Folded and Faded - 1/72 Cyberhobby F6F-3

[Cookenbacher]

This Group Build, like most, has snuck up on me and left me the pleasant task of gathering a kit. I decided to try out Cyberhobby's 1/72 F6F-3. I think it debuted about the same time as the Eduard kit, and has gotten lost in its shadow. I've built two of the Eduard kits, and I'm curious about this one. The kit comes with the option to fold the wings, and I think I'll take advantage.

 

I'm considering an early F6F-3 in tri-color scheme based on open source pics of James Flatley's 1943 Yorktown Air Group.

 

 

 

 

I've decided to go with a 'Grumman Grey' facsimile, Vallejo FS 36300 Light Grey, as the main interior colour and Interior Green for the cockpit.

 

The Cyberhobby engine is very nice and comes with a complex exhaust system and auxiliaries.

 

 

 

I went to a lot of trouble to paint this tank (extinguisher?) only to realize it's going to be hidden by the seat, so this is its debut and its goodbye:

 

Seat in place

 

It's almost certainly the wrong colour, but adds a little variety anyway.

 

 

[81-er]

The interior of the fuselage and the cockpit look a great deal more detailed that the Eduard kit I'm building, is the rest of the kit similar?

 

James

[Cookenbacher]

On 7/7/2021 at 2:57 PM, 81-er said:

The interior of the fuselage and the cockpit look a great deal more detailed that the Eduard kit I'm building, is the rest of the kit similar?

 

James

Hi James, the Cyberhobby kit does have nice interior detail and it's been enjoyable putting it together. Unfortunately, much of the interior detail is in closed off sections that will never be seen - see below. I think the Eduard kit has many advantages as well, it's looking like it's really a matter of what you're looking for: the Eduard kit fits wonderfully, is very accurate and less expensive than the Cyberhobby kit. They Cyberhobby has these cool interior features and a folded wing option. There's a nice comparison build here:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2012/features/hellcatcomparison72vb_1.htm

 

 

IP and side walls painted up:

 

 

The kit comes with some details for the engine auxiliary bay, and I added a little more with sprue and plasticard.

 

 

As mentioned above, the kit doesn't have any way for that detail to be seen, so I took matters into my own hands (by way of a razor saw):

 

I also cut out the spaces for the lower cowl flaps while I was at it - the Cyberhobby kit only comes with one cowling and it's for the F6F-5 - I think the Eduard kit comes with three cowlings covering the -3 and -5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stew Dapple]

You're really going at it Cookie  Lovely detail painting in the cockpit  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Col.]

Welcome aboard this GB Cookie  

Nice start on this one. I'd forgotten Cyber Hobby did a kit of the Hellcat so this will be a treat to watch you work on it.

[Cookenbacher]

23 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

You're really going at it Cookie  Lovely detail painting in the cockpit

I guess I can't help but do a little surgery.

 

14 hours ago, Col. said:

Welcome aboard this GB Cookie  

Nice start on this one. I'd forgotten Cyber Hobby did a kit of the Hellcat so this will be a treat to watch you work on it.

Thanks Col., I really like the kit so far, even if it's a bit fiddly in places.

 

Fitting everything into the right fuselage in order to get it closed up:

 

I thought I'd leave the engine off until after painting, but I'd already attached the supercharger section, and it has to be in place before the halves are mated up.

The tail wheel also has to be assembled and attached beforehand.

 

I pre-painted the recesses for the exhausts, so that they can be masked before priming.

 

And now for the interminable seam elimination process.

 

 

[Grey Beema]

Lovely work Cookie, that is coming up a treat..

 

Folded and only a bit faded.  My distant cousins Hellcat for a bit of inspiration..

 

 

 

[Cookenbacher]

Thanks @Grey Beema, that's a great still and a great reference!

 

Just a small update today - got the fuselage seams pretty much under control, and added the canopy.

 

I also put the cowling together, but its seams will require even more work that the fuselage.

 

Oh, and I added a plasticard fairing to make it look more like a -3 cowl.

[Cookenbacher]

Time for the wings - the early F6F-3's in the above reference pics had fairings over the wing guns. The kit comes with fairings for the inboard guns, since it's originally a night fighter, but I had to scratch fairings for the middle barrels.

 

The fairings are made from some smaller diameter sprue. In addition, the trailing edge of the flap is very thick, with a seam down the middle. I tried to thin down interior, but it just made the gap wider! I ended up sanding down the trailing edge and gluing on some plasticard, then sanding that down.

