Hellcat MLG wheels

[ST0RM]

I'm reading some build reviews of various F6F Hellcats and several have mentioned the wheels being too thin. I'm building the 1/48 Hasegawa offering and am wondering if I should grab this set
https://spruebrothers.com/resrs480105-1-48-reskit-f4u-corsair-f6f-hellcat-land-based-wheels-set/

And if they have the correct width. 

 

Thanks,

Jeff

[seawinder]

I don't recall whether or not the Hasegawa wheels are too thin (I think the Eduard ones are), but if I were going to purchase aftermarket wheels, I'd go with Ultracast, who do them in several different treads; plus I probably wouldn't be after "land-based" wheels anyway. Ultracast link:

 

https://www.ultracast.ca/1-48-F6F-Hellcat-s/176.htm

[WymanV]

  I do remember that from building both kits side-by-side for a group build here many years ago (remember "group builds"?). When compared the Hasegawa wheels were noticeably skinnier and they got replaced with aftermarket.

[ST0RM]

Thanks Gents. 
@seawinder I'm building a F6F-3K which were land based, so that tread would apply.

[seawinder]

On 6/21/2023 at 8:22 AM, ST0RM said:

Thanks Gents. 
@seawinder I'm building a F6F-3K which were land based, so that tread would apply.

Understood. It does beg the question, what was/were the difference(s) between ship-based and land-base tires?

[Chriss7607]

It has nothing to do with the MLG tires. It's the tailwheel. For carrier operations Hellcats had a solid, hard rubber tailwheel. For land based operations, a pneumatic Goodrich Silvertown tire was used.

 

During the war early F6F-3s seemed to have treadless main wheels and later F6F-5s had diamond tread. Postwar Hellcats that survived as drones into the '50s had the hubs that were a single piece stamped unit (a wave pattern as opposed to the spoked).

 

I would think that for a F6F-3K the land based set with the pneumatic tailwheel, spoked main wheel  hubs, and circumferential tread would be what you want