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Hasegawa 1/48th Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, USN

Started by Chuck A. Villanueva · 55 ≡ · ↻ 6 months ago

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Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 months, 2 weeks ago:
To the paint shop we go. 1st a pre shading session using Tamiya Semi Gloss black over the panel lines, top, bottom and sides.
1. Tamiya Semi Gloss Black for the pre shading

2. Drop tank as well
Tamiya Gloss White for the undersurfaces, drop tank, gear bays, landing gear and wheels.

The undersurfaces are painted Gloss White. 1st the center portion of the belly is painted white then a lower filler panel is cemented in place and then the drop tank.
1. This section painted before installing the fuselage insert panel.
1. The lower fuselage insert
1. Insert in place,
1. Drop tank is in place now to finish the white
Finally the white undersurfaces are painted over and ready for the tutone Blue Scheme.

Gunze Mr Color #72 Intermediate Blue is the next color to be airbrushed.

A narrow section from nose to tail is applied on each side of the Hellcat. The demarcation line to the white is a soft edge and is applied free hand using my Paasche H airbrush #1 tip. The vertical tail also is painted as well.

Finally Gunze Non Specular Sea Blue is airbrushed over the the top surfaces, wings and horizontal tail. Again a soft demarcation line as it blends into the Intermediate Blue.
1. Gunze Non Specular Sea Blue
Future is airbrushed for the gloss coat and set aside for a week.

Next up decal time.

more to follow!
John vd Biggelaar said 7 months, 2 weeks ago:

Impressive paintwork, Chuck @uscusn
The demarcation lines look really good free handed.
Spiros Pendedekas said 7 months, 1 week ago:

Looks awesome, my friend @uscusn!
Looking forward to the decals!
Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 months ago:

Thanks John, love my single action Paasche H airbrush, using it since I was a teenager. Not the exact one, but this is my 3rd one since the mid 70's. I have tried others, double action, never comfortable with them. Kept going back to my reliable easy to maintain Paasche.
The fun part after painting is the decals, Spiros.
Chuck A. Villanueva said 7 months ago:

Before proceeding with the decal session, I went ahead and installed the tail wheel.

As usual, I started with the undersurface star and bars under the RH lower wing. These are Techmod decals.

The 1st Hellcat built back in the mid 90's I had used Aeromaster decals which worked well, the Techmods do as well, they also supply stenciling which were not as extensive back in the day. These went down will using Micro Set and Sol no need for Solvaset for a change.

Techmod 48-019, I used for an F6F-5, White 25, flown by Lt. Bruce Williams of VF-19, operating on the USS Lexington, Oct. 1944.

After the decal session, Future is applied on the undersurfaces to seal the decal. Then I remove the mask covering the landing lamp.

Next up, apply the flat coat over the top and final details to install

More to follow.
John vd Biggelaar said 7 months ago:

Very nice work on the decals, Chuck @uscusn
Spiros Pendedekas said 7 months ago:

Awesome decal job, my friend @uscusn!
Chuck A. Villanueva said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:
Thanks John and Spiros, always like the 3 tone scheme that was not used for long as the naval aviation units transitioned to the overall Glossy Dark Sea Blue.

Once the flat coat is applied. Masks removed. Now to work on the final details. First with the landing gear,

The struts, bay and wheels are glossy white. (Tamiya) Gunze Tire Black for the tires.
1. Tamiya Gloss White

2. Molotow Chrome

3. Gunze Tire Black
The scissors is attached to the strut. Molotow chrome pen is used for the oleo.

The strut fits into the forward portion of the wheel bay. The retraction arm is attached to the strut. The fit is excellent here with a solid contact point into the wheel bay.

At this point I airbrush some Tamiya Smoke for the Exhaust trail and gun shell ejection ports.

Once that is done, now to attach the gear bay doors. First the main doors that are on the struts.

Then the wheels.

The tail hook is next up to install.

Finally the Prop already decaled and ready to install.

The prop is pushed into the poly cap with in the crank case. And with that she is done.

Fly Navy
Spiros Pendedekas said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Fantastic result, my friend @uscusn!
John vd Biggelaar said 6 months, 3 weeks ago:

Excellent result, Chuck @uscusn
Well done.

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