Eduard F6F-3 Hellcat 1/48

Post by **heel** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 12:12 pm

Hi all. This build will have a number of firsts for me. First entry in to a SiG/GB and first attempt at photoetch, among others. I've been itching for this one since I bought it in December. It will be my third model since returning to the hobby. Hopefully I can get it done in the allotted time.

and a few of the items I've procured for this build.

Post by **heel** » Tue Mar 31, 2015 2:29 pm

A look at the contents:

Very detailed instructions with color paint references. 5 schemes to choose from ranging from an initial prototype version in 1942 to a late war version.

The plastic has incredible detail and looks crisp and clean.

Post by **heel** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:14 pm

Some information about the Hellcat:

The Grumman F6F Hellcat was originally conceived as an advanced version of the U.S. Navy's then current front-line fighter, the F4F Wildcat (see NASM collection). The Wildcat's intended replacement, the Vought F4U Corsair (see NASM collection), first flown in 1940, was showing great promise, but development was slowed by problems, including the crash of the prototype. As a precaution against possible delays in the Corsair reaching the fleet, in June 1941, the Navy asked Grumman to develop an improved version of the Wildcat. It had been designed in the 1930s and its performance was not up to the standard of the newer fighters.

Clearly the most pressing need in the Wildcat was a larger engine to boost performance. A bigger powerplant, however, would require the use of a larger propeller, which in turn necessitated a taller landing gear for increased ground clearance. More power also called for more wing area, and an increase in the area of the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces. The wing would also need to be lowered from the Wildcat's mid-fuselage position to accommodate the newer hydraulically-operated landing gear, which would replace its predecessor's obsolete manual system. What Grumman proposed to the Navy, therefore, was an entirely new fighter. The advanced Wildcat had turned, by a process of evolution, into the Hellcat.

The F6F Hellcat still bore a family resemblance, however, to its predecessor and there was little that was revolutionary in its design. Simplicity was a hallmark of Grumman aircraft. Known components were used, and ease of manufacture was always a priority.

Grumman chief engineer William Schwendler was an advocate of building components to twice the strength required in specifications. This practice would make the F6F a tough, uncomplicated, easy-to-manufacture aircraft. The Hellcat was legendary for its ruggedness and it was even jokingly rumored to be made of steel. This story arose from the fact that, because of wartime shortages, Grumman had been unable to acquire the structural steel to construct the new factory in which the Hellcats would be produced. In a resourceful move, Grumman general manager Jake Swirbul was able to purchase some of the needed steel from the scrapped remains of a New York City elevated railway. The joke was that the steel had not gone to making the factory, but in to making Hellcats.

The XF6F-1 Hellcat first flew in June of 1942 with a 1,600-hp Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine. It proved to be easy to fly, with no bad characteristics. In 1944 Leroy Grumman would, on a whim, successfully fly a production Hellcat, even though he had not been in a cockpit in many years. Speed and rate-of-climb were not up to expectations, however, so Grumman replaced the Wright engine with the 2,000-hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8 Double Wasp, 18-cylinder engine. Like the Hellcat, the R-2800 was rugged and easily maintained. It would also power the Corsair and is considered to be one of the best reciprocating engines ever produced. At the same time a Hamiliton Standard Hydromatic propeller replaced the Curtiss propeller. The re-engined Hellcat was designated the XF6F-3.

Grumman was so confident of the Hellcat that production started in October 1942, while the prototype was still in testing. This gamble paid off and the Navy accepted the first production F6F-3 in January 1943. The aircraft had become more important than ever with the continued delay of the Corsair. The battles of 1942 had also given navy pilots first-hand experience with Japan's Mitsubishi A6M Zero (see NASM collection), whose capabilities came as quite a shock for the Americans, and the Wildcat's shortcomings were now readily apparent. The Navy desperately needed the increased performance of the Hellcat to combat the Zero's dominance.

The Hellcat would prove superior to its main Japanese opponent in most performance categories, especially at high altitude. The only advantage that the Zero retained throughout the war was its legendary turning ability at slower speeds. This advantage disappeared, however, at speeds above 200 knots, because of aerodynamic forces on the Japanese fighter's controls. The lightly armored Zeros were also no match for the Hellcat's rugged construction and six .50 caliber guns. Not until late in the war would Japanese aircraft such as the Kawanishi N1K George (see NASM collection) challenge the Hellcat. But they were never available in sufficient quantity and the Zero remained the most numerous of Japanese fighters.

