Hi all,

Hooray!!! I've finished my Hellcat, and some pics are in :-)!!!!!!

I do have to admit that the pics are not all that good, but this is the best I could get at such a short notice. I persuaded my boss to use his digital cam to take these photos, and they seem to be just OK.

I will be posting pics that I took at home with a SLR camera later. For now, pls do take a look and let me know.....

More photos at Yahoo :Yahoo Photos

Cheers,
BP.

Nicely done BP! Did you use the 3M tape on the canopy?

Hi Jeepney,

Thanks ! Hopefully I'll be able to post better pics of my plane after a week or so....

Yep, I used the 3M tape for the canopy. Currently, am doing a Academy B-24 D Liberator, and have masked off the nose areas and the cabin glass. The nose area was a real pain in the butt, with plenty of curved points, but it's done, and come out very well indeed!

My experiences so far:
1. When you have recessed windows in the canopy parts, the 3M tape works like a dream. I was able to mask off the B-24 nose canopy in about 3 hours of work . Cutting out the tape in such cases is very easy; you just need to follow the pressed in lines on the tape. It may not work as well in canopies where there are no recessed lines to follow, or if there are no lines at all.
2. The 3M tape is better than masking tape, since I can easily see the lines beneath. Also, the thickness of the masking tape is so much, that even when you try and burnish down the window lines, you won't be able to see where the lines are, and you may end up cutting a line in the wrong area ! Also, the adhesion of the 3M tape is far less than the masking tape, and it comes off very easily!

Cheers,
BP.

I'll finally be trying your method when I do our Luftwaffe Group Build

Oh, and one more thing !

The Catmouth markings(mouth and eyes) are not decals. I have painted them by hand. These were also done using a combo of masking tape and 3M tape. I used the masking tape at the time of Ab'ing the whole A/C, to cover off the eyes and mouth.

Then, at the end, before attaching the propeller, I took off the masking tape, painted the eyes and eyeballs. For the teeth, I first painted the whole mouth white, then using the 3M tape (after the paint had dried thoroughly) I cut out the outline of the teeth. The tape on the inner part of the mouth was then removed, leaving the white teeth tape sections on. I then just painted red into the area ! Voila , a catmouth!

BP.

I sense an article in the making

Stupid websites!

I put up my original pic and signature GIF file at Freeservers, and it's saying I can't link up to external sites. Feel like kicking these idiots all the way to the moon !

Well, I have put up addnl photos at Yahoo, so you can take a look there:
Updated Photos

Real good looking model, pal...
What model kit is it? And what scale?
Cheers

Hi Paulo,

Thanks !

The model is an Academy 1/72 F6F-5 Grumman Hellcat which I made for the Aircraft Group Build. Darn cheap kit(cost me just about $5), and went together pretty well too.

Cheers,
BP.

Your F6F looks great!
Congratulations on a job well done.
Cheers,
Bren

Pah! I could do better with a pastel set!!

:D
That is awesome...I love it. Great work on the sharks mouth too!

Anthony

Byte, that does look great! Congrats on a nicely done Wildcat!

Hi ,

Very hard and nice work Bytepilot , Your Hellcat "wants to fly ".

BP and all Guys , talking about 3 M masking type , I ask is every type of 3M company tapes working as fine as this use for Hellcat ? I always masking with eduard masks or some Masking stripes paper from Revell - I never use 3M . Please advice something .


Best Regards