F4F-4 Wildcat, nice little kit with much details

The F4F-4 Wildcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft that was used extensively by the United States Navy and Marine Corps during World War II. It was produced by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation and was an improved version of the earlier F4F-3 model.

The F4F-4 had several upgrades over the F4F-3, including a more powerful engine and a larger fuel tank. It also had four .50 caliber machine guns instead of the F4F-3’s six .30 caliber machine guns, which made it more effective against enemy aircraft.

The Wildcat was a sturdy and reliable fighter aircraft, but it was also slower and less maneuverable than some of its contemporaries, such as the Japanese Zero. However, its tough construction and ability to absorb damage made it a valuable asset in the Pacific theater of World War II, where it was used in battles such as the Battle of Midway.

Construction of the kit

The construction is relatively easy, since the components fit together very well. The only challenge was to properly align the relatively filigree undercarriage with its many struts in the fuselage. Since I wanted to display the canopy in the open position again (like I usually do) I had to make a new one as the one from the kit is too thick. The aircraft shown is based on the kit color profile: F4F-4 VMF-233 Guadalcanal, 1942 Captain Marian E. Carl. The colors are from AK and are from the “real colors” series, top blue gray, underside light gull.

Hope you like the photos and thanks for your interest!