Pierpaolo Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 I am happy to be able to participate in this STGB, thanks to those who proposed it and to those who manage it The Grumman Hellcat is one of my favorite WWII planes, I have already made 5 in 1/72 scale (3x Academy, 1x Italeri and 1x Eduard) and 2 in 1/48 scale (both Eduard) and I have at least as many to do. Of all of them, this is my first night fighter. The model is the 1/72 scale from Eduard, the subject is expected to be BuNo 78669 based in Okinawa , May 1945 as an aftermarket I will use resin wheels and maybe even the engine 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Nice subject choice. The machine does look rather good in her dark blue scheme with contrasting white markings 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scargsy Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Nice, I'm planning to do exactly the same kit from my stash, just straight OOB so will be following this build for pointers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted July 6, 2021 Author Share Posted July 6, 2021 Hi all I started the Hellcat but I will put more effort into it when I finish this one Italian Centauro I started with the wings: filled the holes of the rocket launchers, opened those of the shell exhausts, inserted some transparent pieces to simulate the navigation lights. When the union is solid I will get the right shape 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 Your Centauro looks great so quite right that it is to get finished before you concentrate on the Hellcat project 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted July 7, 2021 Author Share Posted July 7, 2021 Thank You @Col. Actually to finish the Centauro is not far away but I have more time than I have for the Hellcat so I will try to go on with both, luckily the models could not be more different so I should not get confused I shaped the navigation lights with a nail buffer 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Nice start! That's the way I like to do wingtip lights, too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted July 11, 2021 Author Share Posted July 11, 2021 Hi all I switched to building the engine with the usual copper wire spark plug leads 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted July 11, 2021 Share Posted July 11, 2021 how you can do this at 1:72 is beyond me, my eyes are far too old for that scale. looking very good. rgds John(shortCummins) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted July 11, 2021 Author Share Posted July 11, 2021 Thank you @shortCummins , I couldn't even do it without the lenses 🙄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 Hi! I have been on vacation for a few days and I was finally able to resume the assembly, I finished the cockpit, next step is closing of the fuselage 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 Hi all I closed the fuselage and temporarily mounted the wings and tail for pre-shading. I don't know how effective it will be as the base color is only slightly lighter but it certainly doesn't hurt 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted August 17, 2021 Share Posted August 17, 2021 Hopefully a subtle effect will show through 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 18, 2021 Author Share Posted August 18, 2021 First coat of Hobby Color H54, in a second time I will do some glazes of H55 to make darker and shiny 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted August 19, 2021 Share Posted August 19, 2021 There looks to be some subtle shading and tonal variation going on there Pierpaolo. Nice work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 Good Morning! I hope I was able to reduce the monochromatic effect with the shades of H55, I then painted the markings using Eduard masks 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 those markings look really good rgds John(shortCummins) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dnl42 Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Looking very good! Did you cut your own masks for the markings or are they aftermarket? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 Thank You @dnl42 the masks are from an old Eduard set of national insignia (stars & bars only) for the Hellcat #XS517 they are made of vinyl, today they would be made of kabuky tape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prenton Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Just came across this. Lovely work! Are the wings glued in? I recall doing this kit when it first came out, and it was possible to just slide in the wings into the fuselage when everything was painted - not, of course, necessary with your version, but very useful with the three colour versions. Philip 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 21, 2021 Author Share Posted August 21, 2021 (edited) Thank You @Prenton You are right, the wings are not glued yet. I made 2 hellcats in 1/48 scale and another in 1/72 scale and in all of them I glued the wings only after having painted everything separately, it is very useful Edited August 21, 2021 by Pierpaolo correction 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted August 21, 2021 Share Posted August 21, 2021 Great paint job, I like it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierpaolo Posted August 23, 2021 Author Share Posted August 23, 2021 Hi! I applied the very few decals and painted the walkways 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted August 23, 2021 Share Posted August 23, 2021 she's looking good, especially @ 1:72 rgds John(shortCummins) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 Looking rather smart now with the decals in place Not much more to do and you'll be finished 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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