 

 

OK, back to the gun fairings:

 

I didn't attempt to thin down the inside of the other wing, and I was able to do a little sanding afterwards.

 

The cowling is almost ready to be fitted.

 

[Stew Dapple]

46 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

the early F6F-3's in the above reference pics had fairings over the wing guns.

 

Welp, nothing wrong with your observational skills Cookie  The same can't be said for mine, I had to scroll back and have a look  

 

Nice work mate 

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

 

 

[Col.]

Regardless of the fight this one is putting up you look to be on the winning side Cookie  

[Cookenbacher]

OK, this next step I blame on @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies - I was inspired by his Hellcat thread where he replicated the stressed surfaces.

I've always wanted to try it, and my last attempt ended in failure (for reasons other than the stressed skin).

 

 

It's not nearly as important on a faded matt scheme as it would be on a glossy blue scheme, but I want to give it a try.

 

[Stew Dapple]

Careful Cookie, he's a bad influence that @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies  

 

Look forward to seeing how you get on with that  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Wot? Not me. My influence is more about putting the model down and having a nice whisky instead

[shortCummins]

4 hours ago, Cookenbacher said:

OK, this next step I blame on @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies - I was inspired by his Hellcat thread where he replicated the stressed surfaces.

I've always wanted to try it, and my last attempt ended in failure (for reasons other than the stressed skin).

 

 

It's not nearly as important on a faded matt scheme as it would be on a glossy blue scheme, but I want to give it a try.

 

it was reading Jamie's build log that made me want to build my Eduard kit, lucky for me I'm not going to try at 1:72 else I'd be straight back down to Specsavers.

Your only advantage is that you won't need to re-mortgage and sell all of your stash to buy enough masking tape 😄

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

Edited July 14, 2021 by shortCummins

[Alan P]

This is looking very interesting. I remember seeing Jamie's thread and thinking 'what a nutter', followed by, 'what a genius!' I guess the line is fine enough! Hoping you can pull it off, the framing looks brilliant already.

[Cookenbacher]

On 7/13/2021 at 10:31 PM, Stew Dapple said:

Careful Cookie, he's a bad influence that @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies  

 

Look forward to seeing how you get on with that

Yeah he is 😀. It's hard to say at this point how it's going.

 

On 7/13/2021 at 11:45 PM, Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies said:

Wot? Not me. My influence is more about putting the model down and having a nice whisky instead

😃

 

On 7/14/2021 at 2:09 AM, shortCummins said:

it was reading Jamie's build log that made me want to build my Eduard kit, lucky for me I'm not going to try at 1:72 else I'd be straight back down to Specsavers.

Your only advantage is that you won't need to re-mortgage and sell all of your stash to buy enough masking tape 😄

It did take a lot of masking tape.

 

On 7/14/2021 at 1:51 PM, Alan P said:

This is looking very interesting. I remember seeing Jamie's thread and thinking 'what a nutter', followed by, 'what a genius!' I guess the line is fine enough! Hoping you can pull it off, the framing looks brilliant already.

I believe I'm more toward the 'nutter' side of the scale!

 

All masked up

 

Primer on

 

Primer sanded

 

I should have probably used something besides Stynylrez (my favorite primer) - it sands well for water based primer, but doesn't really feather well enough for this purpose, even after drying for over 24 hours in hot temperatures.

The kit also requires some scratch work in the landing gear bay - I had to fabricate the cross members for the outboard piece you see above, otherwise it's just cantilevered out there. I used the Cyber-Hobby build in the Valiant Wings Hellcat book as a reference.

 

First coat: aluminum chipping layer

 

I had a terrible time trying to get a pic of the stressed effect with the grainy finish provided by Tamiya Flat Aluminum - I think we'll need to wait for the Yellow Zinc Chromate coat to really see how it turned out.

 

[Terry1954]

Wow Cookie! Just found this thread.

 

Firstly, I love a good Hellcat thread, secondly a good USN subject (love the colours), then when I see it's yours, I just have to follow! I do remember Jamie's thread on the stressed skin method for that 1/48 Hellcat - that was pretty neat. So, here you are now doing that on a 1/72 Hellcat, awesome!

 

I learn so much about weathering and similar techniques from your builds........... here's an idea, maybe I should get you to build some of mine?

