1:48 scale Hobby Boss FM-2, "Wildcat"

February 29, 2016 · in Aviation · · 10 · 3.6K

The "Wildcats" in 1:48 scale are all pretty good models. They line up. They look right, and have a pretty fair amount of detail, even if some of it is a little overdone. Still, I found them to be fun builds. At least the ones I have built already. I still think the Tamiya kit is MUCH better, but Hobby Boss come very close...except with this one. They screwed the pooch BIG time with the . Cowl is wrong. Exhausts are wrong, and it just looked like rap in the box. I used a resin cockpit borrowed from the Sword kit, (Even worse the the HB offering) and grabbed up a bunch of Vector sets, cowl, engine, forward fuselage, control surfaces, True Details wheels, and a Cutting Edge prop. Now it looks like an FM-2. And putting all the resin stuff on this kit was STILL easier than getting those wheel wells into that Nick!

Thanks for reading my post!

Regards,
Freddie from LI

Reader reactions:
1  Awesome

4 additional images. Click to enlarge.


10 responses

  1. Excellent build, sir...I like it!

  2. I still find it amazing how the current kit manufacturers like Trumpeter and Hobbyboss and others still get it wrong, when there is still examples of Wildcats in museums and private collections. Sometimes I think the BIG guys keep the aftermarket guys in business. Your model looks great. Only a trained eye will spot the errors that the manufacturer are so famous for. Well done on a nice looking Wildcat.

  3. After all a good looking Wildcat !

  4. Looks ready to launch…nice job on the weathered look.

  5. Another fine one, great weathering.

  6. Looks good, and obviously lots of work to make it "accurate." Sometimes I'm thankful that I'm not aware of some of the details manufactures get wrong! I think if I corrected them all, I'd only achieve about 15% of the builds completed that I do now, and I'd have to live until 275 to finish my stash!

  7. FM-2: most successful US piston-engine fighter ever. 30:1 victoryu:loss ratio. "the Wilder Wildcat."

    Good work,.Freddie.

  8. Thank you guys, I appreciate the kind words!

Leave a Reply