ArmaHobby F4F-4 Wildcat (70048) 1:72 ARMA Hobby

[Julien]

 F4F-4 Wildcat (70048)

1:72 ARMA Hobby

 

 

Grumman began development work on a new fighter in the mid 1930. Originally the new aircraft was outpaced by the Brewster Buffalo and Grumman resigned their aircraft to carry a supercharged version of the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 "Twin Wasp" radial engine. Original orders from France were delivered to the British Royal Navy after France fell. The RN designated the aircraft the Marlet. The US Navy would then adopt the type in late 1941. Originally armed with 4 0.50 cal machine guns the F4F-4 was introduced in 1941 with 6 of these guns. The aircraft also featured a wing fold system to allow more aircraft to be on a carrier. Even though the armament was increased to 6 gun the ammuntion capacity was not, thus actually giving pilots less firing time which was disliked. The extra weight from the guns and wing fold also reduced performance. 

 

The Kit

This is a new tool kit from ARMA Hobby which seems to have garnered good reviews. This kit is the same plastic as the Expert kit we reviewed here, except this kit comes without the photoetch and masks of that kit. The kit arrives on a main plastic sprue, a clear sprue, and decals. The moulds are crisp with what feels like the right level of detailing and recessed panel lines for this scale. Construction starts with the cockpit. The instrument panel is attached to the front bulkhead (instruments being provided as decals). The rudder pedals then fit to the back of this bulkhead and it can be attached to the cockpit floor. The seat can then be attached to the read cockpit bulkhead. with decals seatbelts provided. The rear bulkhead can then be attached to the cockpit floor. Side parts then join the front and rear bulkheads. The cockpit can then be added to the right fuselage. The front bulkhead for the landing gear area can now be added in front of the cockpit. The internal parts of the gear mechanism can then go in. We then follow this up with assembling the engine and it's bearers as this goes onto the front side of the gear bulkhead. twin banks of cylinders have their parts added, the gearbox then fits to the front. At the rear the mounts and exhausts go on along with the oil tank and oil coolers. Once the bearers are on the fuselage can be closed up and the engine mounted to the front. The engine cowls can then be added. This is split in half with a front ring, with different ones being provided for one of the decal options. The propeller can then be fitted.

 

 

Now the tailplanes and rudder can be fitted along with tail wheel. The wings can now be fitted, these are conventional left/right with uppers and lowers. If using the drop tanks you will need to open up the holes for these. Once the wings are one the complicated landing gear itself needs to be built up. Arma provide a frame to align some of the parts or this. The ear can then be added to the fuselage and the wheels added. Some nav lights will need to be removed from the kit for this boxing and then wing lights and pitot tubes added. Bomb racks and the drop tanks go on if you are using them. Lastly the canopies and top aerial are fitted. 

 

 

 

Markings

There are printed by Techmod so should pose no problems. only 2 marking option are provided for the kit in this boxing;

 

1. VMF-111 Western Samoa, Spring 1941
2. VF-11 Sundowners, Henderson Field, Guadalcanal 1943.

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

It is great to see this important aircraft being kitted by a new manufacturer.  The kit seems to have been very well received by modellers. Very Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of