New updates for: Horten Ho 229 and F6F Hellcat (new project) - March 22, 2024

Hello everyone. It's me Antony, back with another Blog in 2024.

I'm still working as a receptionist at the public health center where I live and my 7th semester is still ongoing. That means, my time for Blogs decreased to some occasions.

The town hall is calling the candidates from the civil service exam. They called the first two approved candidates for the receptionist vacancy, with the first one accepting it. The nurse and the archive officer is still going, the fourth candidate for ambulance driver on duty accepted the vacancy while the three other candidates didn't take it as they are working for other town halls. I'm still I'm waiting to be called to work as a community health agent or as a receptionist. Unless the second candidate accept the vacancy, I'll have to wait a little more. There's a chance they might call me after they inaugurate the new public health center, dedicated for specialized doctors (pediatrics, cardiologist, ginecologist, physiotherapist and nutritionist).

Nightwave intermission chapter is complete, so I don't have to worry about it.

Enough of that, let's go to the important thing in this Blog. I'm going to share you the new rendered images of the Horten Ho 229, famous German flying wing equipped with jet engines.

Horten Ho 229 V3:










Alright. After I introduced you the Ho 229, I decided to add more components to this German advanced plane. New components added were: the canopy hatch and framing, the Pitot tube, the MK 108 cannons, the antennas and the landing gear (imported from the Me 262 and the Meteor jet planes). Minor adjustments were made for the landing gear to fit in the schematics.

So far, it's looking good, but I need to adjust the main structure and the wings before making the flaps, the ailerons and the landing gear fairings. Also, I need to conclude the forward landing gear. Then I'll include the decals.

Before concluding this Blog, the recent project I started. Again, my habit of starting new projects while I have 'thousands' of undergoing projects to conclude is quite interesting. For the new project, I decided to start the F6F Hellcat. In case you want to learn the story, I'll share it here.

The Grumman F6F Hellcat is the American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War 2. It was developed from the F4F Wildcat to counter the advantages from the Japanese A6M Zero and Ki-43 Hayabusa. Before and during that conflict, Grumman was developing a new fighter to succeed the F4F Wildcat in terms of firepower, armor, speed and range. The new plane received the new Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone two-row, 14-cylinder radial engine of 1,700 hp (1,300 kW), the same that powered the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Grumman TBF Avenger and Vought F4U Corsair; six .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns and hard points for bombs, torpedoes or rocket tubes. Although it looked similar to its predecessor, the F6F used a different landing gear system that retracts to the wings instead to the fuselage like the F4F Wildcat - similar to the Curtiss P-36 Hawk, P-40 Warhawk and the Junkers Ju 88. The Hellcat first saw action against the Japanese on September 1st, 1943, when fighters off USS Independence shot down a Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boat. Soon after, on 23 and 24 November, Hellcats engaged Japanese aircraft over Tarawa, shooting down 30 Mitsubishi Zeros while losing one F6F. Like the P-47 Thunderbolt and the F4F Wildcat, the Hellcat was designed for ease of manufacture and ability to withstand significant damage. The American naval fighter became the backbone of the US Naval Air Force with a higher kill ratio in the Pacific Theater compared to other planes. The British Royal Navy would also use the F6F through the Lend-Lease program in the Pacific Theater. After WW2, the F6F was replaced by the Grumman F8F Bearcat - developed from the F6F in that conflict but seeing action only in the Cold War; and jets like the F9F Panther. The remaining F6F were used as drone planes to attack Korean bridges during the Korean War and some piloted Hellcats were the first planes by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels official flight demonstration team at its formation in 1946. The French Navy (Aéronavale) was equipped with F6F-5 Hellcats and used them in combat in Indochina. The last country to operate the Hellcat was Uruguay until the early 1960s.

Here's the first images of the F6F-5 Hellcat:










The F6F Hellcat has been started with a pre-made model - like my previous planes (IAR 80, Ki-61, Tempest and Yak-1), with some components imported from the F4U Corsair like the Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone radial engine.

The vertical tail fin is integrated to the fuselage mesh. It was a little tricky to make, but it paid off. The M2 Browning MGs were made with simple cubes while receiving the Subdivision Surface modifier later. At least, this plane looks good in this dark navy blue.

And now, more renders of the F6F-5.








The forward section of the fuselage was adjusted to have that air intake for the engine. Also, I included the antennas, the Pitot tube, the canopy and the landing gear (imported from the P-40 Warhawk). There's the tail landing gear that is not ready, but I'll make it along the towing hook and the aerial attachments.

Before I plan to make the fairings, the flaps and the ailerons, I must make the spacing area for the wheel and carriage on the wings. Fortunatelly I found a blueprint to assist me in this endeavor. Also, I may preserve some of the original components for the F4F Wildcat in case I'd make it. But that is for another Blog.

Next components will be: the cockpit internal components, the decals, a minor adjustment for the elevator, the racks for the bombs / drop tank / rocket launchers, the navigation lights and prepare the wings for the folding procedure. Then I'll rig and paint the aircraft.

Well, that's it for now my friends. I hope you like this Blog. Let us hope this year bring us new content and something different from the usual. In case I have some spare time to enjoy, I'll be working on other things aside from Blender projects and my personal things. Until the time comes, you will be surprised to see them. See you next time.

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