Model Airplane International – September 2019

1:24

SKILL LEVEL:

ADVANCED

SPECIFICATION:

Airfi x 1:24 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat

Kit No: A19004

Materials: IM

Available From: All Good Model Shops

Price Guide: £119.99

BEFORE STARTING:

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement

Gunze Sangyo Mr. Cement S

Tamiya Masking Tape

Xuron Cutters

Tweezers

Swann Morton No.10 Scalpel & 10A Blades

Plasti-Zap Cyanoacrylate Glue - thin and medium

viscosity

Gunze Sangyo Mr Filler Primer

Gunze Sangyo Mr White Putty, White Putty R

PAINTS USED:

Tamiya Acrylics

X-18 Semi Gloss Black

XF-69 NATO Black

XF-3 Yellow

XF-1 Flat Black

XF-2 Flat White

XF-3 Flat Yellow

XF-85 Rubber Black

AS-12 ‘Bare Metal Silver’

X-22 Clear

Gunze Sangyo Mr. Hobby Acrylics

Interior Green

Humbrol Enamels

33 Matt Black

Vallejo Acrylics - colours for detailing

Winsor & Newton Oil colours

Payne’s Grey

Raw Umber

Issue 170 - http://www.modelairplaneinternational.com 65

Of course by now, many of you will have
seen a great deal of this kit both in print and
online. Plaudits have be sprayed around like
confetti and though I agree with many of the
views already offered, I have to say right from
the off that although it is in the main superb,
it is not entirely perfect and that areas we
would normally take for granted such as fi t
and parts tolerance, are rather less slick than I
would have liked. Detail though is sensational,
fi xtures and fi ttings complete, and set-up and
weapons options, numerous and well thought
out. But enough of the initial thoughts, what
can you expect from this kit?

Opening The Box...
I’ve hinted at this already, so I’ll reenforce
my view that this is a kit that is absolutely
not aimed at the beginner, or I may add, the
intermediate modeller; with 750+ parts and
300+ steps in the instructions, you will need
to be skilled in the art of aircraft modelling to
get the best from what is offered by Airfi x, be
able to plan ahead and in certain key areas,
be able to problem solve on the hoof. This

is a complex kit, with highly involved sub-

assemblies that require care, a thoughtful

approach and in places, no little patience to

complete. As we continue through the next

couple of issues, you will be able to see how

much is involved in completing this kit. I hope

that I can guide you through any pitfalls, but

before I do, I feel that being forewarned is

most defi nitely worthwhile!

Open the box and you are faced with

a mountain of plastic spread over a large

number of pale grey runners. Each runner is

cleverly laid out to contain –– in the main ––

only parts needed for specifi c sub-assemblies.

This makes tracking of parts relatively

straightforward, but there is a caveat: some

of the runners look the same, but are lettered

differently, the parts on each one therefore

have the same number, but different prefi x,

G32 and H32 for instance. This needs a

degree of concentration, but simplifi cations

are also in place, the numbered fl ap actuators

for instance being further identifi ed with

codes moulded onto each part, so even once

removed from their numbered tabs, they

Kit No: A19004

Tamiya Masking Tape

Tamiya Acrylics

XF-3 Yellow

XF-2 Flat White

XF-3 Flat Yellow

Construction began with the clean-up of some of the

larger components such as this engine shield.

With some of the larger items dealt
with, work could begin on the cockpit
interior, beginning with the seat and
these plastic seat straps.

The interior walls are superbly detailed. In
order to simplify painting I glued the larger
details in place ready to be airbrushed with an
Interior Green colour.

The port cockpit wall is similarly well-detailed.

Ejector pin marks visible in this shot are all but

invisible within the completed cockpit.

Though looking simple, the cockpit fl oor is a

complex sub-assembly that features a large

number of individual components such as

frames and perforated structural members.

This part of construction is a pleasant pointer

to the complexity of the rest of the kit...

Before beginning painting, the larger cockpit

components were test-fi t to see if any further

adjustment would be needed. As none was,

painting could begin.

cannot be mixed up.

Examination of the plastic parts reveals

detail that is both supremely impressive, as

well as being reassuringly comprehensive.

Let’s begin with the airframe...