Because of Grumman's foresight in starting production early, Hellcats began rolling off the assembly line immediately and construction continued at an ever-increasing rate. Hellcat production was all the more remarkable considering that many of the Grumman employees had never built airplanes before. Much of the credit for the remarkable rate at which F6Fs were produced goes to the management abilities of Grumman and Swirbul. They fostered a family atmosphere and provided many modern services for their workers, such as day-care centers and counseling offices. As a result, Grumman's employee turnover rate was half that of other airplane manufacturers.

American and British Hellcats would claim the destruction of 5,203 Japanese aircraft in the Pacific and 13 German aircraft in Europe for a loss of only 270 F6Fs. This amounted to a kill-loss ratio of 19 to 1. One of the most remarkable figures related to the F6F, however, was its effectiveness as an escort fighter for strike aircraft. From 1943-1945, when the Hellcat was in service, only 42 carrier-based bombers or torpedo planes are known to have been lost to Japanese aircraft.

Source: National Air and Space Museum
airandspace.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?object=nasm_A19610107000

Post by **heel** » Thu Apr 02, 2015 10:25 pm

The build is under way. A few early impressions are that there is nice detail on the cockpit and engine parts, but a few more seam lines than expected. The sprues are thick so cleanup is a bit of work but easy enough given their placement on the parts.

I constructed the seatbelts. There is also an unpainted version but I'm going with these unless I muck them up.

and glued the parts of the cockpit I will paint together.

These bits are cleaned up and ready for primer.

That's all for now. A short update but a couple hours work.

Post by **Nige201980** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:01 pm

Looking good so far mate.

Post by **heel** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 2:02 pm

Thanks Nige.

I finished a PE control panel.

Primed and laid a base of aluminum to the cockpit surfaces. I'll attempt some hairspray chipping.

Aluminum base on the engine.

And a bit of cleanup needed inside the fuselage

To be sanded and primed...

Thanks for looking in

Post by **JediBoer** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 5:02 pm

Looks like a great kit and you are off to a great start!

Post by **heel** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:17 pm

Thanks Jedi.

I got some more done today. Interior green is down.

I forgot to add the bar that secures the shoulder strap. Easy fix during the next session though.

Main instrument panel is mostly finished. Still some work left on the gunsight.

and I tried the chipping. All in all the result is fine. I needed to let it dry a little more as some chips look more like peeling, but those areas can be hidden with the shoulder harness and weathered.

Post by **martin57** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:54 pm

Nice work so far looking like a nice kit

Post by **heel** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 11:33 pm

Cheers Martin :fly2:

You are right about the kit. In the right hands this thing would absolutely sing. I'll continue to do my best and see what happens. Thanks again.

Post by **Nige201980** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:37 am

Great work so far buddy.

Post by **heel** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:35 pm

Thanks Nige!

I cleaned up the interior of the cowling

and finished the engine. Still a little wash to add and a decal after future coat. Also the dark spots are just wet from some chipping. That has cleared up since the pics were snapped.

the color looks more beige in the pics than the actual grey appearance. Thanks for your comments and ideas.

Post by **heel** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 12:03 am

I decided to repaint the engine wiring as it came out a little too "rusty" looking. This one hadn't seen that much salt air yet. I also finished the cockpit for the most part. I'm not worried about the visible ejector pins as they can't be seen when assembled.

A bit of Krystal clear went into the dials.

Post by **Homerlovesbeer** » Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:41 pm

This is looking most excellent! Looking forward to more

Post by **Nige201980** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:25 am

Great looking cockpit mate

Post by **heel** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 7:05 pm

Thanks fellas! I finished up the top panels and touched up some dials, etc., but won't spam the board with more pics. I'll put a few shots in for the next big update as things get buttoned up. I've also decided to do version 3 (USS Yorktown).

The kit comes with 3 different cowls depending on which version you choose. I will include more info on this particular Hellcat in the next update.

