1:48 FM-1 Wildcat SPACE

Decal set 1:48 FM-1 Wildcat SPACE

An add-on decal set from the Czech maker Eduard, from the SPACE range, made for a model of the FM-1 Wildcat carrier fighter in 1:48 scale. At Eduard the SPACE range denotes decal sets for detailing the cockpit and the instrument surfaces, where a molded part is given artwork that hand painting would manage only with difficulty on so small an area. It is neither a model nor a kit; the set is used while finishing the interior of a model already under construction, that is before the fuselage is closed.

The real subject

The FM-1 Wildcat is the version of the Grumman F4F carrier fighter whose production was taken over by the Eastern Aircraft division of General Motors, so that Grumman's capacity could be freed for the new Hellcat. Against the six-gun armament of the previous version the FM-1 carried only four machine guns, but with a larger ammunition supply, which suited operations from small escort carriers. The Wildcat was the main American carrier fighter at the start of the war in the Pacific, and even after more modern types arrived it stayed in service precisely on the escort carriers, on whose short decks modern and heavier machines did not fare well.

Application tips

• Go over the interior surfaces with a gloss varnish before applying them.
• Trim the elements close to the artwork; on a small area the carrier film is otherwise visible.
• Do not use a decal softener or a setting solution, as the chemicals will attack the printed element.
• Finally unify the interior with a flat varnish, because a cockpit should not be glossy.

Who the set is for

For modelers who build the Wildcat in 1:48 scale and want a legible instrument panel and side panels without laborious hand painting.