1/24 Airfix F6F-5 Hellcat "Kicked Up A Notch": New eBook Now Available!

[Gerhard]

F-86 Sabre is a good call. I have a 1/32 in my stash that has been shouting at me for years now. 

[Thunnus]

Another great build, Chuck!  I didn't follow along as closely as a 1/24 Hellcat is not even on my long distance radar.  But I must imagine that it makes for an impressive model in the display, given the size, scale and masterful execution.  Truly reference material stuff!

[SwissFighters]

Hey Chuck, out of curiosity, do you consciously model US aircraft? I recall the Spitfire and Lancaster, but otherwise nothing from other countries. I certainly understand we have our tastes for design.

Are you perhaps looking for something which is technically challenging, or something that really appeals to the weathering artist in you?

[zaxos345]

Awesome build Chuck!!

 

John

[F`s are my favs]

Congrats on the build from me too.

About the ideas, I would go for something new like the F-35A with the complex stealth patterns and shades of the panels, or with something rather old school and classic - the Delta Dagger for example, or the Shooting Star. I always likes the Voodoo as well from that era. Btw I always considered the 1-seated Eurofighter and any of the Mirage 2000 versions. Another idea - watch a movie/documentary and get inspired.  I can't wait for the F-22 but it's just a dream at the moment...

 

[John Stambaugh]

I think we all can certainly relate to long build burn out. I myself struggle with the "that's good enough" at the last few steps. 

 Thanks you Chuck for keeping to the high standards through to the end. 

[Rocat]

Mate, what a ride! Thank you for sharing your masterpiece!

[chuck540z3]

Thank you everyone!

 

10 hours ago, SwissFighters said:

Hey Chuck, out of curiosity, do you consciously model US aircraft? I recall the Spitfire and Lancaster, but otherwise nothing from other countries. I certainly understand we have our tastes for design.

Are you perhaps looking for something which is technically challenging, or something that really appeals to the weathering artist in you?

 

Good question that I've been asked a few times before, and before I answer, I realize that it makes no objective sense at all.

 

At 67 years of age, I was born 9 years after WWII ended and my father and 4 of his brothers were all in the RCAF.  Three of them were in Europe during the war including my father, with 2 of them as Bomber Command air crew (Pilot & Bomb Aimer), but thankfully they all survived without a scratch.  They were very lucky and as you probably know, 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate (I just looked that up).  Anyway, as a young kid, my Dad and my uncles often spoke about the war and as you can imagine, their views of anything German was not very complimentary.  Call in "brain-washing" at a young age if you will, but that is why I don't think I will ever build a German WWII aircraft, because they remind me of Hitler and his henchman's deeds, especially with the swastika on the sides of most of them.  That doesn't mean I dislike anything German at all, because I own a few German cars and I view modern Luftwaffe aircraft as positively as any other European aircraft.  Further, I love traveling to Germany and I really like the generally organized nature of the country, which appeals to my own persona.

 

This brings up Japanese aircraft in WWII.  I sort of feel the same way about them, since the Japanese were pretty bad during the war as well.  Again, I love anything that's modern Japanese and I own a few Japanese cars and lots of their photographic equipment.  I haven't been to Japan yet, but I would love to one day, so it's not anti-Japanese sentiment, but anti-WWII Japanese sentiment that keeps me from reaching for a Tamiya Zero to build.

 

That doesn't mean that don't like German or Japanese WWII builds here, because I really do like to see them and all the fantastic painting and weathering that goes into them, especially the German ones.  I have to admit, however, that I don't click on them as much as "Allied" builds for the reasons above.

 

So with that irrational bias in the back of my brain, I'm drawn to mostly US and British subjects and if I can find a Canadian connection, like my Harvard, CF-104 or 401 Squadron Spitfire, all the better.  The F-86 has lots of Canadian connections as well, so it checks off a lot of boxes for my next build.

 

As for the F-35 and F-22 (when it becomes available), I could see myself building one of them, but they are a bit ugly and too clean to my eye, so detailing them is sort of out of the question, because there's not much to detail other than maybe the cockpit.  I love to watch them fly, however, as I've done at Nellis AFB several times in November most years.  The F-22 absolutely rocks in the air and I'm sure glad it's on "our side".

 

Sorry for the long winded answer, because "its complicated". 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

 

 

 

 

[F`s are my favs]

I immediately recalled a video of a fellow youtuber-crazy-jet-engine-technician that I follow from quite some time...  so, just as an idea: 
 

 

[shark64]

Chuck, Maybe its time to move to the dark side and really get challenged, Build an helicopter.

[chuck540z3]

Thanks.  I've seen that jet fly a few times (including the original Golden Hawks) and I even have the Leading Edge decals for it, but it doesn't allow me to go with a bare metal finish that I'm now drawn to.  This brand of decals are also prone to breaking up in water, based upon some of my past experiences, and I don't have a back-up set, so the risk of a disaster is fairly high, so I think I'll pass.

[John Stambaugh]

1 hour ago, chuck540z3 said:

Thank you everyone!

 

 

Good question that I've been asked a few times before, and before I answer, I realize that it makes no objective sense at all.

 

At 67 years of age, I was born 9 years after WWII ended and my father and 4 of his brothers were all in the RCAF.  Three of them were in Europe during the war including my father, with 2 of them as Bomber Command air crew (Pilot & Bomb Aimer), but thankfully they all survived without a scratch.  They were very lucky and as you probably know, 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate (I just looked that up).  Anyway, as a young kid, my Dad and my uncles often spoke about the war and as you can imagine, their views of anything German was not very complimentary.  Call in "brain-washing" at a young age if you will, but that is why I don't think I will ever build a German WWII aircraft, because they remind me of Hitler and his henchman's deeds, especially with the swastika on the sides of most of them.  That doesn't mean I dislike anything German at all, because I own a few German cars and I view modern Luftwaffe aircraft as positively as any other European aircraft.  Further, I love traveling to Germany and I really like the generally organized nature of the country, which appeals to my own persona.

