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Airfix 1/72 Wildcat - COMPLETED


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My first build of this new Airfix F-4F Wildcat kit. Bought 2015 from Frome Model Centre. Cost £7.99 - bargain.

Airfix-Wildcat.jpg

Parts

101-9308.jpg

 

Wildcats appeared in the first 1976 Midway film,

I'm actually planning to build as this Guadalcanal option,  sadly I can't actually find one in a Guadalcanal film.

Very little difference in scheme, same colours as my Midway Dauntless

101-9307.jpg

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Built the slightly later boxing of the Martlet IV and it went together very well, even the very complicated undercarriage. Far and away better than the old FM2 they released in the Dark Ages!.

 

DSC01148

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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8 hours ago, PeterB said:

Built the slightly later boxing of the Martlet IV and it went together very well, even the very complicated undercarriage. Far and away better than the old FM2 they released in the Dark Ages!.

 

DSC01148

 

Pete

Thanks for that picture Peter.  I've built the Academy F-4F twice, and that ancient Airfix FM-2 - loved it.

Like if you want to see photos, before this build really gets going. 

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I've started getting the cockpit together.

101-9316.jpg

Inscribe Avacodo Green interior.

101-9317.jpg

This kit is a VAST improvement over the Dauntless I'm also building.

 

And here are my previous Wildcats.

My firstbuilt Academy F4F-4 in Atlantic scheme.

Academy-F-4-F4-Wildcat.jpg

Same kit, later build as a Fleet Air Arm FM-1

Academy-FM1-Wildcat.jpg

And that Airfix FM-2

Airfix-FM2-Wildcat-VI.jpg

 

 

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Presume you are building wheels up? One of the slight irritations with the kit is that to get the complex undercarriage right, Aiffix designed it so you have to fit it before you close up the fuselage, which I thought left it a bit vulnerable to breakage, but I managed and it looks good.

 

Pete

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16 hours ago, PeterB said:

Presume you are building wheels up? One of the slight irritations with the kit is that to get the complex undercarriage right, Aiffix designed it so you have to fit it before you close up the fuselage, which I thought left it a bit vulnerable to breakage, but I managed and it looks good.

 

Pete

That's not the current intention - however.

I've realised that I made a major slip-up by not installing a lot of the gear by this stage.

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Oops! Still, with a bit of luck and some surgery you should be able to fit a slightly simplified version perhaps - a lot of the internal bits are not really visible as I recall.

 

Best of luck.

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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Story of the undercarriage -for anybody else who doesn't follow the instructions.

Undercarriage.jpg

I had to carefully cut part A12 in the centre, leaving each side enough meat to engage in part C10.

Then fitted the lower wishbones - part A17.

Fitted part A3 through the engine orifice.

Had to omit parts A11 and C9.

 

It works, and can stand on its legs - but lesson learned for my next Wildcat.

 

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Nice  :clap2: ... Always good to see more great builds in the Gallery. 

3 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Does anyone know the purpose of those underside windows?

Surely not for navigation or weapon aiming.

 

Not 100% positive, I think they’re for landing ? When approaching a carrier. The pilot could see the signal officer for most of the approach. I think once he lost sight of him, he could look down see the deck cross underneath and cut/add power as needed.

Edited by Corsairfoxfouruncle
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