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#155 1/72 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat. +++FINISHED+++


fightersweep

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So I was eyeing up the Heller stash, and decided that I would try and shoehorn build number nine into the GB just because, well, because. I also wanted to throw a build in that I don't think has been submitted yet, and so kit #155, the 1/72 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat spoke to me from it's position sandwiched between a Spit XVIe and a F4U-1a. Now this is a kit that I've not built before, and until opening the box today, had not seen in the flesh either. So, without further ado, here's the box! Once again, nice artwork and an equally nice scheme. Methinks it is the GB law that it shall be painted in Aeronavale colours, and I shall make it so.

 

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Well, The contents of the box look very promising indeed. Nicely moulded and very crisp. Nice amount of parts too on the four sprues. And what's this we have here? Two sets on instructions? One white, and one very Bloo. More Heller Bloo for @Enzo Matrix. It may make his day. Well, it certainly looks good in the box, but then again, so does the P-47 and we all know about that one. Still, I'm no Hellcat expert, so I'll go with what I've got. Canopy parts were present and correct, but no decals in this box. Time to annoy Mr Hannant one again for some Berna Aeronavale decals!

 

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And so, a couple of close up shots of some of the main bits and pieces. 

 

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So there we have it. Heller's Grumman Hellcat. Not a kit I had seen before, and it's not bad. Not bad at all. February the 7th? No pressure then.

 

Steve

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1 hour ago, Toryu said:

You're a very courageous modeller - another one, hm! Fightersweep = sweeps the stash of all fighters??

 

....And I've still got loads in the stash. Shame the GB doesn't run into Feb 2022! I do have one floatplane, the Arado 196. I've literally just finished it. Photos tomorrow!

 

2 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

:thumbsup:  

 

....My work here is done!

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32 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Best of luck, I couldn't help but notice the lack of clear parts in the picture, do you have them ?

 

Yes! The clear parts are safe and sound. Just forgot to include them in the photo. First thing that pinged from the box and ended up on the floor when I pulled out the sprues were the clear parts. So I bagged them up and put them in a box where I keep all my ongoing build's clear parts. 

 

Cheers

Steve

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Made this one in I think, about 1980, the black box version.  It was thanks to that kit I found out about the French use of the type.

 

Good luck with it and glad to see it in the GB.

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@Wez

 

Thanks Wez! Not sure what the date is on this kit. Scalemates don't have the info on the initial release date, but I'm guessing mid 70s. The Hellcat seems to have traits of both Heller's earlier kits, and the later 70s stuff. Some details are quite fine, while others are a bit clunky and lacking detail. The engine and tailwheel are examples of this. They seem very basic and clunky, while the cockpit seems more in line with the later stuff being quite reasonably detailed.

 

I always thought it was interesting that Heller chose the -5 Hellcat, the variant used by the Aeronavale, but went with the F4U-1 Corsair in 1/72. Somehow, I would have expected them to choose the F4U-7 for the same Aeronavale reason. Would have been a welcome variant back then too.

 

I need to research the colours now. I'm guessing a US gloss sea blue? Wonder if Humbrol midnight blue will do? Then there's there question of U/C legs, U/C bays etc. I'm guessing these were sea blue as well. Time to scour Google!

 

Steve

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45 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

@Wez

 

Thanks Wez! Not sure what the date is on this kit. Scalemates don't have the info on the initial release date, but I'm guessing mid 70s. The Hellcat seems to have traits of both Heller's earlier kits, and the later 70s stuff. Some details are quite fine, while others are a bit clunky and lacking detail. The engine and tailwheel are examples of this. They seem very basic and clunky, while the cockpit seems more in line with the later stuff being quite reasonably detailed.

 

I always thought it was interesting that Heller chose the -5 Hellcat, the variant used by the Aeronavale, but went with the F4U-1 Corsair in 1/72. Somehow, I would have expected them to choose the F4U-7 for the same Aeronavale reason. Would have been a welcome variant back then too.

 

I need to research the colours now. I'm guessing a US gloss sea blue? Wonder if Humbrol midnight blue will do? Then there's there question of U/C legs, U/C bays etc. I'm guessing these were sea blue as well. Time to scour Google!

 

Steve

 

Agree with your assessment of the kit, I certainly remember being disappointed with the engine.

 

Like you I found the choice of the F4U-1 strange given that the French never used them strange but there it is.

 

Gloss Sea Blue is correct for the finish including the wheel wells, undercarriage legs, undercarriage door interiors and wheels.

 

I always used Humbrol Midnight Blue as a kid but that was because I didn't know any better.

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2 hours ago, Wez said:

Gloss Sea Blue is correct for the finish including the wheel wells, undercarriage legs, undercarriage door interiors and wheels.

 

I always used Humbrol Midnight Blue as a kid but that was because I didn't know any better.

 

Thanks Wez! Any recommendations for the best match blue from the Humbrol range?

 

Steve

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2 hours ago, fightersweep said:

Any recommendations for the best match blue from the Humbrol range?

 

Rattlecan 15 innit! Matches 25% of the stuff in my garage from when I did a Corsair last year (the rest is 25% rattlecan 24 and 50% Tamiya primer... my lungs are slave to this hobby...)

 

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5 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

 

Rattlecan 15 innit! Matches 25% of the stuff in my garage from when I did a Corsair last year (the rest is 25% rattlecan 24 and 50% Tamiya primer... my lungs are slave to this hobby...)

 

 

Thanks Tony! I must have ten tins of Humbrol gloss 15 (don't ask!). I'll attack the Hellcat with a tin of that and a hairy stick.

