**** DONE : 1/48 Hellcat Mk I JV-131 No 800 Squadron HMS Emperor

[lesofprimus]

Looks great Andy, love the PE details....

Not sure if ur done with the pit yet, but maybe a wash or some dark pastel work could filth up the tub just the right amount and make it look tits...

 

[Lucky13]

Bl**dy awesome!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys. Yes, Dan, a wash is on the list after I attach details to the sidewalls and finish everythign in the pit.

I found some colour cockpit pictures to get the knob colours right (although these are an F6F-5 not -3 I think) and will add the hydraulic hand pump yoke to the right of the seat.

Not too happy about the dorky looking details behind the seat but I don't think these will be easily seen once the tub is in the fuselage.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Beautifully done so far.

 

[Airframes]

Great reference pics mate, especially for the colours. Interesting to see the parachute in the seat pan too.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks Terry. Hope the hands are behaving.

5 pics of the finished pit. Wash has been applied, headrest painted (need to dull slightly), knobs painted, gun buttons picked out in red on the joystick. Barely seen in the second shot are the hand mike added on the right console and hand hydraulic pump added to the right of the seat off the floor, both built from stretched sprue.

Engine is next. Thanks for tuning in.

 

[Airframes]

Beaut job mate, really looks the biz !

 

[Crimea_River]

Thank-you Terry. Odd thing about this bird is how tight the cockpit seems to be. With the fuselage halves in place, a lot of the detail disappears because of the small opening and tapered sides.

 

[DBII]

nice work

DBII

 

[kgambit]

Awesome job on the cockpit Andy. Really spectacular.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys.

 

[B-17engineer]

Sweet

 

[Wurger]

Brilliant...

 

[Catch22]

Looks great!

 

[Crimea_River]

Found these interesting pics taken on HMS Emperor during Norway ops in 1944 before heading to Scapa Flow in May and subsequent D-Day ops:

 

[lesofprimus]

Looks phenomenal Andy...

Been in some seas that were awfully similar to the first pic above listing to port...

Everything comes loose in seas like that...

 

[Airframes]

Who the f*** would want to be a Naval pilot?!!
"Keep the bl**dy deck still - and level!"
"What bl**dy deck? We can't find it for snow and ice!"
Nutters, all of 'em!!!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Nicely done Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Anyone know of evidence against the FAA using the drop tanks on the Hellcat? I'm leaning toward installing it, theory being that these machines were probably flying long CAPs over the fleet on D-Day.

I've always thougt the Hellcat to be a rather plain looking bird and I want to add the tank for a bit of interest.

Progress shots below of the completed engine. Eduard provided PE ignition wires which are installed OOB. They're kinda flat but for the size of this scale, it's not worth replacing with real wire. A few cables have been added around the mags. Note also the tiny PE Pratt and Whitney logo below the shaft - nice touch! I didn't bother painting the tops of the valve covers as these won't be visible anyway.

 

[Catch22]

Looks great Andy! Let me have a look, I have some Pacific FAA Hellcat photos that may have what you're looking for.