LetLetLet ~ Warplanes
Let Let Let - Warplanes => Aircraft Modeling => Topic started by: Second Air Force on April 09, 2013, 10:01:07 PM
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A few months ago I picked up a Weekend Edition F6F-3 kit so I could do a "fun-build". This is a very nice looking product from Eduard, with excellent surface detail. One of the reasons I got this was to use the windscreen assembly on the SAAB project. Later on, an Eduard PE set (for the HobbyBoss kit, actually) was on sale so I am incorporating that set into the build. Here are a few photos of the cockpit and sidewalls.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1628_zps6420656f.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1627_zps7273d7c8.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1623_zpsd22423c0.jpg)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1622_zpse1646596.jpg)
And one shot of the joined fuselage halves after assembly. You'll note that I've filled the small windows behind the cockpit peculiar to the early Hellcats. I've decided to build a variant of the -5 instead so I simply plugged the windows and removed the small fairing on the lower cowling sections.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1630_zpsc704897a.jpg)
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Hellcat from Eduard is always pleasure to build :))
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This is a great, relaxing kit to assemble. The cockpit PE took time and patience but the rest is fitting wonderfully. Very little filler needed here!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1631_zps06b113b5.jpg)
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Very good job my friend! :-clap
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Srecko mentioned that the Eduard Hellcat is a pleasure to build, and he is quite correct. The fit of the wings and tailplanes is good enough that I've decided to paint the subassemblies separately and join everything together after painting:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1635_zps266ead65.jpg)
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And another one is one the way :))
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Excellent job!! :-clap
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Thanks, mates!
I must mention that the top surfaces are painted with my thirty-year-old Humbrol enamels. Again, these worked great and like I only opened the tins for the first time yesterday! The Sky on the belly is "modern" Model Master, however.
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This build doesn't have anything to do with the Hellcat, except that it was used to experiment on the camouflage painting. It's an Accurate Miniatures Mustang Ia but I don't have any other photos of it. This has been nearly ready for paint for many years and I found it by accident in the box it was hiding in. So, I pulled it out and used it as a paint-practice machine.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1636_zpsd9a98f5c.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1636_zpsd9a98f5c.jpg.html)
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Mustang Ia is great :) re you going to remove paint now?
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... or will this be your model for practice?
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I think I'll complete the Mustang.
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:-ok
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Before we went for a family visit this past weekend I was able to start applying decals to the Hellcat. Once this is finished the wings can be attached and final varnish applied:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1657_zpsd224b0cd.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1657_zpsd224b0cd.jpg.html)
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Crisp work mate ;)
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Looks nice!
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:-clap :-ok
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Thanks, mates!
I don't have much time to devote to my workbench right now and the projects are becoming stale......but I intend to do at least something on this soon!
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Here are the large parts finally assembled. Really only weathering and small bits left on this now..:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1680_zps44566a39.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1680_zps44566a39.jpg.html)
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Well done mate, better approach to assembly then I do :-ok
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Finished product:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1716_zps3742f0ef.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1716_zps3742f0ef.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1715_zpsc9541608.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1715_zpsc9541608.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1710_zpsb2511f0d.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1710_zpsb2511f0d.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1709_zps5a783bf8.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1709_zps5a783bf8.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1706_zps79cc5c1a.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1706_zps79cc5c1a.jpg.html)
The original machine was Hellcat II JX688 and was serving with 896 Squadron on HMS Empress during August of 1945 off Phuket Island in the SWPA. The decals came from Aeromaster and the main tires and wheels are out of an Accurate Miniatures TBM. Other than those items, this is an all-Eduard build.
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Great work :)
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Beautiful job mate! :-clap I like it a lot! :-clap
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Thank you!
No.1, I received the Eduard R-2800 in the mail today. I'll start a new review thread of that kit ASAP.
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Great! I hope you like it :))
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It is spectacular!
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Now that the R-2800 has been built it's time to continue with the airplane it is intended for, a second Eduard Weekend Edition F6F-3. The first stage was to assemble the wings and then move on to painting the cockpit parts. This is going to be an early machine so the interior was sprayed in Bronze Green per the Grumman method at the beginning. I will again be using an Eduard PE set for the cockpit to enhance it:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1842_zps14de1e29.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1842_zps14de1e29.jpg.html)
After assembling the wing panels I fabricated gun barrel fairings for the two inboard guns on each side from styrene. The longer ones are actually rather flat on the sides and somewhat oblong in shape so these required some filing. Once the glue dries a bit of putty will fair these into the wing skins:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1845_zpsa7ad2b49.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1845_zpsa7ad2b49.jpg.html)
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Good update on gun cover ;)
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Great! :-clap
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Thanks, friends!
