F6F-5K

[Second Air Force]

Yep, somebody had to get them out to the carriers before the drone missions! (Though, I'm not sure if any red ones were expended on those combat missions or not.....?)

[C VEICH]

Yep, somebody had to get them out to the carriers before the drone missions! (Though, I'm not sure if any red ones were expended on those combat missions or not.....?)

I've not come across any pictures of red colored drone Hellcats in combat situations but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. However, you don't have to search too hard to find pics of them with pilots aboard to know that they were at least ocassionally flown the "old fashioned" way. Many of them carried the black anti-glare panel forward of the wind screen which must mean something! I really wanted to put the anti-glare panel on my model, and some artist's renderings actually showed it, but a picture of the full size bird was devoid of the black so I left it off.

[The Inspector]

I seem to recall a couple of years ago AIR & SPACE had a short article on how one UNMANNED F6F drone went rogue and caused the USAF to dispatch a couple of F-89's to shoot it down, at least one of them expended every bit of onboard ordinance (and that was a pile of unguided rockets!) including throwing the logbook @ the F6F without touching it and it eventually crashed on its own outside of beautiful Palmdale knocking down two high tension wires.

They were fully equipped (just like current F4 drones are) for manned flying to/from ranges which would explain the black anti glare panels, but I don't recall ever seeing them (at least as target drones) being launched from carriers. The ones used as unmanned bombs carriers during Korea were flown from carriers unmanned.

I just thought it would add to the 'HMMMM' factor if it was without carbon based operator aboard.

[Tiger Tim]

I seem to recall a couple of years ago AIR & SPACE had a short article on how one UNMANNED F6F drone went rogue and caused the USAF to dispatch a couple of F-89's to shoot it down

You mean this incident?
http://www.thexhunters.com/xpeditions/f6f-5k.html
Kind of an exciting story, makes me want a model Hellcat drone of my own.

-Tim

[The Inspector]

That be da one-

[the330thbg]

very cool story. Thanks

[C VEICH]

I finally finished up the 'cat and she is ready to fly. That will happen this coming weekend so any good "juju" that you want to send my way is much appreciated. With any luck the next pictures I post will be flight shots. Either that or pictures of the smoking hole! I don't build hangar queens so it will either fly or, well, you know.







Taxi testing

[cwmc]

Beautiful, Chad. It's models like this that keep my motivation up.
Chris...

[C VEICH]

Beautiful, Chad. It's models like this that keep my motivation up.
Chris...

Thanks Chris for the kind remarks. I'm happy to report that the project reached a successful conclusion today with a picture perfect test flight. The airplane handles quite nicely both in the air and on the ground and I'm looking forward to getting some time on it. Next time I will get it down a bit lower for some better pictures and maybe throw the drop tank on it.

[wingman1]

Beautiful, Chad. It's models like this that keep my motivation up.
Chris...

Thanks Chris for the kind remarks. I'm happy to report that the project reached a successful conclusion today with a picture perfect test flight. The airplane handles quite nicely both in the air and on the ground and I'm looking forward to getting some time on it. Next time I will get it down a bit lower for some better pictures and maybe throw the drop tank on it.

looks like a full size Hellcat! great work!

[steve dickey]

I really wanted to put the anti-glare panel on my model, and some artist's renderings actually showed it, but a picture of the full size bird was devoid of the black so I left it off.

Not saying you should but I have the squadron signal book that shows some with it on, on page 53. Its black and white but you can see it.
I was also recently given a recent "The Hook" magazine that shows a pic of one with a flat black panel.
Either way I think your model looks superb even without it!
Curious, what is your source?

[C VEICH]

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

Steve, it was the artist's profile drawing in the Squadron book that originally drew me to this paint job. However, it has some innacuracies when compared to the photo of the real D94 seen below. Note that no anti-glare panel is apparent and the number on the cowl is substantially different. I suppose it is possible that the drawing represents the airplane at a different time in its life but I went with what I knew to be accurate. The 1:48 scale Eduard plastic model includes decals and painting instructions for D94 which agree with the photo and that is what I used to create the stencils for painting my markings. Many of the drones did carry an anti-glare panel but I could not find good enough information on any of them. I may compete with my Hellcat in scale competition which requires published proof of all the markings. The Eduard painting guide seen below is perfect for that.

[C VEICH]

My favorite shot from today's test flying. My friend Joe Balabon took all the pics today.

[steve dickey]

Nice either way! I think you and I have different books! Mine is by Bert Kinzey.

[Scott Rose]

Cool Stuff Chad. I like it.