The Little World

A Sunday browse in a strange hobby shop brought me up short this week – I found four items which I had coveted for months and which I had despaired of ever seeing. These are the occasions for which the credit card is made, and I have been abstemious of late. I was able to indulge.

One of the prizes turned out to be this Hasegawa Hellcat with target tug markings. I’d seen it in Scalemates and on the net but resigned myself to having to make my own decals if I had ever wanted to build the plane. Here it is in one piece and with good decals ready-made. Though Hasegawa are pricey in Australia this was a chance not to be missed.

The basic parts are not terribly different from any other Hellcat kit. Raised lines, but discrete ones. Fine detail on surfaces – and the surfaces are polished. Delicate cowling. Just moderate detail on the engine, but a positive locating firewall to put the propeller shaft dead where it is expected. Good prop. Tread detail on tyres.

Also good canopy – two of them included, as this probably shared sprues with earlier model naval fighters.

The decals are perfect, though oddly enough not spectacular at first sight. The oversize national insignia is authentic. Most of the pretty colour in this plane will come from the grey/yellow/red paint scheme. To make sure the colours are as bright as can be, I will be priming it with white as well as grey surfacer. An extra set of masks, but well worth it. Even the wheel wells are colourful in this one!

Note that there are parts to remove – the guns go as well as the dorsal lights. I need to make blade antennae as well.