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  • fightersweep changed the title to #155 1/72 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat "Time to get this started!"

Right! Time to get this Hellcat started. First thing's first, the colour. My Gloy paint stash just keeps giving, and a few days ago, I found an un-opened tin of Gloss Sea Blue. Pop the lid, and this 40 year old beauty looks perfect and the shade is good too. I can see the difference with Humbrol 15 now as this has a darker tone with a greyish tint. Also, Mr Hannant dropped me another package of goodies today which included this....

 

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Great looking decal sheet of which I will be using the scheme that can be seen at the bottom of the instructions. Also, I didn't realise just how many stencils Aeronavale Hellcats had. There's loads of them!

 

First job was the engine. The engine as supplied by Heller is rubbish and also has a pretty bizarre method of attaching it to the cowling by using four long pins that protrude back from the front of the cowling. It's all a bit odd really. I've gone with the engine as supplied and added a few bit of plastic rod and fuse wire. Nothing too grand, but it'll do the job.

 

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It'll do! Once painted up and dry brushed a bit, it kind of looks ok lost inside the depths of the cowling.

 

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I've also made a start on the undercarriage as I've recently decided to change my habits and prep all the sticky out bits I usually leave until last. Much prefer doing this way now. There's going to be a lot of Gloss Sea Blue on this puppy!

 

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Finally for now, a bit of gizmology thrown into the wheel wells to make them look a bit more interesting. Probably not accurate, but It'll do.

 

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That's all for now! Thanks for checking in!


Steve

 

 

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3 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

I've recently decided to change my habits and prep all the sticky out bits I usually leave until last.

(I've tried that. It doesn't last. Canopy masking: same. 😁)

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@TonyOD

 

I really recommend picking up the Heller Hellcat. It's actually a very nice kit out of the box, but has plenty of scope to go nuts with the extras.

 

I'm liking getting the fiddly bits done first now. So nice once the basic airframe is finished to be able to have the U/C, prop etc ready to go. I'm sure it won't last!

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That engine looks a lot like the one in their F4U kit, like you I added push rods & some details when I built one some years ago. Other than that, it made up into a reasonable looking model. I'll be keen to see how you get on with this. ;)

Steve.

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Thanks Steve. Yes! Pretty much the same excuse of an engine as used on the Corsair. To be fair, there's not too much to be seen once it's buried in the cowling, but I think it must have been a Friday afternoon in the Heller design office. Apart from that, I think their Hellcat is a nice kit. Seems to look the part and I'm looking forward to getting some more done. 

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A small update. Prop and engine is now done. Quite pleased with the prop and it should add a little colour to all the impending blooness. Cockpit is nearly done too, but I'll update that once it's finished, then it'll be time to start getting the Hellcat together. Fun build so far of a pretty decent kit from Heller. I'm casting an eye towards the rockets too in this kit. They look a bit generic on the sprue to me. Anyone know what rockets these Aeronavale Hellcats carried? HVARs?

 

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Steve

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  • fightersweep changed the title to #155 1/72 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat. Cockpit done!

Another small update, but one that means I can now get this big Grumman beastie together. I was going to build the cockpit OOB like all my other builds, but unlike my other builds, the Hellcat has a big cockpit that will be very visible especially if I have the canopy in the open position. A quick rummage through the aftermarket stash found and Eduard cockpit set for the Academy kit. Would it fit the Heller Hellcat? Only one way to find out. After all, both kits should be roughly Hellcat shaped in a perfect world. So after a lot of swearing, dropping bits and sticking more to my fingers than anything else, the cockpit doesn't look too shoddy. In retrospect, I think I should have replaced the kit joystick as the kit part is probably more akin to a street bollard than a joystick. The bar behind the seat that the harness threads through was made with a bit of fuse wire. I think it will do. One thing though. Super Glue is not particularly super. If I learnt one thing, it's that it doesn't stick etched parts. Everything else granted. Just not etched parts. Sheesh!

 

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Magic! I think I can get the airframe all together now.

 

Steve

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23 hours ago, fightersweep said:

it should add a little colour to all the impending blooness

 

You can never have too much bloo.

 

That's a lorra lorra cockpit for echelle 1/72ème!

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50 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

 

You can never have too much bloo.

 

That's a lorra lorra cockpit for echelle 1/72ème!

 

Thanks Tony! It's turned out far better than I expected, considering all the cussing over those etched parts. 

 

I need more Heller Bloo! I'm a bit envious of @Enzo Matrix with his very bloo Yak 3. I've bought a few Heller black box kits that I remember being bloo when I had them the first time around, only to be confronted with grey plastic. Perhaps bloo fades to grey, but I'm determined to nail down another bloo kit. Methinks I shall have to buy more from Kingkit in a sort of bloo lucky dip exercise.

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3 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

 

Thanks Tony! It's turned out far better than I expected, considering all the cussing over those etched parts. 

 

I need more Heller Bloo! I'm a bit envious of @Enzo Matrix with his very bloo Yak 3. I've bought a few Heller black box kits that I remember being bloo when I had them the first time around, only to be confronted with grey plastic. Perhaps bloo fades to grey, but I'm determined to nail down another bloo kit. Methinks I shall have to buy more from Kingkit in a sort of bloo lucky dip exercise.

 

The Revell reboxing of the Ar-196 is as bloo as they come, or at least mine is!

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10 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

 

The Revell reboxing of the Ar-196 is as bloo as they come, or at least mine is!

 

I picked the the Revell boxing when it came out. Mine was grey. Must be just me!

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