 

🤔

 

Terry

[Cookenbacher]

23 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Wow Cookie! Just found this thread.

 

Firstly, I love a good Hellcat thread, secondly a good USN subject (love the colours), then when I see it's yours, I just have to follow! I do remember Jamie's thread on the stressed skin method for that 1/48 Hellcat - that was pretty neat. So, here you are now doing that on a 1/72 Hellcat, awesome!

Thanks Terry, this one is a little touch and go!

 

23 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

here's an idea, maybe I should get you to build some of mine?

Have you been talked into too much whiskey by @Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies?!? 😀 I don't think you'd want me anywhere near one of your exquisite glider cockpits!

 

I managed a pic at just the right angle to show the stressed skin effect while brushing a coat of Future on the wings.

 

I brushed on a decanted little hair spray and went to town with Tamiya's version of Yellow Zinc Chromate.

Warning, don your sunglasses before proceeding.

 

The chipping didn't go so well, often wearing down to the primer coat (or even the plastic) with just a soft paint brush dipped in water, and then not really doing anything everywhere else.

 

The stressed skin does show up nicely at this angle though.

 

Based on previous builds, I figured that since water based Lifecolor and Vallejo were a little too easy to chip with hairspray:

 

And Colourcoats enamels took quite a bit of work:

 

Then Tamiya should fall somewhere in between, but it doesn't - I had a heck of a time.

 

Hopefully, the top coat goes a little better.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

49 minutes ago, Cookenbacher said:

Then Tamiya should fall somewhere in between, but it doesn't - I had a heck of a time.

 

Hopefully, the top coat goes a little better.

Try a 50/50 solution of Tamiya thinner and water Cookie. 

[shortCummins]

what problem are you having Cookie, not being able to take the paint off easily or it comes off too easily?

 

if its not coming off then Corsairfoxfouruncle's suggestion will help

 

if its coming off too easily then try using less water and only work on an area for a very short period

 

I hope this helps a little?

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[Terry1954]

It's interesting to see all these different paint types and layers and  how they react individually using the hairspray technique. Your efforts are giving us all great learning here Cookie.

 

Terry

[Cookenbacher]

On 7/18/2021 at 1:19 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Try a 50/50 solution of Tamiya thinner and water Cookie. 

Thanks Dennis, I tried it and it definitely helped! I think that the Future reacted with the hairspray, so for the next layer I skipped the Future coat and it went lots better.

 

14 hours ago, shortCummins said:

what problem are you having Cookie, not being able to take the paint off easily or it comes off too easily?

 

if its not coming off then Corsairfoxfouruncle's suggestion will help

 

if its coming off too easily then try using less water and only work on an area for a very short period

 

I hope this helps a little?

Thanks John, it was very difficult to chip for some reason. As noted above, I skipped the Future for the next coat and it acted more 'normal'. I wish I had reversed them - on the yellow coat, I wanted about 2/3 yellow and 1/3 silver so that when I chipped the main coat it would come up a nice variety of yellow and metal.

 

2 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

It's interesting to see all these different paint types and layers and  how they react individually using the hairspray technique. Your efforts are giving us all great learning here Cookie.

Thanks Terry, I do love an experiment!

 

Got the external tank together with a little plastic strip detail:

 

I've included this pic for folks who might be interested in the details of the Cyber-Hobby kit, it shows the many many tiny parts included to add detail to the landing gear legs.

 

The one on the left is complete, and the one on the right is awaiting the parts still on the sprue (sorry for the substandard pic!) The parts fit really well considering their size.

 

Started painting the white:

 

It has been sweltering for over a month now, but today was overcast and relatively cooler, so I risked doing more colors.

Everything was going well, with very little tip dry when the airbrush decided to give a SPURT on the crest of the fuselage:

 

In may haste to try and save the finish, I knocked off the intricate landing gear bay parts and one of them disappeared forever through an opening in the deck planks - oh the dangers we face in this hobby!

 

Fuselage resprayed (with a bit of annoying overspray)

 

The sprayed coat is Tamiya. I did some clean up and further fading with brushed/dabbed Vallejo and MRP waterbased paints.

 

Still lots of clean up to do; respray some white, and deal with the fabric sections.

 

[shortCummins]

I really like the look of your wings, nicely faded

 

rgds

John(shortCummins)

[81-er]

The fading is excellent

 

James