1:32 Grumman Hellcat Mk I

An American fighter in British service

The Grumman F6F was designed as a direct answer to the experience of the first carrier combats in the Pacific: a powerful engine, a roomy cockpit with a good view over the nose and landing gear that stood up to a hard arrival on the deck. The British received it from American production and at first gave it a name of their own, later changing to the original American designation. In their hands the machine appeared over Norway, in the Mediterranean and in the Far East.

Three carrier machines

The first variant belongs to an aircraft with invasion stripes of a unit operating from the Emperor, that is from the time when Allied aircraft carried conspicuous black and white bands for quick recognition. The other two aircraft flew from the deck of the Indomitable, one in 1944 and the other a year later, when the British formation was operating in the Pacific.

Colors and surface

British naval machines wore dark upper shades and a light underside, with the boundary between them running smoothly along the sides of the fuselage. Deck operations left marks on the surface, so wear around the footholds and at the wing root will bring a build to life. The stripes on the underside tended to be applied in a hurry, so a little irregularity is in place here.

The gluing procedure

Choose a gloss base, let the decal release in water and move it onto a dampened spot. The position can be adjusted until the film of water disappears. Draw the surplus water off with absorbent paper and protect the finished surface with a clear coat. You will not find plastic parts or glue in the set.