Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa TBF-1C, VT-15, USS ESSEX (CV9) Nov. 1944
The kit is a re-edition from Hobby 2000 of the Hasegawa kit with additional masks. I also added photo-etched parts from Eduard for the cockpit and a resin motor from Quickboost.
To brin more life in the scene, I used my „carrier backdrop“ made from cardboard and two figures in 1/48 scale. I think that the figures fit quite well, because the perspective is reasonably correct, but of course you can judge that yourself.
The kit itself is the standard Hasegawa with very nicely done crisp external engraving. The clear parts are well done, but I decided to show the cockpit in an open position. That means you have to saw the cockpit hood in two places. I used the sawn out middle part as a stamp for a new hood. This time, however, I had trouble pushing the self-made canopy under the rear part of the cockpit canopy. So I decided to use only a small strip of clear material and let it peek out a little. I also posted two photos that show a speculative look of the interior lighting of an Avenger before departing for a night mission. I assumed that the lighting could have been red. Maybe someone of you has an idea how the real thing look like?
Very nice and crisp external engraving!
