete

[TopSmith]

I am liking this!

[noddy927]

Thanks Greg

[Russelle]

Great progress Pete!

Would take me months to achieve what you’ve done in a matter of a few days

Liking the colour scheme you’ve chosen too

[noddy927]

Thanks Russ. Always been pretty rapid at building. Mind you I still have my F3 sitting with the undercarriage and a few more decals waiting on my other bench. This kit goes together really well which helps.
The colour scheme is one I picked up at Telford and is a Scottish Navy Pilot which appeals as I live in Scotland.pretty sad story really as he got his Ace kills in Norway having transferred to the Hellcat, being the 1st to achieve a kill of a FW190 with the Hellcat. A few days later helping to confirm kills on some Luftwaffe sea planes. Then months later he transferred to another Sqn and was killed in a training flight having received the DFC weeks before. So a tribute to one of many many brave pilots who lost their lives during WW2

Pete

[noddy927]

Fuselage together

I followed the instructions and this is a bitch to get to join up. A very slight gap at the cockpit windscreen area. Underneath was a mission to keep a join. Rechecked the internal areas for anything obstructing the 2 halves going together. It was all good. I shaved a bit off joining areas inside. Eventually with some jiggery pokery and a small amount of brute force I got a join. Small gap behind the cockpit and slight gap underneath in the middle. Just hope it holds lol.
Left overnight with the tape holding the joins, I will check it later to see how it has gone.

Pete

[Russelle]

Looks good Pete.

It wouldn’t be model making if a bit of fettling wasn’t required… Especially on something this big

[noddy927]

Lol yeah suppose so Russ. I know the tolerances are tight on this kit but not expecting that much of a fight. Started work on the wheel well area
and hope to get some more done tomorrow.

Pete

[Russelle]

I guess it depends on how much of a “fight” the kit puts up and how big of a build it is.

Some years back I built Trumpeters Prinz Eugen and it fought me every step of the way: every part required cleaning/sanding and filling and sanding prior to fitting; needles to say I was somewhat burnt out by the finish line

[noddy927]

Yeah sometimes you get a kit and it’s a fight all the way. This one has been pretty good, until joining the fuselage. However I have sorted the small gaps and filed the areas. Need to rescribe some of the panel lines.

I have made a start on the lower areas of the Hellcat. Wheel wells and lower wings.

But things didnt go totallt according to plan lol
The struts you see in the pic that are blue…missing from the sprue so these are scratch built . The other side was on the sprue so that went on ok.

Other than that is coming along.

Pete

[TopSmith]

I am still trying to wrap my head around how big this kit is.

[Armor_Buff]

Wow that HellCat is seriously well done!

1/24 Scale surprised it didn’t need logging chains to pull the fuselage halves together versus force & tape. Very nicely done!