This all started with a venerable 1/72 MPC Grumman F6-F Hellcat a good friend sent me (thanks a million, hamsterman!). Isn't that box art stunning? They certainly don't make 'em like that anymore.
The sides of the box are no slouch either.
And here's the extra chrome parts, just as advertised! I will, of course, jealously hoard these.
I think the Grumman F6 Hellcat is one of the more challenging aircraft to whiff. It has an odd shape and a very large engine up front which makes a lot of mods problematic. However, if you don't actually change much of the original shape, there are possibilities. I started by re-purposing a sub prop as jet fan blades.
Once I added an amputated nose from something as a shock-cone, it was starting to look like this baby was going to have ALL THE POWER.
A burner can was fashioned from a from a 1/144 U-2 pod tip and another U-2 part (sorry Bono) was used as a fairing for a retractable tailhook and wheel.
Lastly, I added lower landing gear doors cut from card.
Here's how it looked before painting.
Speaking of paint, the old hairy stick was trotted out again and loaded up with Polly Scale Prussian Blue acrylic.
The canopy was tinted with Model Masters Light Blue and the burner can done with Jet Exhaust and some sooty black dry-brushed over top.
The engine interior was done with Model Masters Steel and the guns in a custom mix of gunmetal.
The decals were mostly from a sheet for an Academy F6-F Hellcat.
The NATC markings on the tail came from a sheet for a P-59.
Since the aircraft was flown by an evaluation squadron, I went with a minimal, if large, marking scheme.
I built this over last weekend and was lucky to have the entire time to spend on it. I had a lot of fun from start to finish.
This kit even comes with a stand and I was really tickled about that for some reason.
It's probably because my last model was almost "downed by friendly fire" i.e. fell over, that I appreciated such a stable display platform.
The arm is just snapped in. I didn't want to mar that clear plastic with glue. The fit is is good and it's very solid which is something for a kit of this age.
Another nice thing about this stand is the angles you can get with it.
Before I forget, here's a couple of "money shots" (U.S. penny for scale).
I'd like to thank Mr Tomcat for moderating this GB, Bill for sending me the kit and all the rest of you who are playing along or even just dropped by for a look.
I hope you enjoyed the Grumman XF6-XJP Hellfire Cat and reading a little more about an aircraft that sadly ended up on the ash heap of history.
Brian da Basher