Trumpeter 1/32 F4F-4 Wildcat
this is the mount of Lt. William Leonard as it would have appeared with VF-11 on Guadalcanal June 1943
he graduated Annapolis class of 1938
won his wings in 1940
he was awarded the Navy Cross at Coral Sea
three weeks later he won another at Midway
after the war he became a Navy test pilot…then served in Korea and Vietnam
he commanded the oiler USS Salamonie and the carrier USS Ranger 1957 vintage (first angle deck)…later became Admiral of carriers
his father joined the Army as a private in 1898 and retired a bird colonel
his brother retired from the Army as a Major General
another brother a bird Colonel was killed-in-action with the US Army Air Corps in WWII
he retired in 1971 and is buried with his dad and brothers at Arlington since 2005
his awards include
2 Navy Cross
4 Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
8 Air Medals
R.I.P. sir
John Healy said on September 9, 2018
Nice job, Bob. Great paintwork. That’s a kit I’ve been tempted to buy for years.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
thank you much John…it was a lot of fun
gary sausmikat said on September 9, 2018
Great job, Bob.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
thank you very much Gary your incredible
James B Robinson said on September 9, 2018
Excellent job here. Well done.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
thank you for that Jim…so glad you found this wonderful site
Craig Abrahamson said on September 9, 2018
Very nicely done, Mr. Mack…..I like it a lot.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
Craig… thank you old buddy…your feedback is always looked forward to on this end
Collin Tatusko said on September 9, 2018
How is this kit overall? Worth a build?
Cheers
Collin
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
not overly standout Collin…not a heck of a lot better than the old Revell 1/32 but not near as bad as they carry on about it…not as difficult or a “dog” IMHO by any means
Tom Cleaver said on September 10, 2018
OOB, the kit is good, a bit of extra effort makes a great model (as Bob has demonstrated).
david leigh-smith said on September 9, 2018
A truly lovely Wilcat, Bob. Technically excellent and artistically impressive, a difficult combination to get right.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
thank you very much David…your description pretty much hits the kit right on the head
Jeff Bailey said on September 9, 2018
VERY nicely done, Bob.
bob mack said on September 9, 2018
thank you very much Jeff…i read your blog about flying…about 10 years ago i took $1,000.00 down to my local air field to get some flight instruction time…about 3 rides later my time was gone…and thank you for your wonderful service…i mean it
Jeff Bailey said on September 12, 2018
Thank YOU, Bob. ( @p38j ) I love your comment that your folks moved 18 times in 26 years but you kept finding them! I laughed until I had tears!
A thousand dollars doesn’t go far for flight lessons these days. When I took my lessons (1970) I couldn’t continue to afford the $22 per hour (dual) at the time in a Piper Cherokee 140. If ONLY we could find lessons for $22 / hr. NOW!
Sigh …
bob mack said on September 13, 2018
yeah i did a cessna 172…in 1980 a guy offered me wings for $800.00 and i could have his books…oh to be young again…military moved once a year in those days 50’s 60’s…one time my parents moved from NAS Norfolk to Nas Lakehurst NJ…the exec died in Norfolk and we were ordered back before mom unpacked…the widow didn’t even get the pension if the man died before 1970…
Tom Bebout said on September 10, 2018
That’s a good looking Wildcat Bob, and an excellent history lesson to compliment your build.
bob mack said on September 10, 2018
thank you Tom…that means a lot to me
Greg Kittinger said on September 10, 2018
A great-looking ‘cat Bob! Love the stubby little scrapper, and the 1/32 gives it some muscle!
bob mack said on September 10, 2018
thank you Greg…yeah the Wildcat was certainly inferior to the Zero but it taught the pilots to rely on each other so when the P38 and Hellcat came around they were set…and the Japanese sure didn’t beat them up like they did the P-39’s right into the ocean
Tom Cleaver said on September 10, 2018
Very nice work indeed, Bob. Bill was also a helluva raconteur about his experiences. (Very few American flag officers ever forget their “generalness” or “admiralness,” whether in uniform or out, on active duty or retired – he did)
bob mack said on September 10, 2018
thank you very much Tom and i agree with you about flag officers…seems like you have to almost be psychotic (willing to step on anybody) and an absolute robot to get there…Flatly had to beg borrow and steal to get a star…Yeager only went to brigadier…even Rickover had to be forced in…seems like most great warriors don’t go past O-6…Patton would have been finished had WWII not come along…even McCampbell didn’t do well with selection…i guess they are too honest instead of smoothies and I think a lot boils down to who you played football with…even my dad and brother both O-6 were kind of full of themselves