Sexy Uruguayan Hellcat: 1/72 Eduard F6F-5

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I previously joined this GB with an Argentine representative from my "Sexy American Singles in South American Service" project, a F4U-5 Corsair: 

 

 

Sadly, I'm not confident I can complete it in time, but I still want to build something for the GB, so now I am beginning a Hellcat from Uruguay! I am using this Eduard 1/72 kit:

 

 

It will be my first Eduard kit, and I am very impressed so far. I know there have been many of these built around here so I don't think I need to share sprue photos. This is the -5N (nightfighter) kit, but I am just building a -5 using these decals:

 

 

Here are photos of Uruguayan Hellcats which will be similar to what I'm attempting to model.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I chopped up some sprue and cut off the parts that I want to spray black on.

 

 

I want to assemble some of that before spraying, and so that means getting into the PE. I've never worked with coloured PE before, and so far I haven't been a big fan of PE, but some of this looks workable and so I am giving it a bit of a go.

 

 

I don't really know what this PE piece in the seat is (lumbar support?), but here's the cockpit floor, back, seat with the PE stuck in, and pedals.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I want to spray the engines black, so snipped of the PE piece I need for that.

 

 

You can see I mangled it, but managed to mangle it onto the radials and I think it does what I want it to (i.e., just add to the "business"). Maybe one day I'll know what I'm doing when it comes to PE. 🤣

 

Everything ready for my rattle can black.

 

 

After the black:

 

 

I began painting MMP interior green on some of the cockpit pieces:

 

 

And working with more of the PE, for example on the instrument panel.

 

 

I didn't use all of the PE (there are a lot of pieces, including many tiny ones), but I'm happy with what I used and how it looks! Definitely the coolest IP I've assembled.

 

 

Here it's all assembled.

 

[Zephyr91]

15 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

I didn't use all of the PE (there are a lot of pieces, including many tiny ones), but I'm happy with what I used and how it looks! Definitely the coolest IP I've assembled.

That's all looking very nice.   I think you're right to be discerning.   It's all a balance in my view between   "need to know the detail is there  vs  life's too short for everything"    I haven't used PE yet, but feel the need to investigate.......

 

Good stuff ME

 

Rob

[Col.]

Nice start. This is a lovely kit and goes together well by all accounts so should make for a rewarding project.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

8 hours ago, Zephyr91 said:

I haven't used PE yet, but feel the need to investigate.......

Mostly I've been underwhelmed by it (I've never bought it specifically, just had some frets included in kits). But, I've enjoyed it to the extent I'm using it with this kit. Here's an example of a good "value add" PE piece, in my opinion:

 

 

Big enough to work with comfortably, and some nice detail that couldn't be done effectively any other way. 

[Tim R-T-C]

Its nice to see the Uruguayan scheme. They also flew the Avenger for which LF do decals as well.

 

Good work so far

[ModelingEdmontonian]

11 hours ago, Tim R-T-C said:

Its nice to see the Uruguayan scheme. They also flew the Avenger for which LF do decals as well.

 

Good work so far

Thanks, @Tim R-T-C

 

This kit is incredible, has to be the nicest I've ever worked with. Prior to assembling the fuselage there's a bit of carving to do on the bottom to allow installation of the drop tank.

 

 

Speaking of the drop tank, it seems to me the Uruguayan Hellcats typically carried the drop tank and rocket mounts, but I haven't found pictures of any rockets. These are the Eduard rockets.

 

 

They don't really have the mounts molded in a way that would work on their own, so I cut these off spare rockets from an Airfix F-51 kit.

 

 

The other thing about the Uruguayan Hellcats is they were delivered unarmed, so that's how I will model this one. But, I installed the gun pieces before removing them so that I can easily fill these holes.

 

 

Wings all together, with guns removed.

 

 

Since the plan was to add guns later, I assume ejector ports would remain.

 

 

And now with the rocket mounts installed.

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by ModelingEdmontonian

[Toryu]

Very nice detail, those rocket mounts! In my opinion HVARs look better on the Hellcat than on either the Corsair or Mustang.

[Graham Boak]

1 hour ago, Toryu said:

... HVARs look better on the Hellcat than on either the Corsair or Mustang.

The only possible comment is that anything would look good on the Hellcat.  A very effective fighter, but far from the best looking.

[ModelingEdmontonian]

One disappointment is that the kit requires the rear wheel to be installed prior to fuselage assembly. I would prefer it be a later addition, but you can't get everything you want.

