1:48 F4F-4 Wildcat

The real subject

The F4F-4 Wildcat was a carrier fighter of the US Navy from the first half of the war. A squat fuselage, short wings and a high-set cockpit give it an unmistakable silhouette. The F4F-4 version received wings that folded back along the fuselage, so more machines fitted side by side on a carrier deck, and an armament of six machine guns in the wing. The landing gear retracted into the fuselage by hand crank, a detail that says more about that period than whole paragraphs.

What the set offers

This is a photo-etched accessory set for the F4F-4 model in 1:48 scale. Etched parts are made from a thin metal sheet, which is why they suit every place where a plastic part would have to be noticeably thicker, for production reasons, than the sheet metal on the real aircraft was.

• A photo-etched accessory set for the F4F-4 Wildcat model in 1:48 scale
• Thin metal parts instead of thicker plastic ones
• The parts are separated from the fret and bent as needed
• They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue, not with plastic cement

Building and painting tips

Lay the fret on a hard surface and separate the parts with a sharp blade; never tear them out. Then level the remains of the tab with a fine file. Make the bend in a bending tool or between two razor blades so the edge stays straight. Metal is glued with cyanoacrylate glue; apply it in tiny drops with the tip of a toothpick, otherwise the glue will run into the surroundings. Before painting, wash and degrease the parts and use a primer suitable for metal. Carry small parts with fine-tipped tweezers and work over a tray from which a lost part can be found.

Who it is for

For modelers who are building the Wildcat in 1:48 scale and want to add fine metal parts to the model. Check which kit the set is cut for in the manufacturer's instructions. The set is an accessory to a kit; paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.