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 10:25 pm

heel wrote:Cheers Martin

You are right about the kit. In the right hands this thing would absolutely sing. I'll continue to do my best and see what happens. Thanks again.

Oh I think it is in the right hands...you are doing an awesome job!!!
Great kit and goodies

Post by **heel** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 1:01 pm

Thanks Scott! Huge fan of your work.

More on this aircraft and pilot:

From Eduard

"This Hellcat, of VF-1 'High Hats', was a replacement aircraft flown by Lt. Moseley, who lost his original mount in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19th, 1944. On that day, he gained two confirmed victories and one probable, but in an attempt to land his damaged plane back on the deck of his carrier, it was lost overboard. This battle was part of intensive
combat with the Japanese from May 29th to August 2, 1944, during which VF-1, flying off the USS Yorktown, claimed the destruction of some 100 aircraft in the air and over another
sixty on the ground.

The rather carelessly applied number '090' ('890'?) was left over from the transport of the airplane to the unit, and was supposed to have been replaced with the unit's insignia. Unfortunately, it never came to that, as Lt Moseley was shot down over the Bonin Islands on July 4th, 1944, and was listed as MIA. His name appears on a memorial
in Honolulu. The cowl of this aircraft was of the newer type, with two cooling flaps on either side of the cowl, but still with the exhaust fairing."

Notes

- Status was later changed to KIA.
- Unit insignia High Hatters
- Flying Squadron One
- Officially 090

Technical Specifications

Power-plant:
1 x 2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10 Double
Wasp
18-cylinder air cooled radial engine

Wingspan:
42 ft. 10 in. (13.1 m)
Length:
33 ft., 7 in. (10.2 m)
Height:
13 ft., 1 in. (4.0 m)
Weight:
9,238 lb. empty

Maximum speed:
380 mph at 23,400 ft.
Ceiling:
37,300 ft.
Climb rate:
to 14,000 ft. 6 minutes 42 seconds
Range: 945 miles
External fuel tank option

Armament:
Six .50-caliber M2 Browning machine guns,
2,000 lb. bomb-load, or six 5-inch rockets

Fuel tanks, bombs and rockets assembled and sanded. Horizontal stabilizers glued, props and a few other pieces cleaned up

Radio controls (I think?) added

Drilled holes and cut both bottoms for fuel tank addition

added rear canopy windows and pe bars

Closed up. A little ridge. Very good fit overall.

Out with the putty

The gun sight lens fell off but it couldn't hide. Thanks for looking.

https://www.youtube.com/user/bnealuk · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 1:51 pm

Great work on this on

I built the Hobbyboss Hellcat awhile back nice chunky fighter

Post by **mincemeat** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:06 am

Nice work so far! I picked this kit up at a flea market just last month for $20...not including the $5 entry fee....and the tolls....and gas....let's not think about that anymore.

I've been planning my own build, which I probably won't get to for a while. I wasn't impressed at all with the kit's .50 cal machine guns. I plan on getting the Master Model turned brass ones. Take a look and compare with the kit's plastic guns. Did you buy those wheels separate? I have a set of plain vanilla wheels that came in halves on the sprue. I definitely will be upgrading those with resin as well.

http://www.master-model.pl/index.php?pa ... &Itemid=56

I just realized by looking at your fuselage, that didn't I didn't realize while looking at the parts in my kit, "damn, that's a lot of detail around the fuselage seam." Good luck with that. Let us know how it goes.

Keep up the fantastic work! I'll be watching with great interest.

Post by **heel** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 12:58 pm

T3hGuppy wrote:Great work on this on

I built the Hobbyboss Hellcat awhile back nice chunky fighter

Thank you!

Mincemeat I just now got to the machine guns guns and like you said, they are very plain. Definitely the least impressive item I've seen in the kit so an AM upgrade is recommended. The brassin wheels were included with the kit.

Thanks for the kind words and feel free to ask questions as I go. Make sure the rear canopy windows are very secure. I'm in a battle with one to get it back "seated."

Post by **UKguyInUSA** » Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:11 pm

Looking god so far, look forward to more!

