1:48 Grumman FM-1 LooK

LööK, a finished instrument panel for the Grumman FM-1 in 1:48 scale

The set from the Czech manufacturer Eduard of the LööK range brings a finished colored instrument panel for a model of the FM-1 Wildcat in 1:48 scale. The instruments, the labels and the colored areas are finished, so the most laborious part of painting the cockpit is done away with. The part is seated in place in the pilot's space and lends the cockpit a level of detail straight away that is hard to achieve by hand in this scale.

The cockpit of the Wildcat is clearly to be seen

The Wildcat has a fairly large canopy and flat glazing without optical distortion, so there really is good seeing into the pilot's space. That is precisely why it pays to devote attention to the cockpit on this type more than on machines with a narrow, heavily framed canopy.

The real subject

The FM-1 is the Wildcat manufactured by the Eastern Aircraft division of the General Motors corporation to the Grumman F4F-4 type. The main difference was the armament: instead of six machine guns of 12.7 mm caliber it carried four, so more ammunition fell to each barrel. The machines served above all from escort carriers, where a short takeoff run and folding wings were valued. The Fleet Air Arm operated similar aircraft under the designation Martlet Mk.V.

Building tips

Try the seating of the part dry before gluing, because a finished panel tends to be thicker than the plastic original. Do not overspray the colored surface and protect it from the fumes of cyanoacrylate glue, which make glossy surfaces matte. The dials will benefit from a drop of gloss varnish imitating the glass of the instruments.

Who the set is for

• modelers building the FM-1 Wildcat in 1:48 scale
• those who want to keep clear of painting the instruments by hand
• collectors of American carrier-borne fighter equipment of the Second World War
• beginners, because seating a finished part is simple