This is the elderly Hasegawa 1/32nd scale F-6F Hellcat in the markings of USS Bunker Hill. One of the elderly gentlemen in my model club had this kit and wanted to donate it to our club's travelling showcase. He had not started it, but several key parts were missing, but nothing that the scratchbuilding gods couldn't provide (after the appropriate sacrifice, of course...).



The kit is pretty chunky with limited detail - it's an old kit. There are pin marks, casting flaws and everything in between. Amid the gaggle of other WW2 birds in large scale, this issue was welcomed by a lot of builders. There is limited "wow" factor here, as the old kit used it's size to thrill the builder.



Full gun bays with removable (tho incorrect) gun bay covers are provided as well as six kinda-sorta accurate fifty caliber guns. The flaps move but strangely, a wing-fold option is not given. The gear wheel wells are adequate but all in all, the bird is missing a ton of panels, ports, vents, etc.



The cockpit is completely lacking in detail. The canopy can be built open or closed. It appears that the kit's main emphasis, detail wise, is the engine. Wiring and plumbing push the engine to just over twenty parts, which isn't too shabby for today, let alone the timeframe of the kit.



The kit gives you six underwing rockets and a centerline fuel tank. Weirdly, the kit does not ask you to open holes in the wing for the rockets nor do they give you the stubs for mounting the rockets. Here's the kit alongside the unfinished Hasegawa 48th scale and the finished Hobbyboss 72nd scale.



I had to build some engine parts for the prop and other little bits but nothing outside of my comfort zone. I also have the Trumpeter 1/32nd scale Hellcat and it is 500% better.

Cheers,


Don