Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat (VF-32)
VF-32 USS Cabot (CVL-28) 1945

USS Cabot CVL-28 was an Independence-class light aircraft carrier in the United States Navy, commissioned in 1943 and served until 1947. Air Wing 32 joined the Cabot in June of 1945 and after some refresher training, sailed for the US Navy base at Enewetak. Along the way on August 1st, the air group launched air strikes against the Japanese garrison on Wake Island. The island's Japanese defenders would surrender about a month later. The air group and carrier remained at Enewetak training until the end of the war.

This was a quick build with typical Hasegawa precision. It was an older kit with raised panel lines, but the cockpit & engine detail was superb. The decals were tough to settle down, but it may have been the age of the kit. They were very brittle. The aircraft carrier insignia were simple enough, I should have just painted them.