I am about to build my first plane. I bought the Revell 1:72 F6F5 Hellcat and I would like to use the Techmod’s 1:72 F6F3 decal sheet of David Campbells plane. I want to paint the plane in the tri-color scheme and the box decals do not have the blue circle in the underwing insignia.
If there is a noticable difference between the F6F3 and F6F5 I will use the sheet in the box and paint the full body blue scheme. [V]
If you guys can point me to other decal sheets for this kit (F6F5) I would apreciate it.
As far as I can tell, there were two major differences. One, on the cowling, the bulge about lined up with the middle of the fusalage was removed (F6F-3 had it, F6F-5 didn’t). The other is that there was a small rear window (kinda like a P-40 but alot smaller) that was removed on the F6F-5. And there were rocket rails on the F-
I found on another website that the sheet from Techmod has three different historical planes markings including the Campbell Minsi III. two, including Campbells, are for the all blue scheme and the last one is for a historical tri-color hellcat.
After more thought, I may go with the all blue so I can model Mr. Campbells plane.
Most notable difference - the -3 and the first couple of thousand -5s had the rear vision window. Later -5s did not. The windscreen is also different: the -3 had a frame across the topand a separate bullet resistant glass panel behind the plexiglass front pane; the -5 had a bullet resistant front pane and different framing. The -3 and -5 also had different aileron trim tabs: the -3 had a trim tab on the left aileron and a fixed tab on the right aileron; the -5 had a servo tab and a fixed tab on each aileron.
Some of the early F6F-5’s still had the rear windows, which are a real pain on a 1/72 model. I think there were some differences in the cowl flap configuration as well, but I don’t have my references handy, so not sure. If you want to do an accurate Tri-Color scheme, pretty much have to do an F6F-3, as most all F6F-5’s were overall gloss Dark Sea Blue.
The main difference between an F6F-5 and -3 is the windsheild (-5 windsheilds didn’t have as much bracing) and -3’s had small windows behind the the cockpit (some early -5’s had this small window also).
Early -3’s had other differences like an extra lower cowl flap, exhaust fairing bulges and fairings over the inboard gun barrels. Also there were some differences with the trim tabs and -5’s had rocket stubs under the wings. You should be able to get a canopy in F6F-3 style if you want to go vac-formed.
All F6F-5’s were delivered in the overall glossy sea-blue scheme with the stars and bars painted directly onto the blue, F6F-3’s were nearly all painted in the tri colour scheme.
Mcampbell flew both F6F-5s and -3s, He had minsi and monsoon maiden in -3’s and minsi II Minsi III in -5’s. You should be able to find some decals of Minsi II or III as they are pretty famous aircraft.
If you want to go to the trouble, Its not a huge job to convert a -5 to a -3. I’m doing it right now with a 1/48 hasegawa kit. Just build what makes you happy dont worry too much about being completely accurate (after all its only your first plane ). Unless you’re gonna enter it in a comp you don’t need to worry what anyone else thinks. Post some pics of it when your finished.
I am not going to do the Minsi III [V] I noticed the rear windows on his plane from the picture in the FSM Jan '04.
The decal sheet I ordered does have the markings for 71 - Lt. Leo B. McCuddin, VF-20, USS Enterprise, October 1944, and it shows his plane without the rear window. It does appear that I’m stuck with the late full blue scheme, at least the plane will not have that silly looking (although historical for that particular plane) mouth and eyeballs of the kit decals.
No, I’m pretty sure my Hellcat in Action shows the difference in the windscreen between the 3 and the 5, but I’ll check when I get home tonight. Apologies if I’m wrong.
I looked at their drawing and a bunch more pictures. In the drawing comparison and some pictures, it looks like the -3 windscreen has a very slight curvature. In others, it looks pretty flat.