**** DONE: 1/30 Grumman Hellcat - Carrier Aircraft GB

[A4K]

Great work Charles!

Would love to do another balsa bird myself, they never survive the moves though...

 

[ccheese]

Nice job Charles. I'm thinking that I need to try one of these balsa and tissue planes in the future.

I've got a 16.5 inch wingspan Guillow's Grumman Avenger I'll give you !!! Scale is either 1:24 or 1:30.

Hi all:

Decided to paint the Hellcat in a three color scheme. Top is Dark Sea Blue, middle is Intermediate Blue with the Light Gray undersides.

Comments ??

Charles

 

[rochie]

sounds good to me Charles

 

[woody]

Great work Charles and fast.

 

[KoJo]

This one is almost ready to fly!

 

[A4K]

Go for it Charles, good scheme that!

 

[Wayne Little]

Will look great!

 

[Wurger]

Decided to paint the Hellcat in a three color scheme. Top is Dark Sea Blue, middle is Intermediate Blue with the Light Gray undersides.

Comments ??

Charles

Yep.... sounds good. But I would use the ANA 601 Non-specular Insignia White FS37875 instead of the light grey paint for undersides. The ANA 602 Non-specular Light Grey FS36493 was for the earlier two-tone camo scheme used untill the 5th January 1943

 

[meatloaf109]

Dang, Wurger beat me to it.
He's right about the white!

 

[Wurger]

The colour set for your Hellcat should be ...

ANA 607 Non-specular Sea Blue - FS 35045/35042 .... Model Master 1718/1717
ANA 608 Non-specular Intermediate Blue - FS 35164 .... Model Master 1720
ANA 601 Non-specular Insignia White - FS 37875 .... Model Master 1768

 

[ccheese]

The colour set for your Hellcat should be ...

ANA 607 Non-specular Sea Blue - FS 35045/35042 .... Model Master 1718/1717
ANA 608 Non-specular Intermediate Blue - FS 35164 .... Model Master 1720
ANA 601 Non-specular Insignia White - FS 37875 .... Model Master 1768

My Friend... how about double checking the numbers on the White paint. I just got back from the LHS. Insignia White is FS 17875 and Flat white is FS 37875. I bought the Flat white ! No painting today... repairing the Tomcat.

Charles

 

[Wurger]

The Insignia White FS17875 - Model Master 1745 and the Insignia White - FS 37875 - Model Master 1768 are the same enamel basically. But the first digit of the FS number indicates that the (1)7875 enamel is the gloss one but the (3)7875 says it's the flat one. Just my reference says the flat insignia white. So it is the matter of its name. Becuase you need the matt enamel it is good you bought the flat colour.

 

[meatloaf109]

I use a gloss whenever possible to give the decals a better bonding experence, then spray a matt coat to get the flat finish prevolent in that era of naval aviation

 

[ccheese]

I use a gloss whenever possible to give the decals a better bonding experience, then spray a matt coat to get the flat finish prevalent in that era of naval aviation

The majority of the U.S. Navy's shipboard aircraft was almost "pristine". I was on two carriers (three counting HMS Ark Royal) and the aircrews were always washing, painting and waxing. You seldom saw a carrier aircraft "weathered" as you would say. Quite often, if air ops was not going on, the skipper would steer us into a rain squall just to wash everything down with fresh water.

Charles

 

[Vic Balshaw]

As always on this forum, a mind of information gladly shared.

 

[meatloaf109]

Good to know! I am not even close to paint on the Crusader, yet, but weathering was a question.

 

[ccheese]

Mentioned, the other day, that I was about to work on a three bladed prop, for the Hellcat. Wojtek was kind enough to figure out the scale size of the prop.... 133 mm in diameter. Was going to work on it utilizing the red plastic props that Guillow's is famous for.

Was in the LHS and the r/c prop display caught my eye. Purchased a 5/3 (length/pitch) three bladed square tipped prop for $4.39. Got home and measured it..... 132 mm in diameter. One millimeter too short !

He he.... who would know ?

Charles

 

[meatloaf109]

Well, we do now!

 

[Wurger]

But really looking good.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, and any perceived 'shortness' will be masked by the yellow tips, giving an illusion of greater length. Good result !