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

[justplanecrazy]

The "pitot static line" stencil does not appear on #7 that was pictured in a previous post. and looking closely, the insulator appears teardrop shaped. That's they way I depicted it on my model. I believe the stencil is on the restored #32 at The FHM, but haven't seen it on wartime a/c. 

[chuck540z3]

1 hour ago, justplanecrazy said:

The "pitot static line" stencil does not appear on #7 that was pictured in a previous post. and looking closely, the insulator appears teardrop shaped. That's they way I depicted it on my model. I believe the stencil is on the restored #32 at The FHM, but haven't seen it on wartime a/c. 

 

Interesting and thanks.  This stencil is not only on the kit decals (#63), but also on the Fundekals set (#20, 2 styles), which does differ from the kit ones in some circumstances, which I have found to be a bit more accurate than the kit.  The mystery continues.....

 

Cheers,

Chuck

[SwissFighters]

12 hours ago, JayW said:

 

Regarding the spring, I reckon you could scratch build that Chuck. Perhaps you could run the antenna wire right through from both attachment points. This arrangement picks up the slack. You could make up a small spring using fuse wire wrapped around a pin (adding whatever other parts of the assembly you want to replicate), and simply have that item threaded over the antenna wire ready for final placement during assembly of the antenna wire. That way you can spread the spring coils out to scale pitch, without running the risk that the spring itself ever gets stretched? Just a thought. Tony

 

[Oldbaldguy]

11 hours ago, JayW said:

To add to any confusion, the attachment to the RH side fuselage:

 

 

 

 

Not clear to me what shape that insulator is - whether or not it is teardrop shaped.  Also, if there is any inconsistency between pics, it may be that one is F6F-3 and one is F6F-6.  

These insulators are typically white ceramic material.  Truncated cone shape with a round base.  They are not very big.  This drawing shows two identical cones with the skin of the fuselage sandwiched in between.  Antenna wire attaches to the threaded fitting (which passes all the way through both parts of the insulator) on the outside and the jumper to the radio attaches to the other end inside the airplane.  This isolates the antenna from the skin of the airplane.  The antenna wire itself runs from the tail to the tall mast behind the cockpit (or sometimes from the tail straight to the fuselage) then down to the insulator and then into the radio.  My apologies if you guys already knew that - it is very late and I do not wish to insult anyone’s intelligence.

[chuck540z3]

Thanks for the tips guys.  I really appreciate the input!

 

Regarding the PITOT STATIC LINE.... decal, it appears that all other builds of this model have it as well, which is no surprise, since the decal is in the kit instructions and the Fundekals set.  Having said that, I can't find one pic of a real aircraft that has it, so I now highly suspect that it's some kind of mistake?  I have yet to see the tiny insulator stuck on the side of another model, so this will give me a chance to create something a bit unique, and it appears, very accurate.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

[CraigH]

2 hours ago, chuck540z3 said:

Thanks for the tips guys.  I really appreciate the input!

 

Regarding the PITOT STATIC LINE.... decal, it appears that all other builds of this model have it as well, which is no surprise, since the decal is in the kit instructions and the Fundekals set.  Having said that, I can't find one pic of a real aircraft that has it, so I now highly suspect that it's some kind of mistake?  I have yet to see the tiny insulator stuck on the side of another model, so this will give me a chance to create something a bit unique, and it appears, very accurate.

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Hi Chuck

Regarding the pitot static port. It was moved from the starboard wingtip on the F6F-3 to the mid starboard fuselage on the F6F-5, presumably because it gave a more accurate reference pressure there. Since its sole purpose is to do just that, I presume the boffins at Grumman found out it was just better there.

[Oldbaldguy]

Ref antennae and such:  The tall antenna masts on WW2 airplanes often were made of nonconducting wood.  I’ve noticed over the years that an awful lot of modelers - me included- never made the connection that the antenna wire had to actually connect to the radio somehow in order to work. Like so many others, I’d run a piece of stretched sprue or EZ Line from the mast to the tail and call it done, never realizing until lately that I’d missed the part where the antenna made it down inside to the radio.  Blew right by me for sixty years.  How sad is that?

[chuck540z3]

1 hour ago, Oldbaldguy said:

Ref antennae and such:  The tall antenna masts on WW2 airplanes often were made of nonconducting wood.  I’ve noticed over the years that an awful lot of modelers - me included- never made the connection that the antenna wire had to actually connect to the radio somehow in order to work. Like so many others, I’d run a piece of stretched sprue or EZ Line from the mast to the tail and call it done, never realizing until lately that I’d missed the part where the antenna made it down inside to the radio.  Blew right by me for sixty years.  How sad is that?

 

Great thought, but where does it go?  I assume you are indicating that the wire should go from the top of the mast, down the side of it, and into the fuselage?

