Grey Beema Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) And we’re off!!! I am probably bitting off more than I can chew but I want to try and build two Hellcats in this Group Build. Both aircraft were flown by Pilots who went on to become Aces whilst flying with 1844 Naval Air Squadron FAA aboard HMS Indomitable. Trouble with two is that I’m a slow builder with not much time but we’ll give it a go.. I’m using the Eduard 1/48 Hellcat MkI & MkII kit(s). I won’t bore you with the sprue shots, just the box opening (after all there are several of this kit being built). I am going to attempt both the MkI and MkII though. I’m starting with the MkI first. The specific aircraft I am building is FN411/R5°E. This aircraft was used by Sub Lieutenant Edward (Tug) Wilson to destroy two Ki-45s on 12.01.45 during air strikes over Nicobar Islands (Operation Millet). SLt Wilson was a Volunteer in the South African Naval Force serving with the FAA. Once I have the cockpit safely installed in the fuselage I will start on the MkII. This will be another 1844 aircraft flown by a distant cousin of mine Sub Lieutenant William (Bill) Atkinson during Operation Iceberg again building and installing the cockpit in the fuselage before moving the two aircraft along in parallel. The build starts in the Cockpit and I have gone with the coloured etch for the panels (you get decals as well but I’ll save them for a couple of weekend editions I have). So this is my day’s work (stopping for the GP)... Thanks for stopping by. Edited September 19, 2021 by Grey Beema 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Nice start 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 wow, that was quick, compared to my snail pace 😉, and looking really good, the PE looks the part, I might end up using more of it than I first thought. rgds John(shortCummins) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 That's looking very good, I have this double boxing and I'm itching to start but I'm on 3 builds in the 109 GB so it will have to wait. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Based on your start, these two will be a doddle within three months! The PE really works in this scale 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 4, 2021 Author Share Posted July 4, 2021 Continuing on with MkI FN411/R5°E. Cockpit built and safely installed into the fuselage. I had a little mis alignment creep in, I’ll put tabs into the second one to make alignment a little easier. This is the state of play this evening:- I have also built up the cockpit for my MkII, JW867/W116. This will be another 1844 aircraft flown by a distant cousin Sub Lieutenant William (Bill) Atkinson during Operation Iceberg. Fuselage went together better with tabs to align the halves. And both together. I see sanding in my future... Thanks for looking in.. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Good progress on both examples and the cockpits look particularly realistic buried as they are within the fuselages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 thanks for the tip about using tabs to help align the fuselage halves 👍 I'll soon be getting to that stage rgds John(shortCummins) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 5, 2021 Author Share Posted July 5, 2021 Thanks for all of you kind comments so far. Had a day off today so managed to get a bit more work done. I had forgotten to put the elevator trim tab into JW867 so had to fit that this morning. Bit fiddly but it’s now there. Sanding and polishing both fuselages. With the overlapped joints it is a bit awkward to sand but got it done. Then got on with nailing on the tail feathers and wings. I also by passed the engine build at this point, I’ll come back to it. I build the cowling. You have to be careful that you get the right cowl for the right serial number - luckily both of the aircraft I am building have serials close to Eduards examples however, I have marked each cowling with the serial (if you wondered what that scrawl was) Anyway this is where I am up to. Hellcat MkI FN411/R5°E. Hellcat MkII, JW867. Thanks for looking in.. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Off to a great start Beema, I always enjoy your FAA builds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 5, 2021 Author Share Posted July 5, 2021 1 minute ago, Cookenbacher said: Off to a great start Beema, I always enjoy your FAA builds. Cheers Cookie, filling in the gaps in my collection now.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 10, 2021 Author Share Posted July 10, 2021 As John @shortCummins has pointed out, the kit machine guns are a bit pathetic and are subject to being easily snapped off. I decided (foolishly) that I would enhance my own. So a bit of brass tube tube I have in stock and a couple of hours later:- perforated barrels on the MkI and the later non-perforated barrels on the MkII. MkI MkII What do you think? 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted July 10, 2021 Share Posted July 10, 2021 much better than the kit supplied versions have you dry-fitted or fixed these permanently? rgds John(shortCummins) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 10, 2021 Author Share Posted July 10, 2021 12 minutes ago, shortCummins said: much better than the kit supplied versions have you dry-fitted or fixed these permanently? rgds John(shortCummins) Properly fitted now. I’ll mask with blue-tac when it comes to spraying.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 10, 2021 Share Posted July 10, 2021 The metal barrels are an excellent addition Beema. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 11, 2021 Author Share Posted July 11, 2021 Had some time today so got on with the engine build. I decided not to use the PE for the engine wiring as it looks a bit flat, I built it up instead using some stripped copper wire. The actual wires are braided and look a bit coppery in colour. I need to sort out that firewall next. Engine and cowling are only blu-tac fixed so that the engine can be removed for painting. Anyway - for all the work today not a lot to see. Hope to do more next weekend.. MkI FN411 MkII JW867 Formation SLt ‘Tug’ Wilson in the lead. SLt ‘Bill’ Atkinson flying wingman Now for the little matter of a football match.... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81-er Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Those gun barrels look superb James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 Nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 It's so cool to see them in 'formation' - nice work on the cowl flaps too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Those are looking very good, some great work on display there. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 5 hours ago, Cookenbacher said: It's so cool to see them in 'formation' - nice work on the cowl flaps too. Thanks Cookie. Good spot there. I’m trying to decide whether to open the Cowl flaps on the MkI too.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 24 minutes ago, stevehnz said: Those are looking very good, some great work on display there. Steve. Cheers Steve. To be honest Eduard did all the hard work, I just nail them together.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 (edited) My two Hellcats are ready to be sent to the paint shop. Undercarriage built, auxiliary tank built, engine build, all to be disassembled, masked and painted.. to reappear as... Hellcat MkI FN411/5°E 1844 NAS HMS Indomitable Operation Millet 19.10.44 SLt ET Wilson (SANF(V)) Hellcat MkII JW867/W116 1844 NAS HMS Indomitable Operation Iceberg 21.05.45 SLt WHI Atkinson RCN Thanks for looking in.. Edited July 30, 2021 by Grey Beema 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortCummins Posted July 25, 2021 Share Posted July 25, 2021 I like the look of the open towel flaps, I may have to steal that idea 😉 rgds John(shortCummins) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted July 25, 2021 Author Share Posted July 25, 2021 2 hours ago, shortCummins said: I like the look of the open towel flaps, I may have to steal that idea 😉 rgds John(shortCummins) Work away, looking at pictures of Hellcats on deck on HMS Indomitable, they seem to have their cooling flaps open and their belly hatches open (I drew the line there, but I did copy the tail wheel lower section and have remounted them slightly turned.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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