Grumman F7F Tigercat - Set Wheels with Grooves

The real subject

The Grumman F7F Tigercat is an American twin-engine fighter from the end of the Second World War, a machine whose size and performance alike went beyond what pilots of single-engine carrier aircraft were used to. It saw only marginal front-line action but served for a number of postwar years, among other things as a night fighter and an attack aircraft. For a modeler it is interesting for its nosewheel landing gear, which was not usual on carrier aircraft of the time, and the wheels are exactly what shows well on a finished model.

What the set solves

The set replaces the wheels from the kit. The tires have grooves running around the circumference, so the tread is apparent even in a small scale and does not disappear under a coat of paint. Replacement wheels are worth having anywhere the original parts are flat, coarsely split or marked by production, because the landing gear is one of the few parts of a model that even a casual viewer looks at.

Building and painting tips

The parts are not polystyrene, so glue them with cyanoacrylate glue; ordinary plastic cement will not take on them. Cut any excess material away with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder down carefully, and only then fit the wheel. Wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint will hold poorly. Separate the tire from the hub with masking tape, or paint them separately and glue them together at the end; a fine dry brush in a lighter shade will finally bring out the tread.

Who it is for

For builders of American aircraft in 1:72 scale who want a landing gear more accurate than the one from the kit, and for anyone whose original wheels have been damaged. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.