 

 

 

OK, I think I've got this antenna wire and Pitot hole figured out, although I've been wrong before.  Remember those oil lines? 

 

Anyway, after looking at many more Hellcat pics in WWII (I love this stuff), I cannot find one with a stencil right beside that hole that should be for the antenna, which is in the exact location it should be on the model.  First a pic of the model, noting that it is 3 panels down from the antenna mast and 2 rearward in the corner.

 

 

 

Now the real deal, with 2 "discoveries".  While I can't find a stencil next to the antenna hole, there usually is one right at the corner of the white insignia bar.  Could this be the Pitot hole instead?  The other discovery which I knew about already, is the vertical stencil at the front is on the cowling and not the fuselage, which the kit instructions got wrong.  The Fundekals instructions have it correct, so if the cowlings are off like mine, there should be no stencil here.  The other thing I like about this pic is that it shows the exhaust staining really well, and that fuel door at the front is sure dirty this time, as I eventually tried to replicate.

 

 

 

 

While this pic is fairly low resolution to begin with, I tried to blow up the area in question to see if I could read any of it.  While I can't make out a word, I can see what looks like a small arrow pointing downwards.  Further, the Fundecals set has 2 styles for this stencil, one of which looks a lot like this one, notwithstanding the fact that they got the position wrong as well.

 

 

So I should probably try to remove that decal and install a new one in the correct position and add a small hole, but since I sealed it with X-22 it's likely stuck there forever, so a re-paint seems in order.  We'll see what happens....

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited March 19, 2022 by chuck540z3

[Oldbaldguy]

Pitot static ports haven’t changed much over the years.  They look like an American 25 cent coin glued to the skin of the airplane with a small hole drilled in the center of it.  Not that you care or can even see it, there is a nipple on the back side with a line attached that runs up to the instrument panel.  Most airplanes have one on either side - at least all of mine did.  All this does is make some of the instruments work correctly regardless of attitude.  Using no other reference than that one photo, you are correct in that you have put the decal for the static port where the antenna insulator should be and that the static port is located lower and slightly more forward on the fuselage.  The placard is almost universal in that it says “do not paint or otherwise screw with this here hole on pain of death” or something to that effect.  At least that is what the placard said on my Cessna.  And the antenna runs from the tail to the mast and then down to the insulator on its way to the radio inside.  It’s a very simple setup when you think about it.

 

[Eagle Driver]

Oh baby baby! B-baby-baby!
Lovely

[justplanecrazy]

another thing I noticed on this photo is that the spring-loaded grab handle door seems to be missing. I've noticed that this is not an uncommon occurrence since I've seen it in other photos. just a side note on the stencils, wartime birds had a "NO STEP" stencil on the wing, just above the triangular fairing is between the inboard and outboard flaps, as this portion had little support framing underneath. Don't know about the Fundekal's sheet, but I know the kit sheet does not have one

[chuck540z3]

Thank you for the tip sir!

 

March 22/22

 

Like most modelers, I suffer from OCD when it comes to accuracy and when I suspect something is wrong, I just have to fix it.  At the risk of beating this pitot /antenna hole dead horse yet again, I think I’ve got things figured out.  Since we’re on a new page, I’ll put up the key pic again that shows the problem the best. 

 

 

 

 

And here is where the kit (and Fundekal) instructions tell you to place the Pitot hole decal, which has to be wrong.  The Pitot hole and the antenna wire hole can’t be at the same spot.

 

 

 

 

I looked at many, many pics of wartime Hellcats and I have not found one with a stencil beside where the antenna wire goes into the fuselage, through what is usually a light colored, tear-shaped insulator.  I did, however find many pics of Hellcats with a stencil just like the first pic above in about the same location.  I’m sure there’s better pics somewhere, but here’s 2 pics of this same stencil on other aircraft as outlined in red.  Although hard to see, it appears to have the same downward arrow on the bottom of the right side, which presumably points to the hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It just so happens that the Fundekal set has 2 styles of this stencil, one with 2 lines of lettering like the kit decals, which is the first one I used, and one with 3 lines of lettering that form a bit of V-shape.  I think this is the correct one, but there are some differences.  On the real aircraft above the lettering of this stencil is much smaller than the one beside the hand hold, so it’s a bit too big.  Also, this shows that the big star and bar insignia is a bit higher than the real deal, so the stencil winds up beside it a bit rather than on top of it.  In hindsight, there wasn’t much I could have changed when I applied this insignia, because in order to get the top of the star located slightly down from the top of the fuselage, the bar that comes with it is a bit out of scale and too tall.  No big deal, because decals, and paint masks created from them, are rarely perfectly to scale anyway.

