Sheet:

Aeromaster 48-399:Fleet Air Arm Hellcats

Units: Various

Price

$6.70

Reviewer:

Scott Van Aken

As with most USN aircraft of WWII, the British were given a number of them to help outfit their carriers, especially those that would be seeing action with US carrier groups. It just made getting parts easier and kept US gunners from firing on the unfamiliar silhouettes of Seafires, and Fulmars!

This sheet covers for Hellcats. The Hellcat I is the equivalent of the F6F-3 and the Hellcat II is the F6F-5. In all respects, they were the same as US planes, at least from the outside.

The first plane is in the Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky scheme. The white bands and nose are part of the British SEAC markings as are the blue white roundels. 8H*H is from 896 Sq in Aug of 1945.

In the same scheme as the previous plane is Hellcat II 6A*K from 808 Sq in May of 1945.It has a slightly different fuselage roundel.

The Hellcat I from 885 Sq in June of 1945 is overall gloss black (!). Squadron Leader Campbell thought it would be eye-catching and it certainly was!

Finally, a Hellcat II from 1844 Sq in June of 1945. This one was not repainted in FAA colors and so left in the overall gloss sea blue of US planes. It carries the larger SEAC roundels used when in action with US carriers.

There is a small addendum sheet in with the set. Aeromaster realized that the codes on the first two planes were white and not sea grey so provides those codes in the proper color. The decals will have to be cut prior to use.

A nice sheet for those of you who tire of the 'standard' US Hellcats.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has well over 150,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.