Here are seven images of my Trumpeter F4F-4 "Wildcat". I thought it was a challenging build. In some ways it bore quite a resemblance to the Tamiya 1:48 kit of Grumman's stubby fighter. I wish it went together as well as the Tamiya kit. It was not a tough build but, there are some minor fit issues where, things don't quite line up the way they should.

I had to scratch build the twin oil coolers in the wheel well: two parts that would be very prominent and noticeably not there in the kit. I also used the resin replacement wheels by Jerry Rutman from PA because the kits wheels were those rubber tire affairs and I just think they looked bad.

I added brake and hydraulic lines made from fine wire. Also I added an ignition harness made from more fine wire. A combination of Aeromaster and kit decals were used to mark my "wildcat" as one flown by Lt Cdr John S 'Jimmy' Thatch during the Battle of Midway.

The kit is painted using Floquil Military Enamels line of model paint. In my mind, it is some of the best paint every made for modeling. It is finished in the early war scheme of Lt Blue-Grey over Lt Grey. The weathering was done using a mixture of different methods. The first round was an acrylic 'sludge' wash over the aircraft to dirty it up. Next came a little fine tuning with thinned oils in and around the engine area for oil leaks. Finally, the last step was pastels, gently brushed on to make the exhaust and gunpowder stains, as well as many other light stains around the model.

All in all it was a great build and I enjoyed it immensely. I recommend the kit to all and soon I will get bust on other Grumman aircraft, the TBF-1c "Avenger" and the F4F-3 "Wildcat". Thanks for looking at my posting here and comments are always welcome.

Regards,
Frederick J Seitz III
IPMS 35450
 

Photos and text © 2006 by Frederick J Seitz III

April 25, 2007

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