 

 

To get this wrong decal off, I tried the good ‘ol Scotch tape method, where you burnish the tape down snug on the decal and then try to rip it off.  Thanks to a good coat of X-22 over all the decals to seal them in, this decal wouldn’t budge, so I had to lightly sand it off, re-paint and then reapply a little weathering wash.  I also drilled small holes for the pitot and antenna wire that will be added later.  Anyway, it’s done now, so I sure hope I’m right! 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the tip by justplanecrazy, there are a couple of “No Step” stencils that should go over the landing gear well, where there is no support, but are missing from both decal sets.  These stencils are typically much bigger than the ones on the rear of the inner flaps, but the only ones I could find in white are the kit decals, since I used the Fundekal ones already.  Even though they are too small, they are better than nothing and located about where they should be.

 

 

 

 

OK, enough of pitot holes and stencils, but if I had left that stencil beside the aerial hole it would have always driven me crazy! 

 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited March 22, 2022 by chuck540z3

[CraigH]

2 hours ago, chuck540z3 said:

Thank you for the tip sir!

 

March 22/22

 

Like most modelers, I suffer from OCD when it comes to accuracy and when I suspect something is wrong, I just have to fix it.  At the risk of beating this pitot /antenna hole dead horse yet again, I think I’ve got things figured out.  Since we’re on a new page, I’ll put up the key pic again that shows the problem the best. 

 

 

 

 

And here is where the kit (and Fundekal) instructions tell you to place the Pitot hole decal, which has to be wrong.  The Pitot hole and the antenna wire hole can’t be at the same spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I looked at many, many pics of wartime Hellcats and I have not found one with a stencil beside where the antenna wire goes into the fuselage, through what is usually a light colored, tear-shaped insulator.  I did, however find many pics of Hellcats with a stencil just like the first pic above in about the same location.  I’m sure there’s better pics somewhere, but here’s 2 pics of this same stencil on other aircraft as outlined in red.  Although hard to see, it appears to have the same downward arrow on the bottom of the right side, which presumably points to the hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It just so happens that the Fundekal set has 2 styles of this stencil, one with 2 lines of lettering like the kit decals, which is the first one I used, and one with 3 lines of lettering that form a bit of V-shape.  I think this is the correct one, but there are some differences.  On the real aircraft above the lettering of this stencil is much smaller than the one beside the hand hold, so it’s a bit too big.  Also, this shows that the big star and bar insignia is a bit higher than the real deal, so the stencil winds up beside it a bit rather than on top of it.  In hindsight, there wasn’t much I could have changed when I applied this insignia, because in order to get the top of the star located slightly down from the top of the fuselage, the bar that comes with it is a bit out of scale and too tall.  No big deal, because decals, and paint masks created from them, are rarely perfectly to scale anyway.

 

 

To get this wrong decal off, I tried the good ‘ol Scotch tape method, where you burnish the tape down snug on the decal and then try to rip it off.  Thanks to a good coat of X-22 over all the decals to seal them in, this decal wouldn’t budge, so I had to lightly sand it off, re-paint and then reapply a little weathering wash.  I also drilled small holes for the pitot and antenna wire that will be added later.  Anyway, it’s done now, so I sure hope I’m right! 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to the tip by justplanecrazy, there are a couple of “No Step” stencils that should go over the landing gear well, where there is no support, but are missing from both decal sets.  These stencils are typically much bigger than the ones on the rear of the inner flaps, but the only ones I could find in white are the kit decals, since I used the Fundekal ones already.  Even though they are too small, they are better than nothing and located about where they should be.

 

 

 

 

OK, enough of pitot holes and stencils, but if I had left that stencil beside the aerial hole it would have always driven me crazy! 

 

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Damn you Chuck LOL. You're right and I'm now bugged but I can't do anything about it. Moving the wire is easy but, unlike you, I have no spare decal so it looks like it'll have to either stay as it is or I move it and have no decal for the pitot static hole. Not sure yet

[chuck540z3]

6 hours ago, CraigH said:

Damn you Chuck LOL. You're right and I'm now bugged but I can't do anything about it. Moving the wire is easy but, unlike you, I have no spare decal so it looks like it'll have to either stay as it is or I move it and have no decal for the pitot static hole. Not sure yet

 

Sorry Craig!  As for the decal, you are in good company, because every single build of this kit seems to have it that way, thanks to the incorrect instructions.  As mentioned, I've looked at hundreds of pics and not one of them has a stencil of any kind next to the antenna wire and considering how large and clear the lettering is, this is a major error in my mind.  If I might make a suggestion, getting rid of the decal is more important than finding a new one, because the pitot stencil is very small and on many aircraft almost invisible (if not invisible).

 

Cheers,

Chuck

Edited March 22, 2022 by chuck540z3

[John Stambaugh]

Here again is a fine example of individuals, dedicated to their craft who make the extra effort to "get it right ". 

 I must admit that I will eagerly take  your expertise for my benefit. 

 Both Craig and Chuck have laid down a detailed roadmap that makes this build less daunting for me.

 Gentlemen, I thank you.