Otaki 1/48 F6F-3 Hellcat

[stikpusher]

This is the classic Otaki F6F-3 kit that I built many years back. I added some ducting and screening for the cowl chin scoop intakes, added some additional detailing in the cockpit, and swapped out the kit seat for a True Details resin seat with harness. Decals are by Aeromaster for the well known cat mouth Hellcats of VF-27 flying off of USS Princeton in summer and fall of 1944 until her sinking at Leyte Gulf.

[keavdog]

Nice Stik! I sure liked those Otaki and ARII kits back in the day.

[406 Silverado]

Good tri-color paint work on this one Carlos and a congrats on the award!! I've always loved this scheme and have an Eduard Hellcat in the stash with a Wolfpack folding wing set.

[TJ]

Probably the best scheme ever on a Hellcat. Looks like an award well deserved

[stikpusher]

Thanks guys!

Joe, I’d like to get one of the Hobbyboss Hellcat kits one day, as they have the wing fold option. I wish that more naval aircraft kits did. I used to not like that look as a kid when all my builds were done in flight mode- wheels up, pilot in cockpit, and of course on naval aircraft - wings extended for flight. Now I love the folded look. You can still even put a pilot in the seat and engine turning if so desired for a carrier based aircraft with wings folded if that is what you want…

TJ, I agree about the 1943/44 tri color scheme. It was certainly more attractive than the earlier Blue Gray over Gray scheme first worn, and the later overall Gloss Sea Blue…

[robbo]

That's a nice build. I done the Eduard weekender, that was a nice build

[deafpanzer]

That's a beautiful Hellcat! I always loved that nose art so I might get a decal set of it one day.

[stikpusher]

Robbo & Andy, thanks for looking in and commenting.

Robbo, I have the Squadron boxing of the Eduard kit and look forward to building it one day. Your take on the Eduard kit is encouraging.

Andy, that nose art is so unique for a WWII USN unit. I read that for the surviving Hellcats of that squadron who were in the air when Princeton was hit and landed on another carrier as theirs burned then sank, the skipper of that carrier immediately ordered those markings be overpainted back into the standard scheme.

[martslay]

Wow! My favorite plane)) It looks great. Congratulations on your victory.

[stikpusher]

Thank you Martin! The Hellcat sure does have a big brutish appeal, doesn't it? Myself I'm torn between it and the P-47 for my favorite WWII US fighter plane. But they are both of the same philosophy, big tough powerful turbocharged radial engined fighters.