Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat
F6F-3 / rear quarter windows
Colours used
in this example.
Build the main surfaces in light layers. Keep the quiet background softer than the aircraft.
Suggested pencil shades, not exact historical paint matches. Test colours on your paper before building richer layers.
Light layered pencil with white grain
Soft layering and reserved highlights
Controlled infill
Directional strokes
Reserved white reflections
Horizontal and diagonal light strokes
Look a little closer.
Explore the details from different angles.
Aircraft reference 1
F6F-3 40198 taking off from OLF Concord in October 1943: side profile and marking placement. Period photograph by Bill Larkins. Monochrome tones do not establish paint hues. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: Bill Larkins · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 2
F6F-3 40467 at Yanks: left front quarter in restoration primer. Restoration stage of F6F-3 40467. Primer is not the operational finish. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: HawkeyeUK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 3
Opposite front quarter of 40467 showing radial cowling, cockpit and wing structure. Restoration stage of F6F-3 40467. Primer is not the operational finish. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: HawkeyeUK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Aircraft reference 4
Museum F6F-3 White 21: blue upper surfaces, pale underside and national insignia. Museum restoration. Colours and markings represent the display condition. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: kitmasterbloke · Source · CC BY 2.0Aircraft reference 5
F6F-3 42874 represented as White 21: closer front quarter showing the cowling and undercarriage. Museum restoration. Colours and markings represent the display condition. Display copy resized without cropping.
Photo: HawkeyeUK · Source · CC BY-SA 2.0Historical finishes and markings
US Navy specifications effective in February 1943 called for sea-blue upper surfaces and white lower surfaces on fleet aircraft. Contemporary F6F-3 photographs show the wartime arrangement of stars, bars and tactical numbers. A dated colour image is needed to resolve intermediate side tones and the period of any red insignia border.
Markings: National stars and bars must match the photographed date. Sea-blue upper surfaces Insignia-white lower surfaces
In the photographs
Period monochrome photographs establish shapes and markings but cannot independently establish paint colours. Museum and restored aircraft show their photographed display condition.
In the coloured example
This pencil interpretation uses upper surfaces: Sea Blue; lower surfaces: Intermediate Blue, White; existing insignia: White, Dark blue; propeller: Charcoal, Yellow tips; canopy: Pale blue-grey; sea and sky: Pale blue. It is a creative colouring example based on the book drawing. It does not reproduce a verified individual aircraft or an exact paint standard.
Make the details count.
Blend dark upper blue into the lighter side tone in light layers.
Reserve clean white areas for national markings.
Follow your curiosity.
Model history and further reading.