 

This brings up Japanese aircraft in WWII.  I sort of feel the same way about them, since the Japanese were pretty bad during the war as well.  Again, I love anything that's modern Japanese and I own a few Japanese cars and lots of their photographic equipment.  I haven't been to Japan yet, but I would love to one day, so it's not anti-Japanese sentiment, but anti-WWII Japanese sentiment that keeps me from reaching for a Tamiya Zero to build.

 

That doesn't mean that don't like German or Japanese WWII builds here, because I really do like to see them and all the fantastic painting and weathering that goes into them, especially the German ones.  I have to admit, however, that I don't click on them as much as "Allied" builds for the reasons above.

 

So with that irrational bias in the back of my brain, I'm drawn to mostly US and British subjects and if I can find a Canadian connection, like my Harvard, CF-104 or 401 Squadron Spitfire, all the better.  The F-86 has lots of Canadian connections as well, so it checks off a lot of boxes for my next build.

 

As for the F-35 and F-22 (when it becomes available), I could see myself building one of them, but they are a bit ugly and too clean to my eye, so detailing them is sort of out of the question, because there's not much to detail other than maybe the cockpit.  I love to watch them fly, however, as I've done at Nellis AFB several times in November most years.  The F-22 absolutely rocks in the air and I'm sure glad it's on "our side".

 

Sorry for the long winded answer, because "its complicated". 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

 

 

 

 

To a man with bias, opinions and principles; bravo!

[Lucio Martino]

Chuck,

 

First if all congratulation for your amazing model and thank you for sharing your work with us.

 

And then, what about a Trumpeter 1:32 Su-27?

It would be a very interesting choice, a very interesting build because:

- The Su-27 is one of the most beatiful aircraft ever.

- The Trumpeter kit call for a lot of aftermarket and detailing work.

- The painting job is challenging, expecially when it comes to the exhausts, the natural metal surfaces, and the weathered camouflage of old russian aircrafts deployed up to the very north.

 

My second best would be a Tamiya F-15E built as an Israeli F-15I.

 

Cheers,

Lucio

Edited April 15, 2022 by Lucio Martino

[kwagmyre]

Another superb model Chuck!!

 

If you're looking at jets now, I'd recommend the following:

 

T-2C Buckeye (not much AM available though)

SU-25 (some nice ordnance from Zacto)

Superbug (yes you have Hornets but it's not really the same AC is it?)

If you ever had the inkling for another F-15, I'd recommend a Baz, Ra'am or J/DJ for something different.  

[SwissFighters]

12 hours ago, chuck540z3 said:

Thank you everyone!

 

 

Good question that I've been asked a few times before, and before I answer, I realize that it makes no objective sense at all.

 

At 67 years of age, I was born 9 years after WWII ended and my father and 4 of his brothers were all in the RCAF.  Three of them were in Europe during the war including my father, with 2 of them as Bomber Command air crew (Pilot & Bomb Aimer), but thankfully they all survived without a scratch.  They were very lucky and as you probably know, 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate (I just looked that up).  Anyway, as a young kid, my Dad and my uncles often spoke about the war and as you can imagine, their views of anything German was not very complimentary.  Call in "brain-washing" at a young age if you will, but that is why I don't think I will ever build a German WWII aircraft, because they remind me of Hitler and his henchman's deeds, especially with the swastika on the sides of most of them.  That doesn't mean I dislike anything German at all, because I own a few German cars and I view modern Luftwaffe aircraft as positively as any other European aircraft.  Further, I love traveling to Germany and I really like the generally organized nature of the country, which appeals to my own persona.

 

This brings up Japanese aircraft in WWII.  I sort of feel the same way about them, since the Japanese were pretty bad during the war as well.  Again, I love anything that's modern Japanese and I own a few Japanese cars and lots of their photographic equipment.  I haven't been to Japan yet, but I would love to one day, so it's not anti-Japanese sentiment, but anti-WWII Japanese sentiment that keeps me from reaching for a Tamiya Zero to build.

 

That doesn't mean that don't like German or Japanese WWII builds here, because I really do like to see them and all the fantastic painting and weathering that goes into them, especially the German ones.  I have to admit, however, that I don't click on them as much as "Allied" builds for the reasons above.

 

So with that irrational bias in the back of my brain, I'm drawn to mostly US and British subjects and if I can find a Canadian connection, like my Harvard, CF-104 or 401 Squadron Spitfire, all the better.  The F-86 has lots of Canadian connections as well, so it checks off a lot of boxes for my next build.

 

As for the F-35 and F-22 (when it becomes available), I could see myself building one of them, but they are a bit ugly and too clean to my eye, so detailing them is sort of out of the question, because there's not much to detail other than maybe the cockpit.  I love to watch them fly, however, as I've done at Nellis AFB several times in November most years.  The F-22 absolutely rocks in the air and I'm sure glad it's on "our side".

 

Sorry for the long winded answer, because "its complicated". 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

 

 

 

 

No need to apologise, Chuck. I appreciate the time taken to share an explanation. It is interesting how we all have reasons for what we do.
Other than the F-86, which is a sweet aircraft, in BMF, would you possibly consider the English electric lightning?