1/72 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat USS Essex (CV9) Oct. 1944 from Eduard
Hello, this is my first US NAVY rollout. I have build the 1/72 scale Eduard Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat flown by LTJG Arthur Singer, VF-15, USS Essex, Oktober 24-25, 1944.
This kit is the "weekend edition" from Eduards very nice little Hellcat. I added some spare parts for the droptank belts, and the specs plate on the Pratt & Whitney, thats all. I realy like the AK Real Colors series, so I ordered the paint set number 25 "WW2 US NAVY & USMC AIRCRAFT LATE COLORS". You can easily grind and polish theese colors and they dry very fast. I recommend to use the AK Real colors thinner, cause alcohol an/or water does not worked for me.
As you know, I like my models presented in a kind of diorama. I added some figures from Preiser to the scene (they are originally Luftwaffe mechanics). The "propeller motion" is hand driven, see photo...) There is no pilot in the cockpit, I know : ) please forgive me.
Hope you guys like it.
Here is the 2nd Hellcat rollout: https://imodeler.com/2019/09/1-72-scale-eduard-grumman-f6f-5-white-71-vf-20-uss-enterprise-1944/
That first pic looks like an original Kodachrome war time photo!
Andreas your Hellcat is a gem, another great work as usual, and that F-5 looks like another splendid model. It certainly doesn’t look like a 1/72 model.
A side note about paint, the shades look spot on, wanted to ask how the paint reacted to the weathering agents you used?
Pedro thank you very much for the compliment about my model. Cause I do not use any kind of glossy sealing/varnish, I used mostly water based colors from a paintbox (Pelikan). I tested also weathering sets from "mig" but never used them on the whole model, just accentuated. I also used "mig fresh engine oil" on the prop spinner and motor.
Outstanding build and photography, sir...never would've guessed it was 72nd!
Thank you very much : ) Amongst other things, it is the camera perspective that make it look greather than 1/72.
Honestly, I wish I could sit by your side while you build your works of art. I'm next to speechless over the craftsmanship of this thing. Absolutely beautiful and flawless to the eye. When I look at your canopy I just shake my head. Wow. Perfection.
I also read with great affection the date, written as a German would write it: Oktober 1944. As the relative of one who flew a fighter from the flight deck of a carrier (albeit a Corsair from an escort carrier), that is a gallant tribute in its own way. Thanks, Andreas.
Thank you very much David, I am very happy that you like it.
I am very interested in Naval Aviation, this is my second favorite modelling topic.
Really nice build and photography.
Thank you very much : )
Great presentation, and an awesome build. Well done!
Thank you very much : )
Outstanding!
That's some really fine work, right there, sir!
72? Wow!
thank you guys!
This is really nice. As Pedro said, that opening shot looks like a period Kodachrome. Everything about the diorama is really nice. The flight deck crew look good, and the weathering on the plane is what would be expected in the Central Pacific (Art had two different F6F-3Ps, #35 being the second, which he got in August - I wrote a book on Air Group 15, "Fabled Fifteen" ) at the time. The background really makes the photos look like we're on Essex's flight deck in the midst of Task Force 38.
One minor thing Eduard didn't get - Art Singer was the photo plane pilot (who also managed to become an ace while doing that - during the Okinawa strikes a month before your time frame here, he shot up five P1Y1 "Frances" bombers flying around the airfield at ie Shima when he arrived to photograph the field), and his airplane was an F6F-3P. An easy mistake, since it's usually hard to see the camera aperture in most photos of photo Hellcats. It would be very easy to use a piece of Evergreen sheet to make the cover of the camera aperture (in the lower rear fuselage) and then it's perfect.
(Not a complaint, just passing on some little-known info)
Hello Tom, thank you very much! Your little-known info are very wellcome and I did not expect to get so much additional information about the real pilot and plane, wow!
Can one buy your book somewhere?
Search "Thomas McKelvey Cleaver" in "books" at Amazon. The Air Group 15 story is also prominent in "Pacific Thunder" which deals with the whole Central Pacific campaign in greater context.
Thank you!
I can only Parrot what has been written before, great use of forced perspective on photographing the Eduard Hellcat and using the cloudy back round make it all happen. Like the painting and paints too. Some more strong work Andrea, your gifts and talents are impressive. Looking forward to seeing another Jewel.
Two thumbs up.
Exceptional Andreas!
A great build! I've got this kit in my stash, I hope I can finish it half well as yours turned out.
WOW ! If you didn't tell us this was a little 1/72 scale plane, I wouldn't have known. It looks fantastic ... and it appears to be at least a 1/48 scale.
"liked"
Can’t agree enough with the above accolades. This ‘Cat is a beauty. Just marvelous work.
As everyone has said. Very well done
Well done, and the pics really show off your fine work.
Everyone else has stolen my thunder, but as a 1/72 modeler, I love it! Fantastic photography as well. Well done.
Thank you very much colleagues, I appreciate your praise very much