Airfix Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat 1:24 WWII Military Aviation Plastic Model Kit A19004, Unpainted

This is a very detailed model. I did not notice some of the criticisms by other reviewers. Supposedly, the model even depicts oil canning of the exterior skin, but I did not notice it. Perhaps it is to subtle for me to see. However one reviewer criticized the oil canning effect because it bulged in the wrong direction. So beware of this if you have a sharper eye than mine. Another reviewer criticized the instrument panel and said that it was for an F6F-3. I don't know anything about that, but it is possible that early F6F-5's had the same instrument panel. If it is a problem, one can probably expect to see an after-market correction part very soon. I have not assembled the model yet, so I can not remark on fit. All I can say is I am very impressed with the interior and exterior detail. Wing folds, gun bays, cockpit, wheel bays, etcetera are extremely detailed. A 12x8, 75 page assembly book guides the way. An entire page is dedicated to color-coded instructions on engine ignition wiring. Another entire page is devoted to proper placement of all the decals inside the cockpit. So much of the interior is already visible, which makes me think that Airfix could actually make a supplemental kit that supplied the rest of the airframe skeleton without much trouble. It is that detailed. A Hellcat with no skin would be quite eye catching.

Airfix has produced the best model of the Grumman F6F Hellcat of World War II. What are included are beautifully molded parts, clear instructions that are easily followed, clear and in-register decals with the option of building either a US Navy Hellcat of the Pacific Theatre or a British Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Hellcat of the Pacific Theatre. This model will take time to complete, but the detail is outstanding, with features such as "stressed" fuselage and wing panels depicting how the metal fuselage and wing panels appeared after riveting to the frames and formers. This model is not recommended for a beginner, but a person that has built several models with a large parts count (500+) will have no problems in building this model which, will take some time. This is not a weekend model. Be patient and enjoy the build.

My wonderful daughter just gave me this for my birthday and I'm in awe! It has 572 parts and after I convert the paint to Vallejo, I'm going to jump in! I've done many 1/48's and 1/32's but this will be my first 1/24 It's very nicely packaged and has a nicely detailed instruction booklet. It's unbelievably clean with detail to die for! I can't wait, will put up photo's when I get started.

The detail and number of parts on this kit are just mind-boggling. I've been working in it for a couple months now and am not even half done. I am really enjoying it. The parts are well molded, the details crisp, and flash is minimal. I haven't had to deal with very many ejector pin marks and the fit is very tight. I'm not a huge fan of the soft plastic, but it really hasn't been an issue so it's easily overlooked. I do recommend getting one if you have the room and time to tackle one.

item as described, great transaction, highly recommended

I am about 70% of the way through building this kit. The first thing to mention is that this kit is HUGE. If you’re going to build this, plan on a several month project. Airfix does give you a wings folded option if you’re short on space. Pros. First off, Airfix has clearly used a lot of thought in designing this kit, and it shows. The detail is incredible throughout, and you always feel engaged with it. The instructions are clear and well organized, as are the sprues. Airfix has done a great job at organizing the sprues in such a way that the parts for a logical sequence of steps are located on one sprue. When a kit has almost 600 parts, this is much appreciated. Compare that to Revell, who seem to have no logic to their part numbering or sprue organization. The quality of the plastic itself is very good. Some folks don’t like that it’s on the softer side, but I’ve found it easy to work with. There was no flash and a minimum of cleanup issues. Decals are great, and you get four nice options for markings (2 American, 1 UK FAA, and 1 French Indochina). The cockpit and engine detail is simply fantastic. Each of them are like kits in of themselves. There are also a number of after market choices available. Cons. Now to the issues. First, I would have very much preferred that Airfix release this as a -3 version instead of a -5 version. There were a lot more choices in terms of markings. This aircraft would have looked fantastic in the US Navy three tone color scheme which was used on the -3 version. By the time the -5 version came out, the color scheme had changed to a solid dark blue scheme. I hate the idea of having to paint an aircraft kit this large in a single glossy color. The second issue is one of fit tolerances. The fit tolerances on this kit are EXTREMELY tight. You need to be very careful dry fitting parts together, and make sure you have no paint in areas that need to be glued. Even a small layer of paint can cause parts that should fit to not fit. I found thus particularly true with the cockpit into the fuselage, the wings, and especially the engine. It will work, but it requires very careful and methodical planning. This kit is not for a beginner, but if you are careful and take your time with it, it is one of the best representations of a classic World War II aircraft.

This kit is really nice..will make a super model to display

You're not going to be able to hide this one from your wife.

Airfix has done a superb job with this model all of the parts fit together precisely and is a great looking model

Exactly what I wanted, and fast delivery.

Airfix have really raised the bar with their latest kits and this big cat is up there with the likes of Tamiya. The surface effect of the stressed skin I think is just right and the engine is an absolute gem. The parts fit is excellent throughout. This is a lot of kit for the money and in my opinion an absolute bargain. Buy and enjoy.

Gut detailiert,trotzdem gut baubar-more of that Stuff

Es un modelo super completo, para disfrutar como modelista y mostrar a los conocedores y profanos......