Kit: No. 02256
Scale: 1/32
Manufacturer: Trumpeter, from Stevens International, 856-435-1555
Price: $89.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 374 parts (2 photoetched-metal, 4 vinyl), decals
Pros: Simple but effective wing-fold
engineering
Cons: Inaccurate engine, cowling, cockpit window, and markings; way too many rivets
Issue Published: October 2008
The first new 1/32 scale Hellcat in more than 30 years! Trumpeter's kit features wings that can be displayed folded or extended, separate control surfaces, and machine gun bays that can be displayed opened or closed, along with six rockets and two 500-pound bombs.
The decal sheet comes with two sets of markings - but the stars-and-bars blue is incorrect and, according to my references, the numbers for fighter ace Alex Vraciu's plane were white, not black.
The cockpit's side consoles are OK, but some details are inaccurate and others are simply absent (such as the elevator trim wheel on the left console). The rear engine compartment has all the motor mounts, oil tank, engine supercharger, and other parts, but you can't see them after the fuselage halves are joined. Same goes for the complete radio compartment behind the cockpit: I skipped it because you'll never see it, thereby saving three or four hours.
The fuselage halves went together with just a little super glue to fill the seam in front of the cockpit and in front of the tail wheel. The fuselage halves were slightly offset, but a little filing evened them out.
In the engine assembly (steps 11-14), Trumpeter uses the engine from the F4U-1A kit (says so right on the sprue). This engine is inaccurate: The cylinder rows are spaced about 1/8" too far apart. Oddly, it fits in this model. (Go figure.) The engine from Trumpeter's P-47 would have been more accurate; it has parts to make almost any Pratt & Whitney engine.
In Step 17, the framing of the main landing gear bays is pretty nice. However, it's not clear how the two pistons (parts E9 and E6) fit in the bays. I got lucky - mount them parallel with the horizontal framing.
The exhaust pipes are undersized; they look almost spaghetti-like, and they're tricky. The instructions install the pipes after the engine, but it's easier to mount them off the model and check alignment as you go - and it's easier to snake the exhaust pipes through the intake manifold pipes. Open or closed cowl flaps are provided.
The wings come with complete gun bays that can be displayed open or closed. I displayed one open and one closed. The wings have mounting holes for rockets, so if you don't use them you'll need to fill the holes. You don't see many F6F-3s with underwing ordnance.
The wings can be displayed opened or folded; I did one of each. The model wing design is innovative. For the open wings, parts E61 and E62 have pegs that plug into the outer and inner wing to provide a sturdy, tight fit with no gaps at the fold joint. For the folded wing, parts E57 and E58 do the same thing, except the pegs are molded at the proper folded angle. All you have to do is glue either parts E34 and E36 for the right wing, or parts E31 and E33 for the left wing, to the wing-fold plugs to represent interior detail for the folded wing. Just press them in place and you're good to go. (The assembly reminds me of the 1/48 scale resin conversions Lone Star Models made a few years ago for the Hellcat, Corsair, and Wildcat.)
The control surfaces are molded separately, but the way the tabs are molded doesn't allow a lot of play if you want to display the control surfaces offset. The rudder tabs need to be tapered to slide into the horizontal stabilizer properly.
The kit also supplies a tow tractor - nice, but there are no painting instructions for it. (World War II carrier-deck tractors were medium gray.) Parts J7 and J8 are wheel chocks; paint them yellow.
Aside from the misshapen cowling, the cockpit's rear windows being the wrong size, and too many rivets, Trumpeter's Hellcat isn't bad. Avionex has resin cockpits out for the Dash 3 and Dash 5 Hellcats.
I had some difficulties with a few final touches. As with Trumpeter's Bearcat, the tires are too narrow for the wheel hubs. Also, the antenna on the spine is set too far forward, preventing the canopy from being positioned in the proper open position.
The build took about 27 hours, and it scales out right - but you'll need a little building experience to complete this 'Cat.