Seeing Double, Finally

The last time these two appeared, they were a bit on the shiny side. They've undergone their final treatment now, however, and are complete. And since they make such a nice pair, I can't resist sharing.

The straight wing F6F was a regular build, and being Hasegawa, was a joy. The second one was more challenging; have you ever done a wing-fold on a Hellcat? The complex shape of the fold rules out use of the razor saw to achieve a neat cut. Instead, it requires a series of painstaking cuts into the well-defined panel lines. This must be done with extreme care in order to realise the precise shape peculiar to this aircraft.

Since no after market parts appear to be available, I used a set of Monogram Skyraider wing-fold inserts. This worked remarkably well with little modification.

To support the weight of the wing, I was obliged to drill and pin the stubs, again with great care to make sure the angles were correct.

I'm not sure I'd take on the same subject again, but it was great experience. What do you think?

Seeing Double

Yes, a pair of Grumman Hellcats. Work on these two was going really well, but a well-known hobby supplier beginning with H does not operate a particularly swift service and I am waiting for a set of decals from them. They know who they are.

One F6F will be completed with wings folded. This is a surprisingly tricky job to do. The odd cut angles rule out the razor saw, leaving me only the Swann Morton No.3. As you can see, it has gone well though. Not even the usual blood-letting which traditionally accompanies jobs like these. More on these cats later.