1/48 Hellcats are out!!!

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:59 pm

I might buy it, at $9.99, if it ever comes to my local Wal Mart.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:35 pm

LTCBJ:

I saw the 1/48 Tony at Wal-Mart and it looked too much like a toy to me---the antenna looked particularly toy-like. Assuming the 1/48 F6F is similar, I still prefer the BBI 1/18 F6F over the 1/48 version.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:11 pm

I have never seen the Tony. Another item that has never made it to coastal Carolina. Many are sent, few arrive.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:26 pm

I am telling you guys, my old bones tell me this is the scale we will see 4 engine bombers in. Get 'em now or be left out in the cold...

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:24 am

Wouldn't THAT be something....

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:06 am

LTCBJ:

"coastal Carolina".....which Carolina are you talking about?...North or South?

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:39 am

Yankee Carolina

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:03 am

LTCBJ:

I'm from North Carolina originally.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:28 pm

I'm from New York City. Originally.

My wife's a Carolina girl.

Where are you from?

blurx7 · Post by **blurx7** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:14 pm

OK, so I found the Tony at WM in the Green paint scheme, and I picked up a Hellcat at the Mich Toy Soldier store today. I gotta say, I love both these planes, but the Hellcat in particular is just beautiful. Some of the 21C 1/48 line have been a little delicate and somewhat tricky in assembly to avoid breakage. Not the Hellcat. Very smooth and easy assembly and a great model. I am very pleased with this plane. Man it is huge for this scale. Almost looks like it should fit in with 1/32. The Hellcat must be huge. To end the speculation, the landing gear is like all the other 21c models in this line. Either up or down... two different sets. I don't mind the lack of a pilot as I display this scale of plane in the parked position. I really like that they give you two different canopies so you can display the plane with the canopy open.
<a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... 3687-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... 3687-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... P_3688.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... P_3688.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... P_3689.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w251 ... P_3689.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:21 pm

BLURX7:

Although it's comparing apples and oranges, how does the 1/48 F6F compare to BBI's 1/18 F6F?

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:22 pm

Great! Thanks for the review.. I will be getting the Hellcats ASAP.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Sun May 04, 2008 12:23 pm

LTCBJ:

I'm originally from Durham, NC. I currently live in Houston, but would rather be in Raleigh, NC where I went to college.

B24guy · Post by **B24guy** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:02 pm

That Hellcat looks great. Thanks for the pictures. Looks like I am about to start collecting 1/48 also.

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Sun May 04, 2008 1:08 pm

Just put in my order at Badcat for both Hellcats and can't wait till they arrive..

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Sun May 04, 2008 2:40 pm

Thanks for the pics blurx. I can't wait to get my hands on this. My only disappointment will be that up until now I haven't opened any of my 1/48 stuff. I am just not sure where to put it with 1/18 and 1/32 hanging everywhere...

blurx7 · Post by **blurx7** » Sun May 04, 2008 2:51 pm

dragon53 wrote:BLURX7:

Although it's comparing apples and oranges, how does the 1/48 F6F compare to BBI's 1/18 F6F?

Sorry, but I can't answer that. I don't have the BBI model. My collection doesn't have the space for many 1/18 pieces. I have glanced at the BBI model in it's box on a shelf but could not give a good side by side review. I will say that if you don't like the 21C 1/48 model I will be VERY surprised!

Jagdpanther · Post by **Jagdpanther** » Mon May 05, 2008 5:46 am

Thanks for the pics blurx!

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue May 20, 2008 3:20 pm

Just got the 1:48 Hellcat "White 17" from Badcat today. I am very impressed with this model! It and the Tony are easily the best of the 21c 1:48 aircraft line

Although it's comparing apples and oranges, how does the 1/48 F6F compare to BBI's 1/18 F6F?

If one wants to compare this plane with the 1:18 BBI version, it is very much like apples and oranges... First of all, there is the size difference, and this limites what details can be put on the model. The BBI Hellcat is naturally far more detailed with the moving parts, detailing, riveting, stenciling, etc, than the 21c version, but again, that should be expected... It also has more weathering. The 21c version also does not have all the moving parts, save the propeller and a retractable tail wheel. The omission of moving parts is itself a nice feature as you don't have sagging wings (they hold the proper dihedral) or loose control surfaces as on the BBI plane. The main landing gear on the 1:48 scale plane do not retract and come with seperate pieces to display them either extended or retracted. The plane also includes the rockets on the wings. Another feature is that the paneling behind the cockpit is removable and can be displayed as either the window or the solid fuselage. You will note that the BBI Hellcat has only the solid paneling behind the cockpit. Also, it appears 21c got the canopy correct on their plane, and it does not look over-sized as on the BBI aircraft.

All that, in a nutshell, comprises the differences and similarities between the two Hellcats

Rowsdower · Post by **Rowsdower** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:53 pm

I'll take interchangeable up or down gear pieces versus "realistic" moving gear and gear doors any day.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:36 pm

I really want to get the Hellcat but am going to hold out for a WM sighting. Recently I have found less money to spend on toys. Things like gas to get to work and food to eat are complicating things. Thank God I am at least smart enough to have a fixed rate mortgage!

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:58 am

olifant wrote:I really want to get the Hellcat but am going to hold out for a WM sighting. Recently I have found less money to spend on toys. Things like gas to get to work and food to eat are complicating things. Thank God I am at least smart enough to have a fixed rate mortgage!

I broke down and bought these from Badcat because in the long run, I'd svae myself gas/time and the heartache of not finding them within the next 3 months. Now I have both and I am VERY happy..

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:39 am

TMANTHEGREAT:

Thanks for another good review.

I went back and found the original posts about the BBI's big canopy and folding wing problems. Overall, when comparing the BBI's weathering, detail, pilot, etc, to the 1/48 F6F, I'm still favoring the BBI version.

jlspec · Post by **jlspec** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:01 pm

Couldn't wait for retail (WM is loaded with P-40s and TRU has Tonys) so I got 2 white 2 from 3000toys. Great looking plane. My favorite 21st C 1/48.