docdodj01

Thanks man! I saw your post! Trumpeter really screwed their kit so bad we can't even use it to correct another kit. :-(

it's too narrow when you mate it to the fuselage. I have one.

Thanks man! I hope to get an idea how big a pill I might be swallowing. :-)

Can you post some progress images?

The old revell P-51B is a better point to start a correction, short of owning the Jerry Rutman one. Trumpeter is way off. Even if you graft the resin nose to the Trumpy kit, you still have a problem with the wing shape. I already compared the new revell P-51D as a quick comparison of the accuracy of the lines. Literally, even if the old P-51B had raised lines, they fall almost exactly to the panel lines in the P-51D. I initially considered grafting the revell D nose to the B, but chickened out in trying to destroy a really nice kit.

Yeah! I saw this! Very, very tempted to get one. I just need to see if the trumpeter windscreen would fit. :-)

Now I'm not saying I'm hating on the kit. I ACTUALLY LOVE IT. IT IS ABOUT TIME WE HAD A TRULY ACCURATE LARGE SCALE HELLCAT. But I wish the research on the markings was done a little more thoroughly. Hopefully aftermarket will come up with more markings we can choose from. I plan to partner the kit with my Trumpeter 1/24 A6M2, I plan to build in the future.

Starting with builds in the smaller scale, including looking at profile images, most (I'd say 95%) comes out with early dash 5 variant with the rear windows. That started me digging more information, and looked for the actual aircraft of VF27. On searching, I obviously found the October 1944 image with paper doll just landing on USS Essex after Princeton got severely damaged by a kamikaze attack. Here's the image: Zooming in: Rear window outlined: So I'm in a quandary. I'm considering making my own markings for death and destruction, I'll just scratch the markings; hopefully it should be easy enough.

I hate calling this nitpicking. So a received the 1/24 hellcat as a birthday gift last month. After having time to look over the parts in details, I then checked the markings. I was planning to do Charles Brown Sharkmouth hellcat, since for me, this was fought in the Philippines where I live. I did research on the aircraft, too look for weathering and all of that, but on looking at his plane, is seems to be an early F6F-5 with the quarter panel window at behind the pilot. Am I mistaken?

Like he said, Badger patriot. You can get one at lower prices, and aftermarket support is the best! PS: Also have a Badger Krome and Sotar. :-)

I just celebrated my birthday, and my lovely wife gave me a 1/24 hellcat as a gift! :-) I want to build it as one of Campbell's ride, but after researching, most images are of his dash 5 hellcat with the rear cutout windows, specifically Minsi III. After further readings, it turn out there were 2 Minsi III, the one photographed with 30 kills, and another with 34 kills, named Minsi III also, but he mentioned it was actually, for him, Minsi IV. Does anyone have clear images of the IV version? I'm looking if there were cutout windows on the rear area, or if it was solid like the airfix kit. Thanks in advance!

In way, the kit is done, just the landing lights and small details to finish. So before posting to the RFI the fully finished images, here's the kit wheels down. I painted the scalloped quarters in interior green to give it a little color. Now just need to do a good photography session for this!

Thanks a million guys! Now back to finishing the kit. :-)

As noted in my build, I'm almost done with my P-40F. Thing is, what exhaust was used for the aircraft? Fishtail, or the rounded one? Trumpeter provided both styles. Thanks in advance!

After wards, the decal on the tail number, at the rudder also broke up. I deduced it may be due to not enough sealant. During the process of removing it, I lifted off some paint. But since I didn't attached the decal, I decided to place it aside, and decide later if I reprint another decal, or just mask it. Anyways, I now decided to place clear gloss, did a panel line wash, and started weathering the kit. Looking at different images, the undersides of the P-51D was very dirty, so I aimed for it as close as I can From what I understand, smoke stains from USAAF aircraft was mostly dark gray, so I went with it. Light at the end of the tunnel, finally!