Model Airplane International – September 2019

KIT BUILD

Airfi x have decided to recreate the fi ghter-

bomber, -5 variant of the Hellcat and in so

doing have supplied all of the relevant parts to

create that aircraft in miniature. Taking a leaf

out of the Wingnut Wings Lancaster playbook

(or rather having the same ideas at the same

time!) Airfi x elected not to create a smooth

aircraft, choosing instead to replicate the

type’s lapped, rippled, riveted and fastened

surface, to a tee. Holding the large wing

panels for instance up to the light you can

see just how wonderfully the surface

undulates and how those subtle

peaks and troughs combine

with the delicate rows of

rivets. Add sharply incised

panel lines into the mix,

as well as raised panels

and rivets, and you end up

with an airframe that looks

like the real thing rather

than looking like an overly

perfect, smoothly fi nished

approximation.

In terms of shape and accuracy, I can

see little that will trouble all but the most

knowledgable of Hellcat afi cionados.

Dimensionally, the model scales out very well

and all of the curves that seem to have eluded

so many, are translated with aplomb in this kit.

Even the now infamous Hellcat ‘smile’ looks

to be a perfect facsimile, which will no doubt

please so many that have spent so

long over the years decrying

other manufacturers for

their depiction of this

particular feature!

It is every inch

a Grumman

Hellcat.

Moving

onwards and

inwards we

can take a look

at the kit’s fi ner

details, beginning

Painting of the cockpit began with the instrument panel.

Here, the dials are being masked with Mr. Masking Sol

R. Why? Because I had initially decided to apply the dials

to the rear of the panel and let the revealed clear glazing

act as the lenses for each one. In the end I changed my

mind and simply applied the dials to the front of the

panel...

With the dials masked off, the panels were

airbrushed with Rubber Black, the masking

removed and then the dial decals dropped

in place.

The completely assembled and

painted instrument panel.

The fi nal step in the completion of the panel was to

‘glaze’ the dials with Micro Kristal Klear.

As mentioned in the introduction, the

seat straps were used from the kit. Here

they are in place.

As with the rest of the cockpit,

the seat was basecoated in

dark green, then oversprayed

with a cloudy pattern of Interior

Green and then fi nally, a

lightened shade of green mixed

from Interior Green and a few

drops of yellow. The seat was

then washed with Raw Umber

mixed with black to bring out

the features, before fi nally

adding some scratches with a

Prismacolor silver pencil.