1:48 F4F-4 Wilcat

The real subject

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the carrier fighter with which the US Navy and the Marine Corps went into the fighting in the Pacific. It was powered by an air-cooled radial engine, its fuselage was short and stocky, and the main landing gear retracted by hand into the sides of the fuselage. The F4F-4 version received folding wings, which saved hangar space aboard a carrier, and an armament of six machine guns in the wings.

What the kit is

This is a plastic kit in 1:48 scale, supplied unassembled and unpainted. The parts are held on sprues; the builder cuts them off, glues them and paints them according to the enclosed instructions. The finished model has a span of roughly 24 cm.

Building and painting tips

Cut the parts off with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the rest away carefully so that no dip appears in the surface. Paint and shade the cockpit interior and the landing gear bays before you close the fuselage, because you will not reach them afterwards. Glue the glazing with an adhesive intended for clear parts, otherwise the plastic may fog. Mask the glazing frames before spraying. The wing fold is a rewarding place where the model gains character, so give it time when cleaning up the parts.

Who it is for

The kit suits modelers who already have several plastic kits behind them and want to add carrier machines from the opening of the fighting in the Pacific to their collection. You will find the paint shades and the marking options in the instructions. Paints, glue and filler are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.