Cat-mouth Hellcat of VF-27

[BSteinIPMS]

This one's for that ace modeler, Ara1. :D

Grumman F6F-3, U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron VF-27, embarked aboard the light carrier USS Princeton, CVL-23. This squadron's markings were highly unusual in a navy which frowned on nose art. The cat mouth art was designed by three of the squadron's pilots while training at Kahului Naval Air Station, Maui, Hawaii, during March and April 1944. Each of the squadron's 24 aircraft was hand-painted and no two were quite alike.

On 24 October Princeton was sunk by a lone Judy dive bomber, leaving nine of VF-27's Hellcats (which were aloft) without a home. Those nine F6Fs recovered aboard other carriers where commanders who were not amused by the cat mouth markings ordered them removed.

Arii (formerly Otaki) 1/48 kit.

The article appeared in FineScale Modeler magazine in May 1993 and I have the author's permission to reproduce it here. ;)

[BSteinIPMS]

Four more of the model.

[58warren]

Nice model! :)

[planejunky]

Wow very nice, and an interesting history Bob, thanks.

I believe that CDC Armour also made that Hellcat in 1/48th diecast.

[Ara1]

So nice to see this Hellcat. I especially like figure 3, with the artist's hands on the model.

I have always viewed Bob's Hellcat as how it should be done: thoroughly researched and beautifully executed. Very nice work.

As with his Spitfire, I will say that this magazine article^^^ made it to many a boy's favorite reading spot where each photo was pored over and marveled at... across thousands of homes. Wholesome entertainment- what enjoyment! In those days Otaki / Arii kits were a modest $9.00, with a complimentary sheet of R. Wantanabe's double color profiles for further inspiration. The kits were famous "one nighters"; easy to build, and easily affordable for a young modelbuilder. And I can imagine a kid saying, "That Hellcat is cool!" with Bob's article on the workbench, folded to the appropriate page as a careful reference.

Thanks Bob for sharing your work, then and now. :cool:

Ara