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Eduard 1/48 Weekend Edition F6F-5 Hellcat

By Tom Burns

In April 1944 the Navy approved the changeover from the F6F-3 to the F6F-5 Hellcat. The most distinguishable features of the F6F-5 where the suppression of the lower cowl flaps and lateral exhaust bulges in the cowling, deletion of the aft canopy windows and dorsal recognition light (change not made until second block of F6F-5s) and the provision for six 5" HVAR rockets underwing. The most definite recognition feature of the F6F-5 was the new canopy that lacked the characteristic lateral brace on either side forward. The new Hellcat also included provision for carrying two 250gal external tanks or two 1000lb bombs underwing.

A total of 7820 of the new version were completed by November 1945. The Hellcat in all it variants accounted for over 75% of the Japanese losses to US Navy fighters in WWII.

First Look

Like other Eduard weekend edition kits the F6F-5 is a basic kit with no resin or photo etch detailing and markings for a single aircraft in glossy sea blue that was flown by Leo Bob McCuddin,VF20,USS Enterprise, October 1944. The kit consists of 125 parts on six sprues five in olive green and one clear, one decal sheet, and instructions. Twenty four parts are not used.

As with all Eduard kits of late the surface detail is excellent with panel lines and rivet detail delicately done along with the rib detail on the fabric covered controlled surfaces. Control surfaces are separate but installed in the up position.

The cockpit is made up from eight parts with minimal detail. The seat has no belts and the instrument faces are void of any detail on the dials and there are no decals for them. If you intend to show you model with the canopy open it would be worth spending some extra time on the cockpit area or using a resin replacement set. You have a choice of two canopies one opened and one closed.

The engine has good details and the cowl looks right on to me. The propeller blades and hub come assembled so you don't have to worry about getting the pitch angle correct on each blade. If you choose to put rockets on use option B which are the correct 5" ones, also if the drop tank is used you might add the missing straps with strip plastic.

The clear parts are very well done and come with the correct forward canopy without the upper brace and two rear canopy parts one for the closed position and one for the open position.

The decals are very well done and come with plenty of stencil markings as on the real plane.

Overall with its lower price and outstanding quality this looks to be an easy build with plenty of overall detail and with some extra work will build into winner.

Thanks to Eduard for the review model.