SPA Modeler

After fiddling around with the Fletcher kit, I needed to keep my mojo going. Looking at my stash, I pulled out the Hobby Boss Hellcat Mk.I kit...


I worked on the "office" mostly and the radial engine. Here's what I've done thus far.



This the brace for the radial engine. No point in painting it since it won't be seen once the cowl is in place.

Nice start you got going there!

Great choice! I’ve been curious to see one of these kits built!

Looks like pretty nice detail

Very cool! I have Hobby Boss's Wildcat in the stash.

The pit is painted Green Interior Green, detail work will resume this weekend. Tires, drop tank and bombs assembled. I am debating if I want to add the rockets.

Drilled out the holes on the tail wheel strut. Can’t stand looking at it as solid indentations where the holes should be open.

I had purchased Quickboost correct machine gun barrels for this kit a long time ago but noticed it’s for the Late F6 Hellcat. Not sure if the Mk.I Hellcat would be classified as Late. Thoughts?


Hobby Boss is a great kit and I do have one knock on this. The instruction guide DOES NOT have color call out for anything aside the camp scheme. I referred to using Eduard’s 1/72 Fleet Air Arm Hellcat kit instruction guide I had printed out when I bought this kit.

All Hellcats had 6 50's, except for one cannon armed prototype that did not see production. I think the only visible change was the fairings that were on the first Hellcats, up to BuNo 26195. Here is a picture of a Hellcat with those fairings.

Looking at your image you posted and others when doing a google search, it appears gun barrels are visible. Hobby Boss kit’s wings has the holes for gun barrels but no barrel part/pieces.

It’s a good thing I had purchased them.

Strange. The Encore/Squadron/Eduard kit I did came with barrels. I'm sure yours will look nicer.