F6F-5 Hellcat
The Hellcat was a further development of the Wildcat, with there the Grumman Corperation have  collect expiriences at the field of carrier aircrafts. Because the Wildcat brings not the desired results and also was defeated to the japanese planes, like the Mitsubishi Zero, the developing of the Hellcat was started. She had a more powerful engine as the Wildcat and also the safety for the pilots have been intensified in fitting auf armour. Altogether the Hellcat was a plane with good chance of survival for her pilot. Also the better flight-characteristics, actually in carrier-approach was some the important reasons, why she was so popular by pilots of USS-Navy and USS-Marines-Corps. Altogether 12.275 Hellcat was built, approximately the half (6681) of them was F6F-5 versions. The success of this construction was provable by the fact, that near the half of all japanese planes they was shot down, was brought down with the Hellcat (approx. 5200). This was a quote of 19:1 for the Hellcat, that confirms her safety. After the war, the Hellcat was in service by the amercan aerobatic team, at Korea and in the French Air Force.
The Kit
The Kit was produced by Academy in scale of 1:72. The kit is casted in good quality and the parts are well suited. With approx. 50 parts, you can build several versions of the plane. The Decals allows two versions, one for an F6F-3 of the USS Yorktown and one of an F6F-5 of the USS Hornet. I have decided to build a Yorktown one.
Building the kit
According to guidance I’ve started with cockpit and glued the parts. Than I paint with interior green as primer over all. The details for the instruments-paneel are available as decals; it is not everyones way, but it is easier to make the details with them. So you can  concentrate more on detail-painting and possible refinements, they I’v done with Vallejo colours. Additional I have made of lead-foil the pilots seat-belts, to bringe more real-life-like in the cockpit. During these works I have treated the clear-parts with “Klear”, to have them ready, as I need them. Back to the plane, the construction I have done also in accordance with the giudance. The body-halfes and the wings was glued, and the motors-arrea was prepared. Motors-arrea was prmed with interiour green, motor himself and propeller was painted black. As colour has dried, the metal parts of engine was treated with a pencil. The graphit of the pencil brings a wonderful metal-shine finish, also it brings depth-effect. Than all parts of engine-arrea was glued with the body and I was able to start with the few finesses. Next was the preparing of the cokpit for air-brushing, I have taken the prepared clear-parts and masked them with Tamiya adhessive tape. Here you can see the advantage of “Klear”, you can cut the tape directly on the parts. You have to be carefully, but it is possible without damage the clear parts. As all clear-parts was maked, I have fixed them with cyanid-gluten. So the whole model was prepared for air-brushing. The small parts of landing gear will be painted before clip from cast and fixed at last.
Painting
Like written before, painting started with the cockpit. The outside of the model was painted as follows: bottom in FS 37875 (dull white), upper side and body is FS 35164 (intermediate blue) and FS 35042 (dull sea blue). I have started in painting with the buttom, after drying of colour I have masked the whole underside. Next step was, to apply the intermediate blue over whole upper side. After 24 hours for drying, I have prepared the arrea of sea-blue with Tamiya adhessive tape. In the meantime, I have painted some details, like propellors tips or landing gear. As all colours has dried very well, I have coated with gloss paint over all, to make decaling easier.
Decals
Here we have the weak point of theis kit. They are not in best quality and disappointing. Academy could do something better in this field. For all my efforts, like insert in vinegar-water mixture, they stay sulky. It is impossible to bring them soft enough, to lay in all grooves, seams or gaps. Also a later treatment with “Sol” brings not the effect, I had wished.
This minimates the impression of this – undoubtedly good – kit.
After fasten decals, I have coated with dull-clear, to give the model a more realistic appearance. Further I have washed the graps and grooves of the wings with high thinned oil paint, to give more realistic effect. The exhaust-gas plume was done with oil pint too, also some other weathering details. The antenna was drawed from a cotton bud (Q-Tip), fixed with cyanid-glue and painted with enamel colour
Conclusion
A pretty and favourable kit, suitable for beginners and professionals. Convincing the fitting of parts, only the decals as a deficit – but here you can use some parts of the aftermarket.
With modellers best wishes
Andreas Dobinger
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