1/32 Trumpeter F6F-5 Hellcat

[Ryan]

In a squirrel moment I have decided to build a Hellcat I picked up at the Nats.

No pics just yet, but I have Barracuda wheels and Techmod decals on the way....I'd like t limit this for aftermarket goodies.

Really want one in the case.

More soon.

Ryan

[harv]

........harv

[Ryan]

TWO popcorn buckets...I'm blushing.

[Martinnfb]

[Ryan]

I followed that guy to Chattanooga.

[1to1scale]

Just build it with what Trumpeter has given you, staying away from AM makes the build go faster and recharges your enthusiasm. I do it myself, every few models I do an OOB build. 

[Ryan]

Yep that is the plan.

[GazzaS]

I seem to be loving this build on more than one site!

[Ryan]

3 hours ago, GazzaS said:

I seem to be loving this build on more than one site!

Gaz, I think you mean the TA-152 not this one.

[GazzaS]

10 hours ago, Ryan said:

Gaz, I think you mean the TA-152 not this one.

You might be right...  might be my sometimers.

Now...  Where did I park my car?

[BlrwestSiR]

I've got this one in the pile so I'll be following the squirrel too!

Carl

[Ryan]

Started sticking some parts together, pics soon.

[Ryan]

Hmm, me thinks the seat is too big, here next to the P-47 seat.

[Ryan]

I think the thing to do is cut it in half and reassemble at a more correct width.

of course when I do that the brackets won’t work any more, but I can remedy that.

the seat is too comical for me to use unmolested.

[Ryan]

The engine is nice but a little clunky in assembly, I’m practicing on the rear bank first.

[Ryan]

I found it wise to glue the rocker covers on and while they set, insert the push rods to check clearance. This turned out correct because many of the covers needed adjusted so the rods would fit. Here it is setting up.

[Ryan]

Sorry I’m jumping around here but I got some work done on the pit too. Many of the parts needed sharped up or fixed with strip plastic. It was then I saw another mod I wanted to do.

There is a small cluster of instruments set in a tray shaped spot on the console. This tray arrangement will really make the panel look thick and toy like, so I cut down and thinned the tray to act as a hidden bracket to mount the thinned cluster panel to.

 

 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

The seat looks like it would fit Andre the Giant nicely. 

I don't mind the jumping around as I do the same on my builds. 

Carl

[Clunkmeister]

Interesting on the seat, Ryan.

It must have been scaled by the same person who scaled my Helldiver seat. I had to take a big section out of the middle to get it to the correct size. 

We all have our squirrel moments, and this one oughta be great!

[Bomber_County]

Cool, two builds to follow.........

[Ryan]

The seat surgery went on without issue, the pics tell the story. The strip stock was glued on to keep the blade straight.

 

[Ryan]

Jumping around again, I loose fit the intake pipes to the cylinders and was not impressed. The locating pins really don’t provide a strong join. The fix was to snip off the pin and glue scrap rod to the end. The last step was to file the end into a cone shape that will wedge itself into the cylinder.

 

 

 

[Ryan]

Back to the seat again, I had to scratch the reinforcement plate on the seat bottom. It came out ok, but may enlarge the lightning holes.

 

[Ryan]

Seat is looking good now, or at least better.

 

[harv]

MUCH better......harv