discussion Steven's Eduard 1/48 F6F-3 Hellcat

[Steven000]

Thank you all for the kind words guys

...These resin pilots really are good now - where did you get it?

This one I printed myself using a digital file (link) I bought for a previous P47 project.

Before I had a 3d printer I used resin figures from 'PJ productions', and Aerobonus has some nice figures too (link mig 19 pilot, link mig 21 pilot) cheers

 

[flyjoe180]

Lovely work on the cockpit Steven.

 

[minitnkr]

......pilot is a tingabeauty for sure.....

 

[yak face]

Top cockpit steven and pilot is looking real nice , cheers tony

 

[Steven000]

Thanks guys - means a lot

A few more things done, first masked and glued in the rear-windows,


The tail-wheel on the Hellcat was retractable, so I had to do some cutting for in-flight-mode.
Left : gear down configuration - Right : cutting a hole in the fuselage, the tail-wheel lost some weight as well,


The tail-wheel is now retracted,


For my steel-rod-display-stand I need a bit of meat inside, so I glued in some balsa wood with a hot-glue-gun,


Next the fuselage-halves were glued together,


I also glued the wings together,


That's all for now, thanks for reading - Cheers

 

[flyjoe180]

Looking very nice Steven. I like the use of the balsa, not too heavy but strong enough for the stand.

 

[HAWKERHUNTER]

Looks to have fitted together well Steve. Nice work and I cant stop admiring your pilot.

 

[boatman]

Looks to have fitted together well Steve. Nice work and I cant stop admiring your pilot.

HI Steven yes your hellcat is looking good very nice work on the poilot looks very detatailed he does keep this comin as im followin along sir
chrisb

 

[Steven000]

Thanks guys

Had some time after work to mount the wings - the fit was quite loose (at least for an Eduard kit) so I tried to expand the wing profile with balsa wood, this worked to some extend but it still needs a bit of filler.


I cut the lines of the trim-tabs for the elevator and rudder with a razor saw,


With the wings and horizontal stabilizer glued in position it starts to look like a plane.
I didn't realize the Hellcat was such a big plane, it's almost as big as my P-47D Thunderbolt.


That's all so far, thanks for watching - Cheers

 

[Neil]

....
I didn't realize the Hellcat was such a big plane; it's almost as big as my P-47D Thunderbolt.

I compared my P47 with the Spitfire, and that, and the F6 really are beasts, aren't they?

Coming along nicely, it's going to look good in flight. I think I'll borrow the balsa idea for my Mig build.

 

[minitnkr]

Same basic engine as P-47 w/o high altitude turbosupercharger and w/3 blade prop instead of 4 blade paddles.

 

[flyjoe180]

That wing fit is surprising for Eduard. Your correction looks good Steven.

 

[Steven000]

Thanks for the comments guys, just a small update :

Started working on the gear in 'up' position.
There's no room for a complete wheel inside the wheel-bay, so no need to glue the 2nd halves. Some sanding on the edge was needed to get the wheel deep enough.


(left) Next the wheels are glued in place - wheel cover panel glued in place (right)


The strut-hinge-cover-panel from the kit won't fit so I'll have to make new ones from a sheet of styrene.
That's all for now, thanks for watching

 

[minitnkr]

....dontchajusthate that they seem to always assume the model will be parked?

 

[scottie3158]

Looking good mate.

 

[Neil]

Looking good there, and it is a shame that Eduard just doesn't like to do in-flight. Maybe they think we all should be admiring the wheel bays

 

[Jim R]

Great progress. A lot of adapting to display in flight. As has already been said the pilot is superb.