F6-F3 Hellcat WIP

[neilh8888]

An F6-F3 Hellcat I'm working on. Criticisms and observations welcome.

I'm aware of the front canopy problem and the gaps in the flaps are intentional (for UV mapping). Yellow colored objects are indicative of future animatible parts.

[krazycolin]

but... but.... it's gray... ???? just kidding... looks good.... though i know NOTHING about it.... i would recommend adding some small chamfers (bevels) to the edges of your aerilons, rudders et...

[neilh8888]

Good idea.

[Spinner]

Great choice.
Its got that unusual vertical paneling. So many don't get the weathering right with that. Look forward to see the animation.

[denders]

Looks good! Very nice F6F-3 Hellcat! Are you going to 'paint' it in three color or overall dark sea blue?

[Zimster]

Yeah I can’t wait to see more. I did notice on your reference photos the red lines don’t quite match up in the back corner. However you’re so far along it must not have caused you many problems. I know for me if anything is event the slightest pixel off it bugs the heck out of me!

[Bravo]

Having looked at it I believe the red line itself was incorrectly placed (look at the back of the plane) so the reference pic is probably in the right place.

Looking good so far, looking forward to the texturing

[kevjon]

Nice work. I hope you do a 3 tone scheme with a big angry mouth (http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal3/2001-2100/Gal2079_Ryan_Hellcat/02.jpg) on the front.

[Spinner]

That red line deal will jump up in your face again n again with the WW2 hotrods.
Modeller jim draws his red lines off the axis cross on the front view prop spinner and happily follows all the 'mirror the other half' tutes. Probs occur when he notices the rudder isnt centered on the red line (look at Hellcat front view). So he starts 'adjusting' on the fast road to 3D hell.
The drawing is correct. They added up to 3 degrees of incidence and severall degrees of offset on the tail to help bring the huge amount of torque and prop P-factor those 1000-2000 hp prop jobs churned out within the pilot's control.
Definately one area a WW2 aircraft modeller makes basic decisions about early in the process.

[Meshfan]

She was the USA's basic carrier based fighter right?

Great start.

[MagnumHB]

Your antenna is wrong. It's not a huge blade like that, it's a small pole. What you are seeing in the blueprint is the wire coming from the tail and going to the small pole and another wire going from that joint down to the fuselage. I have a good reference pic on my computer that is currently in a box which I will post when I get a chance, or I might be able to find it again now.

[neilh8888]

Looks good! Very nice F6F-3 Hellcat! Are you going to 'paint' it in three color or overall dark sea blue?

Since the F6-F3 was an early war aircraft, I will probably paint it in 3 colors as was common at the time.

[neilh8888]

As I recall, I moved the side reference up late during the modelling to work on the canopy as it wasn't jibbing with the cross sections at all.

That red line deal will jump up in your face again n again with the WW2 hotrods.
Modeller jim draws his red lines off the axis cross on the front view prop spinner and happily follows all the 'mirror the other half' tutes. Probs occur when he notices the rudder isnt centered on the red line (look at Hellcat front view). So he starts 'adjusting' on the fast road to 3D hell.
The drawing is correct. They added up to 3 degrees of incidence and severall degrees of offset on the tail to help bring the huge amount of torque and prop P-factor those 1000-2000 hp prop jobs churned out within the pilot's control.
Definately one area a WW2 aircraft modeller makes basic decisions about early in the process.

[neilh8888]

Your antenna is wrong. It's not a huge blade like that, it's a small pole. What you are seeing in the blueprint is the wire coming from the tail and going to the small pole and another wire going from that joint down to the fuselage. I have a good reference pic on my computer that is currently in a box which I will post when I get a chance, or I might be able to find it again now.

I'll double check my reference photos on the antenna.

[MagnumHB]

Here's one big picture, linked for size from the original source:
http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/photos/images/ww2-75.jpg

And another I have on my hard drive.
http://web.syr.edu/~adkirsch/F6F%20barrier.jpg

[neilh8888]

Your antenna is wrong. It's not a huge blade like that, it's a small pole. What you are seeing in the blueprint is the wire coming from the tail and going to the small pole and another wire going from that joint down to the fuselage. I have a good reference pic on my computer that is currently in a box which I will post when I get a chance, or I might be able to find it again now.

You're correct. I've fixed it, should post new WIP today.

[Spinner]

Sorry Neil, I was refering to Bravo's 'look at the rear end of the plane'. Getting at mirroring not working straightforwardly with WW2 prop jobs.
One of those deals where the plans seem wrong but they're not.
Yours looks great.

[neilh8888]

No new WIP today, I'm in canopy fix HELL!

[Dann-O]

Nice choice of planes. Radial engines rule. The Hellcat came into the war halfway through it was the first fighter to reach service with the WASP 2000hp engine later used in the Corsair and the Thunderbolt a great plane it is like a trimmed down Jug to me. Very cool.

[LargeBear]

Wire views please. A 3D topic without wire views is like Laurel without Hardy.

[bzhyoyo]

very good WIP :)
Here are two pictures that may help you with bump maps :
http://www.ungdomshus.nu/sd/2006-06-03.276.La.Ferte-Alais.Grumman.Hellcat.PS.size.jpg
http://www.ungdomshus.nu/sd/2006-06-03.280.La.Ferte-Alais.Grumman.Hellcat.PS.size.jpg

[neilh8888]

very good WIP :)
Here are two pictures that may help you with bump maps :
http://www.ungdomshus.nu/sd/2006-06-03.276.La.Ferte-Alais.Grumman.Hellcat.PS.size.jpg
http://www.ungdomshus.nu/sd/2006-06-03.280.La.Ferte-Alais.Grumman.Hellcat.PS.size.jpg

Excellent! Thank you!

Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been slammed with other projects at work and the work I HAVE been doing on the mesh is touch up.