Cheers

Martin

Post by **mincemeat** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 2:39 am

Thanks heel. Those wheels aren't listed in the parts list in the booklet I have, maybe you got a bonus? Good for you if that's the case. I'll just pick up some Ultracast ones. The wheels on the sprue and the machine guns just boggle my mind based on the rest of the kit.

I'm definitely interested in your experience with the Akan paints and what you use to thin them. I need to do some looking around to where I can acquire them in the US, unless you know?

Post by **heel** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 1:42 pm

Thanks Martin. Glad you are following. I should have another update this evening hopefully.

I am using Ultimate thinner with the akan at about 20% as recommended on the Ultimate chart. So far so good. I cleaned out the airbrush, compressor and hose as I got some sputtering on the interior. No fault of the paint or thinner. Just need to keep everything clean.

I ordered mine from eBay and it took a few weeks to get them here in the U.S.

You may have gotten the 1st release from Eduard. There was a good bit of Internet chatter on how bad the original wheels were, so they released a second version with the resin wheels. At least I think I remember reading it that way.

Post by **mincemeat** » Fri Apr 24, 2015 1:39 am

heel wrote:Thanks Martin. Glad you are following. I should have another update this evening hopefully.

I am using Ultimate thinner with the akan at about 20% as recommended on the Ultimate chart. So far so good. I cleaned out the airbrush, compressor and hose as I got some sputtering on the interior. No fault of the paint or thinner. Just need to keep everything clean.

I ordered mine from eBay and it took a few weeks to get them here in the U.S.

You may have gotten the 1st release from Eduard. There was a good bit of Internet chatter on how bad the original wheels were, so they released a second version with the resin wheels. At least I think I remember reading it that way.

Great info heel, thanks!

Post by **heel** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 4:07 pm

Update time:

Drilled out holes for the exhausts

Added parts to both landing gear bays

Wings, stabilizers, hook, tail wheel in

Canopy masked. Went down with interior green first for the inside. Will then put down an outer layer for the exterior. Should I prime in between?

Sanded down trying for a good cowl fit

Engine mounted

cowl on

Green stuff

Inside grin green

Thanks for comments

Post by **Nige201980** » Mon Apr 27, 2015 5:12 pm

Cracking work mate pity about some of the fit issues but your

Post by **mincemeat** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 2:34 am

Yikes! I wouldn't have suspected that cowling to be an issue. I wonder if the other cowling choices have the same problem? That's a fine looking engine you built there!

Post by **heel** » Thu Apr 30, 2015 3:30 pm

Thanks fellas. I was surprised about the fit as well. Maybe I played a part.

Some more fit problems

Needed to fill at the front of the windshield

Halfway thru sanding. Punching the river detail back in periodically

I have decided I will try to put this together as a diorama

First thing I do is cut off one of the mechanic pieces. I'm Walking around the kitchen sanding a seam line on his right leg. I drop the piece ... It bounces ... Boing...boing boing... Down the kitchen sink. So I start taking the drain apart looking. Still haven't found it in the trap so I stopped to blow off some steam. I Could see it in the drain but couldn't get the pvc off without taking the whole drain apart so I flushed a little water to get it in the trap. Too much water. I think it's gone.

Post by **martin57** » Thu Apr 30, 2015 8:44 pm

Coming on great my man , shame about all the fit issiues , the figures will look great good choice

Post by **mincemeat** » Fri May 01, 2015 3:09 am

Sorry to hear of your troubles and losing limbs. Keep at it!

Post by **heel** » Fri May 01, 2015 4:00 pm

Thanks for following along guys. I'm The one causing most of the trouble unfortunatel.

The underside got the badger white primer. Grey went down for the sides and top. The grey sprayed much better but I may have just had the pressure too low with the white.

And then I went for some preshading.

This aircraft won't get heavy weathering since it was a replacement and only saw a handful of missions. I put some preshading for the exhaust. Never done that before so Ill be interested to see if it makes a difference.

As for the figures, I'm still deciding if I want to contact Tamiya for a new leg, go without a mechanic, or both mechanics. I may just assemble the pilots and mototug/driver so it's not too crowded.

Post by **heel** » Mon May 04, 2015 9:07 pm

Two of the three shades of paint down. Akan semi gloss white underneath and sea blue on the top and wings.

