discussion Academy 1/72 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat

[flyjoe180]

Build thread here https://www.scalemodelling.co.uk/threads/academy-1-72-grumman-f6f-3-hellcat.1277968/

A nice easy build with a little bit of filler but nothing drastic. All paint freehand airbrushed. I used Mr Color lacquers and varnishes, with Tamiya panel line washes. I kept it simple and not too beaten up.

Finished as a F6F-3 shortly after joining USS Yorktown CV-10 in September 1943.

 

[flyjoe180]

 

[flyjoe180]

A size comparison alongside a Curtiss P-40E Warhawk:

 

[Geoffers]

Great job Joe, it looks fantastic

Such a lovely scheme and the weathering is spot on too.

Geoff.

 

[flyjoe180]

Great job Joe, it looks fantastic

Such a lovely scheme and the weathering is spot on too.

Geoff.

Cheers Geoff. I like the three-colour scheme on these US Navy aeroplanes too.

 

[yak face]

Fantastic job joe , glad you did the three colour scheme , hellcats can look a little plain in the overall dark blue . How did this compare to the Eduard hellcat ?

 

[Neil]

That's fantastic, Joe, I love the Hellcat and Thunderbolt, and great comparison of the size with the P-40.

 

[flyjoe180]

Fantastic job joe , glad you did the three colour scheme , hellcats can look a little plain in the overall dark blue . How did this compare to the Eduard hellcat ?

Thanks Tony. I've never built a Eduard kit yet, but for the money this is a superb and fun build.

I believe this may have originally been one of Academy's notorious "just enough change to not be a copy" kits based on the Hasegawa mould, but with a little extra detail thrown in

 

[flyjoe180]

That's fantastic, Joe, I love the Hellcat and Thunderbolt, and great comparison of the size with the P-40.

Cheers Neil. It is a surprisingly large carrier fighter

 

[yak face]

Thanks Tony. I've never built a Eduard kit yet, but for the money this is a superb and fun build.

I believe this may have originally been one of Academy's notorious "just enough change to not be a copy" kits based on the Hasegawa mould, but with a little extra detail thrown in

For some reason I thought you’d done the Eduard hellcat too joe . Academy kits can be excellent and great value , Ive done a couple of their p40e s and loved them .

 

[Jim R]

That's a great result. Lovely finish.

 

[John Race]

Got yourself
Very nice indeed; love the exhaust marks under the wing. Matron was most impressed.

 

[flyjoe180]

That's a great result. Lovely finish.

Cheers Jim

Got yourself
View attachment 1295529 Very nice indeed; love the exhaust marks under the wing. Matron was most impressed.

Indeed an honour John, cheers mate

 

[DEADPOOL]

Looks fantastic, I built this same kit when I first started, was surprised how well it went together for a cheap kit. Didn't have the guts to try the 3 colour scheme then, but I'd do another now having seen this finished. Stunning work

 

[flyjoe180]

Looks fantastic, I built this same kit when I first started, was surprised how well it went together for a cheap kit. Didn't have the guts to try the 3 colour scheme then, but I'd do another now having seen this finished. Stunning work

Cheers Scott. Yeah, it's a nice easy kit. I made one years ago in the overall dark blue, but really wanted to try the tri-colour scheme.