The folks at Eduard have included the earliest style of cowling with this kit (it has two cowl flaps on the bottom, all later ones deleted them) and the original design windscreen. The gun covers were the only thing not included in the kit but they were easy to make. Depending on which reference you read, only 900 or less Hellcats had these fairings.
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I found some spare moments this evening and was able to add the Eduard PE set to the cockpit parts, then assembled the module:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1851_zpse62e8cf4.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1851_zpse62e8cf4.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1852_zps766821db.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1852_zps766821db.jpg.html)
The more Zoom PE sets I've been able to work with, the more I like them! I was never much of a fan of photoetch in my earlier modeling days but I almost look forward to it now!
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Zoom are excellent quick solution to bring the kit into reality :)
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:-ok
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Thanks, friends. Using PE used to be nerve-wracking to me as the Carpet Monster always ate the most important elements. Finally I admitted my eyesight wasn't as good as it used to be and now that I use a proper magnifier it is much better.
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Excellent cockpit! :-clap
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Some small progress here, the main subassemblies are glued together finally.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1864_zps7ba6ac9d.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1864_zps7ba6ac9d.jpg.html)
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I built up the kit engine tonight and enhanced it a bit with plug wires and tubing, then fitted it to the airframe and slipped the cowl on for a test-fit.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1890_zpscd3d22a0.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1890_zpscd3d22a0.jpg.html)
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As I know you, this is close to painting :)
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Not too far away, No.1 This still needs some primer on the seams first, then paint can start.
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Green painted on canopies for interior framing. Then a coat of primer on the seams and some touching up. If time allows I'll get the underside color applied early this week.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1899_zps969293ec.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1899_zps969293ec.jpg.html)
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Must see if I have any archive image of the subject you plan to do...
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:-clap :-ok
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Last night I applied the grey underside color and sprayed the wing walkways, propeller and tires. This is a quite simple (very early Hellcat) paint scheme, blue-grey topside, grey underside!
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1905_zpsa77923ce.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1905_zpsa77923ce.jpg.html)
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This scheme is very interesting to me ;)
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Topside camouflage is now sprayed. I still have to paint the open cowling parts for the resin engine conversion. I've saved the masks and will simply reassemble the cowling parts for painting.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1920_zps9144c3e4.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1920_zps9144c3e4.jpg.html)
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Perfect match to the Blue Grey color :)
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This color is something of a mystery to me, actually. Many years ago I built an early war SBD in this scheme with Acrylic paints (my first attempt with that material, and it worked well) but my paints no longer are useable. :-wall So....... I was forced to find an alternative. I did considerable research and consulted the IPMS Stockholm tables. Testors does have a pretty good match but I darkened it just a tiny bit. However, now I wonder if I should have done the darkening as I'm afraid it will get even darker when gloss varnish is applied. Also, notice that in my photo of the brand-new #1 on the Essex that the paint was originally just a bit semi-gloss. Well, we will just have to see as it is assembled.
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I will upload late image of this color from Wildcat which was dumped for six month and then pilot took panel and bring it to home. Even after long exposure it still kept its dark shade....
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Great job mate! :-clap
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I have updated Wildcat topic and there is very good color sample of Blue Grey
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After going through several different kits and decal sheets I finally found the national insignia needed for this very early F6F:
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1932_zps2559c046.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1932_zps2559c046.jpg.html)
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The next step on this was to apply the many stencils. Eduard supplies a complete sheet of these decals but my instruction sheed had no proper key as to their location. This was not a problem--I simply downloaded the decal placement instructions from a ProfiPack kit. That led to my second problem, the white stencils were unreadable until the backing paper was made wet. All went well after identifying the stencils and they applied quite nicely. After all stencils were applied it was time for the numeral and national insignia, then a final coat of flat clear.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1935_zps345d3147.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1935_zps345d3147.jpg.html)
I really, really like being able to assemble, paint and decal the components in this way before final assembly!
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Hellcat have no much stencils so this will be easy job :)
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Yep, just a few--nothing like a MiG-21!!!!!!! I think the MiG I built has more stencils on just the weapons pylons than this whole machine.
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I like how it looks! :-clap
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Another relaxing Hellcat build is done--I can't recommend this kit too highly, it really is beautiful to construct.
The aircraft depicted is a very early production F6F-3 of VF-1. The machine was being used for carrier qualifications and training in May of 1943 on board the U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) during her shakedown cruise.
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1970_zps70a46ded.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1970_zps70a46ded.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1981_zpscc20e49f.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1981_zpscc20e49f.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1975_zpsbed40524.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1975_zpsbed40524.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1979_zps1ea3efb3.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1979_zps1ea3efb3.jpg.html)
(http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w117/2AF/IMG_1972_zps82249f50.jpg) (http://s174.photobucket.com/user/2AF/media/IMG_1972_zps82249f50.jpg.html)
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I like it mate ;)
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Me too! :)) :-clap