1/48 Hobbyboss Hellcat MkII

[Avgas]

Next on the executioner's block is this offering from Hobbyboss. It has it's detractors in the modelling community of the usual 'wrong shape rivet on the lower port elevator' type but it looks like a Hellcat to me. There is one glaring error in that the one I'm doing, JV128 is actually a Mk I Hellcat...but hey, details, who needs 'em. It's got folding wings which none of the other FAA Hellcat models have.

Here's some guff courtesy of Wiki:

'The British Fleet Air Arm (FAA) received 1,263 F6Fs under the Lend-Lease Act; initially it was known as the Grumman Gannet Mark I. The name Hellcat replaced it in early 1943 for the sake of simplicity, the Royal Navy at that time adopting the use of the existing American naval names for all the U.S.-made aircraft supplied to it, with the F6F-3 being designated Hellcat F Mk.I, the F6F-5, the Hellcat F Mk.II and the F6F-5N, the Hellcat NF Mk.II.They saw action off Norway, in the Mediterranean and in the Far East. A number were fitted with photographic reconnaissance equipment similar to the F6F-5P, receiving the designation Hellcat FR Mk.II. The Pacific War being a naval war, the FAA Hellcats primarily faced land based aircraft in the European and Mediterranean Theaters, and as a consequence experienced far fewer opportunities for air-to-air combat than their USN/Marines counterparts; they claimed a total of 52 enemy aircraft kills during 18 aerial combats from May 1944 to July 1945. 1844 Naval Air Squadron, on board HMS Indomitable of the British Pacific Fleet was the highest scoring unit, with 32.5 kills.

FAA Hellcats, as with other Lend-Lease aircraft, were rapidly replaced by British aircraft after the end of the war, with only two of the 12 squadrons equipped with the Hellcat at VJ-Day still retaining Hellcats by the end of 1945. These two squadrons were disbanded in 1946.'

In fact the last one was retired from the RN in 1952.

My choice, JV128, was based aboard HMS Indomitable and was part of 1839 NAS. Their first action was in June '44 against Japanese postions in Sumatra, in fact I think it was a concrete factory.

A few pics







On with the kit. Sturdy box.



Sprues are individually bagged and as usual with Hobbyboss the transparencies are foam wrapped. Excellent.





Instructions are on double sided fold outs.





Decals are bagged and have a sheet of tissue.



I do like the way they do their paint call out sheets, although as usual they don't give much detail about the actual aircraft.





Let the butchery begin!

[Nev]

Fantastic images really want to do one of these now.

Looking at Lt. Mitchell seems he survived and had a long life married with 3 children, eventually passing in 2007! If I have the correct fellow on unit histories.

[Avgas]

Hope he had a long life, not many of them did.

[Avgas]

Started off with the engine mount and cockpit foor.





I decided to go with the decals for the instruments so sanded off the detail.



Then painted up the cockpit and engine mount parts.



Put the ancillary bits on the engine mount (none of which will be seen when it's buttoned up but good practice I suppose).



Gave it an oil wash along with the other bits that I've painted, did a bit of detailing and that's where it sits at the moment.

[AdamLuscombe]

That cockpit looks nice, good luck with the build

[Avgas]

Thanks Smash. Got the pit done, bit of a faff to put together but it's there. Need to put some masking tape seat belts in I think as the seat looks a bit bare.







Dry fit reveals a good match. I'll give the decals a wash tomorrow once the Microsol has dried to tone them down a bit.

[shortCummins]

that gun sight is brilliant, the rest of its not too shabby either

rgds
John(shortCummins)

[Avgas]

I just painted it and bunged it on! But ta anyway!

[AdamLuscombe]

Still all looks great!

[Avgas]

Got the belts in the pit and gave it another wash to tone those decals down and got the donk done. You will only see the front bit when it's buttoned up so let's say it's a bit over engineered...

[demarcation]

The pit and engine look fantastic. Keep up the good work!

[Icemannique]

Looking fantastic so far !

[Avgas]

Thanks guys. A bit more work done, been too sunny and sweaty here to sit modelling but I've done a bit. (Got a mini heat wave next week apparently!)

Got the wing centre section done up, with a nice glueprint on the wing...



Rocket and bomb holes were filled as this one didn't carry them.







The sprue gates are annoyingly all the way through onto the wings.



Wing fold dry fitted. It's very sturdy and precise with some nice 'inside the wing fold' detail. Good work Hobbyboss.





This is how much you will see of the donk and pit once it's buttoned up.





Been a really good kit so far, especially so considering it cost me around £9.

[Avgas]

Bit more done, got the fuselage buttoned up. Couple of bits to fill but nothing massive.





Dry fit of u/c reveals no issues.



Stub wings and tailplane attched.





Dry fit of wing fold is good, very precise. I shall be painting the outer wings separately. So far it's been a really nice kit. I've just had a look back through my shop account where I bought it from and it was £6.47. Billy bargain.

[Willem]

Coming together nicely mate.

£6.47! Blimey!