The Akan sprays down silky smooth with a little Ultimate. The blue was still a little wet in the pics.

Post by **mincemeat** » Tue May 05, 2015 1:34 am

Lookin' good heel!

Post by **qeialto** » Tue May 05, 2015 9:34 am

looking awesome, congratulations

Post by **heel** » Tue May 05, 2015 11:56 am

mincemeat wrote:Lookin' good heel!

Thank you sir!

qeialto wrote:looking awesome, congratulations

Many, many thanks

The tricky part is next as I go intermedia blue the middle. I did it the painting in this order out of comfortability with the next stage. It seemed like six in one a a half doZen no matter what paint went down second.

Post by **Nige201980** » Wed May 06, 2015 5:47 pm

Brill work with the paint mate.

Post by **heel** » Thu May 07, 2015 4:32 pm

Thank you Nige.

I changed directions and began assembling the pilots. I used poster putty to hold limbs in place. Some required more than others. By the end I figured out that I could just smear a little in appropriate places and save a lot of clean up.

I used an exacto to remove all the seam lines. Some of these will be difficult to paint but I decided to assemble each pilot individually, rather than painting then gluing.

Thanks for looking

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Thu May 07, 2015 8:55 pm

I think in the second picture, the pilot's intestine is coming out of his belly

Good idea with the putty, will have to try that as figures can be hard to glue....weird plastics and vinyls

Post by **heel** » Sat May 09, 2015 12:45 am

Scott

The mototug is in bits and primed, along with some others.

Intermedia blue sprayed. A little touching up to do but overall happy with the result. based on the pictures I've seen, wartime planes had fairly rougher paint jobs than what you see on some restored aircraft, so I think it is in the style of the real plane.

Pardon the bits of blu tac residue

Thanks for looking

Post by **mincemeat** » Sat May 09, 2015 1:14 pm

That's really nice painting there. I agree with the rough look. In real life they probably slopped it on with a paint brush. I assume time was the critical factor that won out over crisp and straight paint lines.

Post by **Nige201980** » Sat May 09, 2015 1:32 pm

Cracking paint work mate.

Post by **heel** » Sun May 17, 2015 5:22 pm

Thank you guys. I've been steady working on this even though there haven't been updates. The landing gears were fairly complex so they took a bit of time. I've also began the decaling.

The raised spot is supposed to be there

regards

Post by **Twokidsnosleep** » Sun May 17, 2015 5:42 pm

Wow coming along nicely
You paint work is stupendous in those up close pics....smooth as a lady's azzzz

Post by **heel** » Tue May 19, 2015 12:04 am

thank you

I used future in very light coats before putting down the decals. Here's a few more shots with all the tattoos on. I'll let these dry for a couple days and then lightly wash before another coat of future and weathering/landing gears/prop.

The mototug has gotten the base coats of paint, but I'll hold off on pics until it starts to resemble anything. Figures are ready to be painted which should begin next week.

I'll do a little touching up on the 0 (8).

Post by **mincemeat** » Tue May 19, 2015 12:59 am

She's looking real nice good work!

Post by **Nige201980** » Tue May 19, 2015 5:45 am

Looking great mate.

Website · Post by **TonyCnyc** » Tue May 19, 2015 7:10 pm

Nice job on the painting and decals.

Post by **heel** » Thu May 21, 2015 4:07 pm

Thank you guys. Really glad you are following along.

Next I'll shift gears to the mototug. I used Tamiya maskingtape to do a mask for the wheels. Traced around and then cut with the exacto.

All the parts together

Clean engine

Now with some use

The tug

This will get just a little weathering. I didn't notice those nasty ejector pin marks behind the grill. I'll have to clean that area up some.

Post by **heel** » Mon May 25, 2015 2:07 am

Wheels on the tug. 4 in the back, two up front.

All the figures have skin. Here's one. Model master tan, randome tan, and military brown enamels blended as I read how to do in a FSM article.

The brassin wheels for the hellcat are exceptional

For the propeller I sprayed xf1 with a little grey, masked that off. The hub is two tone intermedia blue and a green color. I added a little grey and blue to soften the green. Not thrilled with the yellow tips but they will be ok with a little touching up.

Thanks for your comments and ideas