 

 

The fuselage is also designed to accommodate either of the Hellcat's rear cockpit designs (with quarter window or without. The Uruguayan Hellcats were the later type (without the window), but the pieces to complete these are still clear (they can be just seen installed in the photo below).

 

 

So with those and the rear wheel (and the cockpit tub) installed, and with the drop tank slot carved out, the fuselage is together!

 

 

Wings and stabilizers more or less pop on (literally no glue on the wings).

 

Edited April 8, 2023 by ModelingEdmontonian

[Rob G]

7 hours ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

One disappointment is that the kit requires the rear wheel to be installed prior to fuselage assembly. 

 

Having studied your photo, and looked at the instructions online, I'm not sure why the tail wheel can't be installed later in the build. Unless I'm missing something crucial, it would seem to be nothing more than a 'plug-in from the underside' kind of deal, which can be done anytime that's convenient. Just because the instructions say to fit something now, doesn't mean that it has to be. 

 

Irrelevant, I know, as you've already done it, but maybe something to remember for the next time? 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

4 hours ago, Rob G said:

 

Having studied your photo, and looked at the instructions online, I'm not sure why the tail wheel can't be installed later in the build. Unless I'm missing something crucial, it would seem to be nothing more than a 'plug-in from the underside' kind of deal, which can be done anytime that's convenient. Just because the instructions say to fit something now, doesn't mean that it has to be. 

 

Irrelevant, I know, as you've already done it, but maybe something to remember for the next time? 

The rear wheel piece has a bit of a ledge that would prevent it being added after. maybe more obvious in the instructions:

 

 

I suppose the ledge could be cut off and installed, then the remainder glued in after. But, honestly. now that it's altogether I'm not too bothered by it.

 

By the way, here is a photo of the two Hellcats I have decals for--450 and 405.

 

 

You can see above that they have the "football" ADF underneath the rear fuselage. Eduard does not include this piece, but I have this AZ P-36 kit which I will use to model Peru for my Sexy American Singles in South American Service project.

 

 

It has the football and I don't need it for the Peruvian version, so I have stolen it for Uruguay. I think the football is black, so I haven't installed it yet--I will do that after I finish the underside camo.

 

Meanwhile, cowling together beautifully . . .

 

 

. . . and the engine installed.

 

 

Now here she is with cowling on (no glue needed, again).

 

 

UC doors and legs and drop tank are on next....

 

 

So, she's on her legs, albeit no wheels up front.

 

 

I don't want to install the pitot tube at this stage, but I did need to work the hole larger to fit the part.

 

 

With that done, I was able to spray some grey primer!

 

 

I can't get over how big the Hellcat is. I compared her here before priming to the MB 151 I'm building for the Marcel Bloch GB and you can see what a beast of a cat she is:

 

[heloman1]

Looking rather neat, looks like a nice kit.

 

Colin

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I have the underside grey on and have begun the blue up top. 

 

[stevehnz]

On 4/9/2023 at 3:33 PM, ModelingEdmontonian said:

It has the football and I don't need it for the Peruvian version, so I have stolen it for Uruguay.

We're not going to have a football war between Peru & Uruguay now are we, I thought that was further north.  

This is looking really good, I must pull some of my Eduard F6F kits from stock at some stage.

Steve.

[rob Lyttle]

Nice project and looking good 👍

You're right, it's a big plane.Stands shoulder to shoulder with the P47 Tbolt. I've just been finishing this plane's "Granddad" the F3F biplane, and I stood a mechanic beside it for a look. The mechanic can peer into the cockpit while standing on the ground - like a Sopwith Camel!

So in those few years there was quite a bit of upscaling with both airframes and engines 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

On 4/14/2023 at 4:18 PM, stevehnz said:

We're not going to have a football war between Peru & Uruguay now are we, I thought that was further north.  

This is a good one, @stevehnz. Truly gave me a chuckle.

 

I have almost finished the upper camo now. Still have to get the blue down far enough on the cowling to match up with the fuselage. 

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

With the camo complete, I brushed on some Pledge, and then it was on to the decals. The LF decals leave a lot to be desired, but I have managed to get them on. I used some of the Eduard stencils, too.

 

 

You can see the football is on, too.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

I dirtied up the wheel wells, attempted some exhaust residue, and sprayed some clear coats (satin underneath, gloss up top). I've installed the remaining pieces--pitot tube, wheels antenna mast, prop, canopy and windscreen and she's all done! What a great kit, wow! I'll get some RFI photos later today probably and up in the gallery.

 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

She's in the gallery now! Thanks everyone for a fun GB!

 

[Col.]

Nicely done

[opus999]

This turned out very nice too!  Great work!