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1/24 Airfix F6F-5 Hellcat


Gisbod

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16 hours ago, ringleheim said:

Looks great Guy! 

 

According to this website, the NAVY switched to the overall gloss sea blue right around the same time as the F5 variant was released, but it mentions that some of the very first F5 variants had the older paint scheme.

 

If that is accurate, I would say you have some license to deviate away from an all blue look if you don't like that.

 

http://christophe.arribat.pagesperso-orange.fr/profil/f6f/f6f.html

 

Ah thanks, but fairly set on the dark blue now ^_^

 

 

19 hours ago, Vynce804 said:

Hi Guy,  your primer coat looks super smooth,  do you mind me asking which brand you use?  Cheers. Matt

 

Hi Matt & Shep, 

 

its Mr Paint 1500 surfacer and thinned slightly with their brand of thinners - sprays like a dream!

 

Guy

Edited by Gisbod
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So, I think I’ve just about finished the engine!

 

I painted all the components separately, then pieced it all together - this ends up being a serious chunk of plastic! The fit is super tight, not in a bad way, in fact in all just clicks together. I hardly used any glue at all. It is, however, a complex structure and some thought and dry runs don’t go amiss.

 

The wiring was easier than I imagined, as the pipe work is very well detailed in the instructions (and colour coded), even giving you the lengths you need to cut for each section. They advise the use of 0.7mm (22 SWG) copper wire. I used coloured Artistic Wire to this diameter and it worked just fine. The holes are all there ready to accept the wire. This is even an improvement on the Tamiya kit for the Corsair - same engine near enough, where it was a pain in the **** to fix the wires to the central section. But no such issues here! 

 

An over spray of a warm brown wash tied it all together.

 

Hats off to Airfix for this section.

 

 

Guy

 

 

B717720-A-A9-D8-41-E7-BFC0-B34-E1-DAC49-

 

 

5-B7-F3-B69-4805-4-C80-AF01-9-A6-AB6-AC8

 

 

64706-DA5-1-B37-448-C-AA01-11360346-F28-

 

 

 

BA851-FDB-02-DB-4-F80-BB04-07767-DABE7-B

 

 

And a point for the multiple sections of pipe - it’s worth noting which are which during painting, as they all look very similar! I used my Gisbod Parts Separating Device (Patent applied for)...

 

 

9-FA9-ED80-11-B1-4-BE1-BB11-12-D81-CFC97

 

 

Edited by Gisbod
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Thank you :)

 

I’ve finally got to that stage where I can get the major components together. This is a serious chunk of plastic! Fit is, again excellent. I had a couple of warped pieces (top wing) - but clamping sorted it out while fitting. I managed to break off one of the machine guns within minutes of fitting the top wing :blink: but that’s just par for the course..

 

This picture highlights the stressed skin very nicely. The leading edge of the wing in particular.

 

The wheel wells are Dark Sea Blue and for this I’ve been using Mr Paint Blue FS15050 - just because it’s what I’ve got and it looks about right to me (maybe a tadge light?). Before I spray the whole airframe - any recommendations for a technically correct match for the Sea Blue? Tamiya, MRP, Mr Colour etc

 

Are the FAA Hellcat’s that are dark blue, the same Sea Blue as the US versions?

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Guy

 

 

2-C3-E00-A9-CA48-4-BFB-8-B29-53-B5-F3203

 

 

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Looking great Guy! I'm personally partial to MRPs DSB, but that is just me, as I like the look of the color and it sprays excellently.

 

11 minutes ago, shark64 said:

Did u do the stressed look on the wings or the kit comes that way?

 

Comes OOB that way.

The actual end result of the stressed effect looks good to me, but just a bit too consistent, and evenly spread out IMHO. 

 

This is going to be one big birdy when done!

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