Another update! Perhaps this will hold some interest while waiting for help with the markings from the USS Intrepid Air, Sea and Space Museum. Once I get those, there's probably another 2, 3 hours before it's finished and I can send it off to the printer. Can you tell the difference between this one and the one in the prior post?
However, this Hellcat promises to be one of my best yet. And still, time will reveal that there are parts to Harold's airplane that are plane wrong. Pun intended. But for now, I'm pleased and am hoping to be close to Malcomb Gladwell's "10,000 hour" mark. (Read Outliers).
The picture below is Hamilton McWhorter, a Navy ace of 12 aerial victories. He's holding a hastily printed copy of my version of the Hellcat he flew from the USS Randolph in 1945. I did it in 2002 and frankly, the practice since then has improved my skill. To that point, last month, a Florida collector purchased the formal print and I spent a half hour making little touchups with a soft lead pencil! The collector was pleased but I sure wish I could do Mac's plane over.
Practice may make perfect, but the time in between is corrupt. Mac died two years ago.
There are some very cool things about this avocation and some very cruel as well.
