STM Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 With the instrument panel done, the cockpit is finally finished. On to the radios (which I have already made) and avionics, control cables and other assorted bits behind the pilot's bulkhead. The access hatch at the bottom of the fuselage is pretty large, about 1x1.75" so it will make the stuff inside fairly easily visible. jeroen_R90S, CODY, JayW and 19 others 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg W Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Wow, beautifully done! All of it, build and paint. Real nice to just take it in and dwell on another great WIP on the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) I took a slight detour when my decals arrived. I plan on finishing this model in the markings of CAPT. (then CDR and CAG) David McCampbell's "Minsi III", the leading US Navy ace in WWII and CMH recipient. But there is a hitch. Although CDR McCampbell's Minsi III was an F6F-5, it was an early one that still had the F6F-3 windows behind that cockpit. They were found to be basically useless so they were eventually deleted. The decals I found, by Aerocraft also had a resin conversion to backdate the -5 for McCampbells aircraft, at least as far as the windows go, but I chose not to use it. The clear resin is very clear but the detail work, especially the rivets, does not match the kit particularly well. And it would mean making a big cut in the fuselage which would require filling and a redo a lot of rivets. Instead, I chose to just use my -3 drawings and cut out the windows myself. I marked them on the fuselage in pencil and use my circle template to get the right curvature for the corners. I drilled out the corners and then cut the rest of the window with an X-Acto 2" razor saw (the one that goes with the 1/4" collet. Doing this meant adding some bracing between the pilot's rear bulkhead former and the next one aft. I will cut the windows from the styrene from a CD jewel case. The thickness of the styrene from the jewel case is almost exactly the same as that of the kit so it will work out perfectly. I added the radios, wiring, control cables and permanently attached the cockpit and aft bulkheads to the right half of the fuselage. With that this side of the model is complete with the exception of the tail landing gear. There is some additional detailing in the tailwheel well and the fuselage halves will be ready to be joined. The full build can be found at Airfix 1/24 F6F Hellcat | scottmurphyphoto (scottmurphyphotography.org) Edited February 26, 2023 by STM Seversky, red Dog, Martinnfb and 21 others 23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Barry Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Awesome. Thanks for describing. I need that saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobyDoo Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 On 12/27/2022 at 5:27 PM, LSP_Ray said: I also suggest getting this book: Building the Airfix F6F-5 Hellcat in 1/24 Scale – KLP Publishing I suggest an autographed copy, Chucks a legend. JayW and LSP_Kevin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobyDoo Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Wow, nice build, you appear to be a legend too. STM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 22, 2023 Author Share Posted February 22, 2023 5 hours ago, ScoobyDoo said: I suggest an autographed copy, Chucks a legend. I have it! LSP_Kevin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaro Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Amazing! 24th scale gives so many possibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airscale Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 that cockpit is sensational Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartacus2000 Posted February 22, 2023 Share Posted February 22, 2023 Great work as so far. I hope to finish the engine soon so you can insert in yuor kitGreat job so far Scott. I hope to finish the engine soon so you can put it in the kit, I'm working on it as much as possible. Greetings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigH Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 20 hours ago, STM said: I have it! Chuck and I both built this around the same time and collaborated o research quite a bit. You might find a few nuggets in my WIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 24, 2023 Author Share Posted February 24, 2023 (edited) The tailwheel area was not very complex, but Airfix did leave off two of the bulkheads so I added them with styrene sheet. I added some details to the tailwheel strut and drilled out the holes in the tailwheel. I cut the tailwheel off and redid it so it will caster. I also added the extension, retraction spring by winding 0.010" soldier around a piece of 0.020" brass rod. There is a chain drive to extend and retract the tailwheel but unlike the 1/32 Hasegawa Hellcat I did, I chose not to bother here. The Hasegawa Hellcat tailwheel well was painted interior green so a black chain will be visible. In a glossy sea blue wheel well like this one, a black chain will barely be visible. It would be a lot of work for something you really won't be able to see. I already have over 2 months in at this stage of construction, I don't see any gain in spending hours on things that will not be visible. The fuselage from the cockpit aft is now complete so it is time to dig into the engine. The kit engine, in addition to being huge, is very well detailed and won't require a whole lot of detailing. Edited February 24, 2023 by STM Dpgsbody55, Greg W, GMK and 7 others 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMaben Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMK Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 That is some very precise, very clean work. Thanks for sharing. STM 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bunting Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 (edited) May I ask what Tamiya colours you are using for the interior / bronze green in the cockpit? Thanks ! Edited February 25, 2023 by Bill Bunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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