F6F-5 Hellcat

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

Eduard's 1/48 scale F6F-5 Hellcat is available online from Squadron.com

ProfiPACK 8222 is the latest packaging by Eduard of their truly superb rendition of the Grumman F6-F Hellcat in 1/48 scale.

The Eduard series of the Hellcat has already been the subject of much discussion by modellers with regard to its accuracy or otherwise – especially the ‘grin’ of the cowling - and as such I intend to concentrate this review on what you receive in this issue’s box. 

The Eduard Hellcat was first issued in the guise of the F6F-3 back in February of 2008 and theat kit was reviewed here on Hysperscale by our erudite editor Brett Green.  Brett did his usual thorough job with the review and you might want to visit it here http://www.hyperscale.com/2008/reviews/kits/eduard8211reviewbg_1.htm if you want a full discourse on what you get in the -3 versions box as it is largely similar as what you get in the -5 box.

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So, what do you get? 

• New wings and ailerons.  Surprisingly, and thankfully Eduard gives you completely new wings that exhibit differing panel detail that reflect the changes made to the -5 over the -3 rather than giving you the -3 wings and have you fill the unwanted detail, whilst the ailerons now have very thin trim tabs.

• New fuselage halves.   The new fuselage halves have been moulded without the rear windows, one of the main identifying points of a -5 over a -3.  You also get a pair of -3 fuselage haves too as early -5s still carried the rear windows.  You have got to be happy with this as Eduard could have gone the same route as Hasegawa did and have you carve out the flashed over hole to insert the windows and putty/sand/polish until you get a satisfactory finish if you want to do an early -5 with the windows!

• New -5 specific cowling halves.  You get also get the two different sets of cowling halves that appeared in the -3 kit.  Again, the new -5 specific cowlings reflect the differing cowling flaps and the lack of the exhaust fairing that were a feature of the -5 cowlings.

• Two different types of HVAR.  You get a sprue that carries two different types of high velocity aerial rockets with the -5 kit.  These are moulded with the rockets integral to the slim pylon.  The stabilising fins are moulded separately and the rear of these parts exhibits the appropriate engraved detail.

• A pair of resin wheels and tyres.  A criticism of the -3 kit was that the main wheels were too skinny and that the tyres did not exhibit any tread detail.  These new resin parts take care of that.  They are supplied as two-part castings which have you sand the rear face of the hub away from the casting plug.  If you do this very carefully, you will be able to sand away the rear face so as you can see the inner face hub detail just as it was on the one-to-one-scale versions of the Hellcat.  In case you were wondering, the new wheels are exactly the same size as the beautiful Ultracast versions of the same wheel.

• Additional photo-etch parts.  You get some minor additions to the already generous fret that comes with the -3 kit.  The additions include the canopy opening/closing crank and its associated hardware as well as new instrument panels.

• New markings.   Markings are supplied for four very well known U.S. Navy machines:

  • Bureau number 70143, the ‘Minsi III’ flown by Commander David McCambell, Commander Air Group 15 based aboard the USS Essex in the May of 1945.  This was an early version of the -5 and as such it has the rear windows on its fuselage.

  • ‘Paper Doll’ flown by Lieutenant Carl A. Brown Jr of VF-27 from the deck of the USS Princeton in October 1944.  Again, this was an early version of the -5 with the rear windows on its fuselage.

  • Bureau number 72534 ‘Death and Destruction’ flown by Ensigns Donald McPherson, Bill Kingston Jr and Lyttleton Ward of VF-83 from USS Essex in May 1945.

  • The F-6F-5 flown by Lieutenant Leo ‘Bob’ McCuddin of VF-20 embarked aboard the USS Enterprise in October 1945.

So there you have it, the new release ProfiPACK version of the F6F-5 Hellcat from Eduard.  Make no mistake, you are certainly getting your monies worth with all of the Hellcat boxings from Eduard as they all contain first rate moulded parts with coloured photo-etch parts and some great quality decal and markings options (the decals themselves are printed by Cartograf).

Do a quick search on Google image for Eduard Hellcat and see how many hits you pull up.  People are buying and building these kits in great numbers as they are a dream to build and look a treat when finished.

Thanks to Eduard for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2009 by Rodger Kelly
Images Copyright © 2009 by Eduard
Page Created 9 March, 2009
Last updated 9 March, 2009

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