This is one of the earliest Hellcat Mk 1's in the Royal Navy, operating with 800 Sqn FAA, HMS Emperor, and participated in the attacks on the Tirpitz in a 'fighter suppression' role. It accounted for three FW-190's in those strikes.
This is the ancient Otaki 1/48 Hellcat with some improvements. With a bit of work, some of these Otaki kits still standup today!
- Detailed gunsight, True details cockpit, scratchbuilt rear bulkhead and armour plate based on photos, replaced machinegun barrels, and exhaust with aluminum and brass tubing.
- Canopy is Squadron vacuform with internal structure from plastic strip.
- Removed and scratch built wheel wells from photos and plans, scratch built arrester hook and holdback, detailed landing gear, and thinned and corrected gear doors and actuators.
- Rebuilt and corrected droptank as per photos.
- Detailed engine and wired, added cowl inner structure and details, deepened intakes and added screen.
- Added formation, ID, landing and nav lights with acrylic rod.
- Painted with Tamiya acrylics, weathered (hairspray technique) with stiff brush and sharpened toothpicks, pastels and enamel paint.
- Decals from Techmod, spares, and custom made.
![Image2.jpg Image2.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661718-584da8a2e9cdac1d6359446caba3ec7b.jpg)
![Image4.jpg Image4.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661719-3066807bae9f2c289a6e88ae6add1668.jpg)
![Image5.jpg Image5.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661720-500545a5e325541b2ec8f1b1e543e1d6.jpg)
![Image6.jpg Image6.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661721-7e6ba96d710a4146f0c553a83b974a0d.jpg)
![Image7.jpg Image7.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661722-c5dbfb78af8efabca3582e134ad9e4e2.jpg)
![Image8.jpg Image8.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661723-ae2260110ea088ce0d4a3a9ca16fa33e.jpg)
![Image9.jpg Image9.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661724-9b19e172e2c35e78ded5d7806da2f0b1.jpg)
![Image10.jpg Image10.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661725-459f87d3b399115dc6289fb71cafab2f.jpg)
![Image11.jpg Image11.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661726-265692b442418a1fe5bc36606f1a100b.jpg)
![DSC_0927.jpg DSC_0927.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661727-e17388ab3c44877f83aceabda66deb1d.jpg)
![Hellcat-FAA-F6FHMSEmperorSoFrance.jpg Hellcat-FAA-F6FHMSEmperorSoFrance.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661728-b974f007f7af5228ce99658713f08d9a.jpg)
Hope you like,
Colin
This is the ancient Otaki 1/48 Hellcat with some improvements. With a bit of work, some of these Otaki kits still standup today!
- Detailed gunsight, True details cockpit, scratchbuilt rear bulkhead and armour plate based on photos, replaced machinegun barrels, and exhaust with aluminum and brass tubing.
- Canopy is Squadron vacuform with internal structure from plastic strip.
- Removed and scratch built wheel wells from photos and plans, scratch built arrester hook and holdback, detailed landing gear, and thinned and corrected gear doors and actuators.
- Rebuilt and corrected droptank as per photos.
- Detailed engine and wired, added cowl inner structure and details, deepened intakes and added screen.
- Added formation, ID, landing and nav lights with acrylic rod.
- Painted with Tamiya acrylics, weathered (hairspray technique) with stiff brush and sharpened toothpicks, pastels and enamel paint.
- Decals from Techmod, spares, and custom made.
![Image2.jpg Image2.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661718-584da8a2e9cdac1d6359446caba3ec7b.jpg)
![Image4.jpg Image4.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661719-3066807bae9f2c289a6e88ae6add1668.jpg)
![Image5.jpg Image5.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661720-500545a5e325541b2ec8f1b1e543e1d6.jpg)
![Image6.jpg Image6.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661721-7e6ba96d710a4146f0c553a83b974a0d.jpg)
![Image7.jpg Image7.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661722-c5dbfb78af8efabca3582e134ad9e4e2.jpg)
![Image8.jpg Image8.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661723-ae2260110ea088ce0d4a3a9ca16fa33e.jpg)
![Image9.jpg Image9.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661724-9b19e172e2c35e78ded5d7806da2f0b1.jpg)
![Image10.jpg Image10.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661725-459f87d3b399115dc6289fb71cafab2f.jpg)
![Image11.jpg Image11.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661726-265692b442418a1fe5bc36606f1a100b.jpg)
![DSC_0927.jpg DSC_0927.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661727-e17388ab3c44877f83aceabda66deb1d.jpg)
![Hellcat-FAA-F6FHMSEmperorSoFrance.jpg Hellcat-FAA-F6FHMSEmperorSoFrance.jpg](https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/data/attachments/661/661728-b974f007f7af5228ce99658713f08d9a.jpg)
Hope you like,
Colin
Last edited: