WILDCATS, WILDCATS and MORE WILDCATS
Here are a few of the F4F’s that I’ve built over the years. As one might guess, Grumman’s F4F is one of my favorite fighter aircraft, (Followed close by the P-40 and P-47).
There is one 1:32 scale Trumpeter, two are 1:48 scale Hobby Boss kits, the rest are all 1:48 scale Tamiya kits.
The first F4F-4, is the 1:32 scale Trumpeter kit, (Loved it!). Flown from USS Yorktown, by LtCdr. John S. “Jimmy” Thatch of VF-3, 4 June, 1942, at the Battle of Midway.
Next, is a Tamiya 1:48 scale F4F-4, converted to a -3. (Hobby Boss released their -3 about three weeks AFTER I finished the model…figures…). Allegedly flown by Marine Major Robert E. Galer of VMF-223 during the Guadalcanal Campaign, during September 1942.
Number three, is the 1:48 scale Hobby Boss kit, an F4F-3A, flown by Lt.(jg) Wilmer E Rawie, of VF-6, from USS Enterprise. Lt. Rawie scored one of the first shoot downs of an enemy aircraft, by a carrier based fighter on 1 February, 1942. There’s a second picture of this aircraft at the end of the pictures.
Four, is an Tamiya 1:48 scale kit and is an aircraft that was allegedly, flown by US Marine Ace, Capt Marion E. Carl, also of VMF-223, from Guadalcanal, during October, 1942.
Five, is the aircraft of Lt. John Leppla, of VF-10, USS Enterprise, during the Battle of Santa Cruz. Lt. Leppla was KIA in this aircraft on 26 October, 1942.
Six, is an FM-1, 1:48 scale Tamiya kit, and an aircraft assigned to VC-10, from USS Core, during the Battle of the Atlantic, in early 1944.
Seven, is a heavily modified Hobby Boss 1:48 scale FM-2. I used all the Vector sets I could get my hands on, to correct this really bad representation of an FM-2. Most of the Hobby Boss Wildcats are pretty decent, but they really “Screwed the Pooch” with the FM-2. Anyway, the model represents an aircraft, ALSO of VC-10, from USS Gambier Bay, flown by Lt. Bruce Allen McGraw, October 1944.
Anyway, thanks again for looking at my post, and now I guess it’s on to P-40’s??
Regards,
Freddie from LI
12 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Jack Mugan said on December 10, 2016
Nice Wildcats Fredrick…..great photos as well. Not my favorite ac, but you sure made it look good. Well done.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thanks, Jack
Craig Abrahamson said on December 10, 2016
Now those right there are some killer models, sir….VERY nicely finished.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thank you too, Craig.
George Williams said on December 11, 2016
Great collection, Frederick, must be nearly a lifetime’s work.
Bill Koppos said on December 11, 2016
That’s a bunch of fine felines. Frederick’s Felines…I like it.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thanks Bill…should we do P-40’s next?
Robert Royes said on December 11, 2016
Nice litter of kitties.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thank you, Robert
Tom Cleaver said on December 11, 2016
Actually, the “Marion Carl Wildcat” was a hangar queen on Espiritu Santo, that Carl and a friend stuck flag stickers on so he could sit on the wing and be photographed. It was after his tour on Guadalcanal. At Guadalcanal, “you flew the first one you came to that worked,” as he explained all this to me at the AFAA convention in 1992.
Tom Cleaver said on December 11, 2016
It’s like “Lulubelle,” the “Pappy Boyington Corsair,” which he never actually flew, but sat in for publicity photos, again with flag stickers on it for the folks back home.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
I had read that about old “#2”, that guys used it as a picture backdrop, adding or removing flag stickers as required. Not sure if any of that stuff is true, but I had heard about it, in regards to Capt Carl’s aircraft.
Louis Gardner said on December 11, 2016
Frederick’s Ferocious Flying Feline F4F Fighters. I like it !!!!! Nice collection and thanks for sharing. I really like the oversized insignia that were used on the planes from the Enterprise.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thanks, Lou. I thought that it looked pretty cool too, plus there are pictures to back it up, against the “experts” who would say it was wrong.
Paul van Acker said on December 12, 2016
I love a Wildcat. They are all fabulous.
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thank you, Paul
Greg Kittinger said on December 12, 2016
Very nice collection of Wildcats. Love your finish work – they all look nicely used! And the variety of schemes is excellent also – I’m going to have to build something with that Atlantic scheme – it’s really eye-catching!
Frederick J Seitz III said on December 12, 2016
Thanks, Greg
bob mack said on December 13, 2016
man you do pretty work…………………….nt