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I have it in mind to kitbash (that the word in this culture?) the wings on a Matchbox Hellcat into their folded configuration, so I can display the model near my new-mold Airfix Wildcat with its wings folded, and among other folded-wing models, Douglas Devastator, Curtiss Helldiver. I bought the Matchbox model before I became aware of the Airfix Hellcat having folding wings out of the box.  So I am treating this as a learning experience - - - techniques to follow that will get the Matchbox Hellcat wings cut apart and folded.  Suggestions?  I have a nice Delta jigsaw that I could use to do some of the cutting, is that a good idea or might I lose too much material?  Failing the jigsaw, I think I need to patiently scribe over and over till the wings do part.  Suggestions are solicited as to what to do with the insides of the wings.  I have some styrene sheet I could cut to shape and plug into the holes created by bisecting the wings.  Any particular techniques there? 

 

Or am I better served by buying an Airfix Hellcat and getting on with having a redundant Matchbox kit on my hands?  Not much funds involved, but I do want to develop some techniques past shake-the-box assembly.

 

Thanks very much for any advice, opinions, comments. 

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I would personally go for "patiently scribing away". Sometimes depending on the shape to be cut i also use some hasegawa (if i remember correctly) photo-etched saws. But even then, the first several passes are with a scriber.

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Gotta wrap my head around this one....thread as cutting tool.  Nifty.  Nice to see what someone else has come up with.  Never ever would have gone to that technique. 

 

Much obliged.

 

And thanks for the enlightenment on 'kitbashing'.  Nice to learn the definition of a term that can be easily tossed around.

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The thread idea works great. If you have one of the flex-i-files u shaped sanding tool. Wrap the thread around the post and saw away. If you don't have one, get a hanger with the carboard tube, toss the tube and bend the hanger and attach the thread. 🤓

 

Wayne

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  • 2 months later...

Been off ARC for a while so apologies for late reply.

One important thing about cutting wings in general is to be sure how the top and bottom surfaces vary.

They may not line up on the real plane (like upper surface break is closer to fuselage than bottom.

Another point, and pertinent to F6F, is non-straight lines.  Just cutting with a large saw can result in a noticeably inaccurate model.

Close check of photos very important.

 

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Gotta agree with the the thread idea.  I tried it not too long ago and, holy cow!  It was like a hot knife through butter!  It cut like a charm.  As Wayne stated, I used my Flex-i-File to wrap the thread around and it was perfect.

 

Eric

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I took the coward's way out and found an Airfix kit.  Built them both.  That way I'd have both a Wildcat pair (folded, extended) and a parallel Hellcat pair.  For Helldivers, I have both the Airfix kit and the Matchbox kit, the Matchbox channeling a USAAC A-25.  Nice contrast between webfooted (blue/white) and landplane (OD).

 

I'll apply the kind advice I was given 'soon'. 

 

Thanks, everybody.

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