In Box Review of Tamiya 1/48th Scale
U.S. Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" Fighter
Kit no. 61034
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available at Kit Linx for $25.59, at Sprue Bros. for $25.99 and Megahobby for $26.24 or at 12 places overseas on the web.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1994
Available at Kit Linx for $25.59, at Sprue Bros. for $25.99 and Megahobby for $26.24 or at 12 places overseas on the web.
HISTORY:
At the onset of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Japanese Navy Zero fighter was the dominant aircraft successful against the Allied Air Forces. The Zero's attempt at total superiority was thwarted by numerous F4F Wildcat fighters flown from U.S. aircraft carriers.
Grumman Aviation produced the G-18, the prototype XF4F-2, which first flew in September 1937. Initial evaluation revealed several performance problems, which led the U.S. Navy to reject the G-18 in favor of Brewster's F2A "Buffalo".
The Navy asked Grumman to continue with the project, and resulted in the G-36, which flew in February 1939. The G-36 tests exceeded the performance of the F2A, resulting in the U.S. Navy approving the design and ordering it into production as the F4F-3 "Wildcat".
Two years following its deployment, during the critical stages of the Pacific War in 1942, the improved F4F-4 "Wildcat" was introduced. It had folding wings, and three 12.7mm machine guns in each wing, plus the more powerful 1,200 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 Twin Wasp engine, giving it a speed of 512 km/h.
Grumman became known as the "Ironworks" due to its strongly designed aircraft, which could absorb enormous punishment and still fly home. Although the F4F was inferior in many respects to the Zero, a superb kill ratio was attained by "Wildcat" pilots by using its strong points against Zero's weak point of fragility and unseasoned pilots.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.60 m)
Empty weight: 4,907 lb (2,226 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,423 lb (3,367 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-76 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp (900 kW)
Maximum speed: 331 mph (531 km/h)
Range: 845 mi (1,360 km)
Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.7 m/s)
Armament: Four × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) bombs and/or 2 × 58 gal (220 L) drop tanks
At the onset of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Japanese Navy Zero fighter was the dominant aircraft successful against the Allied Air Forces. The Zero's attempt at total superiority was thwarted by numerous F4F Wildcat fighters flown from U.S. aircraft carriers.
Grumman Aviation produced the G-18, the prototype XF4F-2, which first flew in September 1937. Initial evaluation revealed several performance problems, which led the U.S. Navy to reject the G-18 in favor of Brewster's F2A "Buffalo".
The Navy asked Grumman to continue with the project, and resulted in the G-36, which flew in February 1939. The G-36 tests exceeded the performance of the F2A, resulting in the U.S. Navy approving the design and ordering it into production as the F4F-3 "Wildcat".
Two years following its deployment, during the critical stages of the Pacific War in 1942, the improved F4F-4 "Wildcat" was introduced. It had folding wings, and three 12.7mm machine guns in each wing, plus the more powerful 1,200 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 Twin Wasp engine, giving it a speed of 512 km/h.
Grumman became known as the "Ironworks" due to its strongly designed aircraft, which could absorb enormous punishment and still fly home. Although the F4F was inferior in many respects to the Zero, a superb kill ratio was attained by "Wildcat" pilots by using its strong points against Zero's weak point of fragility and unseasoned pilots.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.60 m)
Empty weight: 4,907 lb (2,226 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,423 lb (3,367 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-76 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp (900 kW)
Maximum speed: 331 mph (531 km/h)
Range: 845 mi (1,360 km)
Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.7 m/s)
Armament: Four × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) bombs and/or 2 × 58 gal (220 L) drop tanks
THE KIT:
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Wildcat" taking off from the deck of the deck of the U.S.S. Independence aircraft carrier, where it was with VP-22 Squadron.
It is sea-blue over a white undercarriage. The fuselage conde is black 22-F- white I.
One side panel has a 3-view of a "Wildcat" in sea-blue with white undercarriage, with red and white horizontal stripes on the rudder flap and a black fuselage code 41-F-8. It was with VF-41 off the U.S.S. Ranger aircraft-carrier , It is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and Tamiya's address in Shizuoka, Japan and the copyright date of the kit as being 1994.
Tamiya is an old prolific model company based in Shizuoka, Japan. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a "Wildcat" taking off from the deck of the deck of the U.S.S. Independence aircraft carrier, where it was with VP-22 Squadron.
It is sea-blue over a white undercarriage. The fuselage conde is black 22-F- white I.
One side panel has a 3-view of a "Wildcat" in sea-blue with white undercarriage, with red and white horizontal stripes on the rudder flap and a black fuselage code 41-F-8. It was with VF-41 off the U.S.S. Ranger aircraft-carrier , It is followed by a paragraph in Japanese and Tamiya's address in Shizuoka, Japan and the copyright date of the kit as being 1994.
The other side panel has a 3-view of a VF-22 "Wildcat".
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit holds 2 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 2 sealed clear cello bags. The clear tree is in its own cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up in the U.S. Ranger scheme (already described above), over the history of the "Wildcat" in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, over suggested hobby tools and paint colors, over the 1st assembly step.
Page 3 through 6 gives a grand total of a balance of 9 assembly steps.
Page 7 & 8 is the painting and marking instructions.
Page 7 has 3 5-views and a top and bottom view of the "Wildcat". All 3 are sea-blue over white undercarriages.
1. The "Wildcat" off the U.S.S. Ranger (already described above).
2. A "Wildcat" with black fuselage number 20 on the side of the cowling and fuselage. Black U.S.NAVY over F4F-4 on the rudder. (this is on all 3 aircraft shown).
3. A "Wildcat" with black fuselage code 29-GF white 4 from VGF-29 U.S.S. Santee.
Page 8 has a 3-view of the box art scheme (already described above), over decal application instructions in multiple languages, including English and an aftermarket service form.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey A tree holds: fuselage, cowling, propeller, spinner, seat, engine, rudder flap, elevators, bulkhead, foot pedals, joy stick etc. (25 parts)
This kit holds 2 medium-grey trees and a clear tree in 2 sealed clear cello bags. The clear tree is in its own cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consist of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 6 3/4" x 10 1/4" page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white photo of the model made up in the U.S. Ranger scheme (already described above), over the history of the "Wildcat" in English, German, French and Japanese.
Page 2 begins with READ BEFORE ASSEMBLY instructions, over suggested hobby tools and paint colors, over the 1st assembly step.
Page 3 through 6 gives a grand total of a balance of 9 assembly steps.
Page 7 & 8 is the painting and marking instructions.
Page 7 has 3 5-views and a top and bottom view of the "Wildcat". All 3 are sea-blue over white undercarriages.
1. The "Wildcat" off the U.S.S. Ranger (already described above).
2. A "Wildcat" with black fuselage number 20 on the side of the cowling and fuselage. Black U.S.NAVY over F4F-4 on the rudder. (this is on all 3 aircraft shown).
3. A "Wildcat" with black fuselage code 29-GF white 4 from VGF-29 U.S.S. Santee.
Page 8 has a 3-view of the box art scheme (already described above), over decal application instructions in multiple languages, including English and an aftermarket service form.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
Medium-grey A tree holds: fuselage, cowling, propeller, spinner, seat, engine, rudder flap, elevators, bulkhead, foot pedals, joy stick etc. (25 parts)
Medium-grey B tree holds: wings, drop tanks, wheels, air intakes, struts etc. (31 parts).
The clear tree holds the canopy etc. (7 parts).
The decal sheet completes the kit contents.
There is no pilot figure included. Detail is engraved. Elevators and wing-flaps are molded solid.
Highly recommended.