Ōtaki F6F-3 Hellcat - Sullivan GB - finished!

Started by Eric Berg · 92 · 9 months ago
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    gary sausmikat said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Eric @eb801,
    If it helps this is the process I've successfully used for vac canopies:

    Practice these techniques on the extra plastic surrounding the part to get a feel for the plastic before you attack the real thing.

    -Cut the major portion of the plastic away from the part but not completely to the part itself. Approximately 1/4inch, if possible
    -Add some support inside the canopy; the kit part if it fits, sponge material, cloth, etc. Something to help keep the part "rigid" while cutting the remaining plastic away.
    I also tend to leave the ends of the canopies to last...this helps keep the canopy from twisting while removing the plastic.
    -Carefully! using a sharp x-acto blade/scalpel, start slowing trimming to the part. I also use a sharp pair of cuticle cutters to remove this plastic. Slowly work to the part but do not completely cut to the part lines. Again, leave a tiny portion for the next step. I also use a curved blade and roll the blade to cut. I find I can control the cuts better.
    -For the final plastic removal I use sanding sticks/blocks. I find it works well sanding parallel to the edge not perpendicular/into the edge. Not using a blade for this last portion prevents any blade slippage into the part. At this stage I start dry fitting the canopies to the assembly and clean up any needed areas to help the fit.

    Given the thinner edges on vac canopies I attach them at the end of the build. I use a white glue product, Gator Grip, in small amounts.

    Again, hopes this helps. Good luck! Can't wait to see it when completed.

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    Louis Gardner said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    John vd Biggelaar (@johnb)
    Yes sir, she is airworthy. I have some very cool videos of her starting up and running, plus some of her as she took off. It's an incredible plane, and I think it is their best restoration to date. They decided to depict the plane as it would have looked at the factory, before any specific unit markings were added. They also decided against painting on the last 3 digits of the bureau number on the cowling as we often see in original wartime pictures. I think this was an excellent choice on their part.

    Brian Mennenoh (@brithebuilder)
    No problem with what you have done with the pictures. It confirms what I thought I was seeing in the pictures. The anhedral area they were talking about was supposed to be the top portion of the wing, just where it connects to the fuselage and outward to the folding joint seam. Apparently this area has been depicted with anhedral in the Otaki mold. I have not noticed it in my Hasegawa kits, but then again I have not looked at them very close in this area either. I don't have an Otaki kit in the stash, only some Hasegawa and Eduard versions, so I can't make a comparison for myself.
    What you did with the red lines is OK by me. No worries here, and these are my actual pictures that I personally took. It's all good as far as I'm concerned.

    Spiros Pendedekas (@fiveten)
    Thanks for the compliments on these pictures. I was very fortunate to have been at the shop on numerous occasions during the restoration process. I took a lot of Hellcat pictures, and these are just an example of a few of them. I'm sincerely thinking about someday writing several books, with the Hellcat being the subject of one of them, and the Corsair another one.

    Eric Berg (@eb801)
    I hope these pictures I posted on your build journal helped to answer your questions about the upper wing surfaces.
    Your F6F is looking great, and judging by the latest pictures, it just might be in the headlines section soon. Well done !

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    Eric Berg said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Gary@gwskat: thanks for the mini-tutorial on cutting out vacuum canopies. I think we’re on the same page as I have used a very similar techniques for these in the past and I’m not afraid of them. Can see the Falcon vac canopy is way better the Otaki supplied hard plastic piece. I ditched the Armoured glass place Otaki provided that goes between the windscreen and the gun sight. It is totally wrong and looks ridiculous.

    Louis @lgardner. Great photos. Much appreciated. Your references come in handy every time. Keep’em coming. You’re lucky to live in proximity of a restoration facility. If only there was one at the two small airports sorta near me. I’d settle for a local hobby shop too instead of having to drive 75 miles to the nearest one.

    With July 4th coming up, no modeling for me for the next week. Another short vacation.

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    Eric Berg said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Brian@brithebuilder: thanks for drawing those lines on Louis’s photo. I think we both understand the deal about dihedral and anhedral when it comes to Hellcats.

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    Brian Ballew said 10 months, 3 weeks ago:

    Looks great! I built this when it first came out! I remember being impressed by the engraved lines and I used my brand new airbrush!

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    Eric Berg said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Back on Bench!

    After a week's vacation and other summer family activities, I'm back on it. I'm posting this to show where I am currently in this build. I discovered it was better to cut the rear side windows apart from Otaki's moulded all-in-one canopy for a better fit. I decided not to use the Squadron vac canopy I have. In the meantime I am starting to weather no. 13. More tomorrow.


    This is the reference photo I'm using:

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Looking awesome so far, my friend @eb801!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Really nice work on the lights, Eric @eb801
    The blue light bulb does look great, thanks for sharing how you created that.

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    gary sausmikat said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    She's looking better and better, Eric. Nearing the finish line. Well done!

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    Louis Gardner said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Eric Berg (@eb801)
    It’s good to see you back at work on the Hellcat. It looks exactly like the one in the reference photo. Outstanding work here. Mr. Whiteway would be pleased for sure.

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    Eric Berg said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Finish Line in Sight!
    I have the canopy back on. Not real pleased with the overall appearance of it but after a little more detailing, I suppose it will do. All the exhaust stains have been applied and the two antenna masks installed. Next up more detailing and antenna wiring.



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    John vd Biggelaar said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    To me the canopy looks perfect, Eric @eb801
    Same is valid for the exhaust stains, they look very realistic.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    All looking excellent from here as well, my friend @eb801!
    Finish line in sight!

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    George R Blair Jr said 10 months, 1 week ago:

    Spectacular results, Eric @eb801. The weathering matches the photo perfectly.

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    gary sausmikat said 10 months ago:

    Yes, you are coming round the last turn and that looks really nice, Eric. Well done!