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Alistair Gauld
113 articles

Arma Hobby 1/72 Grumman Wildcat Mk. VI/Martlet

May 15, 2021 · in Aviation · · 20 · 2.1K

Hi There,
What can I say it's Arma. A cracking wee kit. The only fit issue I found was with the Canopy.

Primed with Neutral Grey,
Painted with Colourcoats Sky Type S, Extra Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey, Light Aircraft Grey and Interior Grey Green.
Tamiya Rubber Black and Flat Aluminium.
Finished with Flory Dark Dirt Wash, Citadel Nuln Oil and Windsor and Newton Satin Varnish
Aerial Rigging Uschi Van Der Rosten Superfine.

Thanks for looking,
Cheers,
Alistair

Reader reactions:
11  Awesome

6 additional images. Click to enlarge.


20 responses

  1. Really nice, Alistair (@alistairfgauld). The FAA camo gives the Wildcat a classy look.

  2. Very nice build, Alistair.
    The Wildcat itself is small, so I'm really impressed by all the detailing you did on this 1/72 scale.

  3. This is a great kit (I have one) and you have achieved a really nice result.

    The following is not a complaint or criticism, but rather Further Information for people doing the always-headscratching FAA scheme on US aircraft: Grumman used the correct FAA colors of Extra-Dark Sea Grey, Dark Slate Grey and Sky, specially ordered, because they were manufacturing the Wildcat I for the FAA before Lend-Lease began; they maintained that afterwards, as found on their Wildcat II and IV and the Hellcat Is sent to the FAA. Vought, which was just down the road from Grumman, used the same paint from the same source on their FAA Corsair Is. The subcontractors for both (GM/Eastern Aircraft for the FM-1 and FM-2 - Wildcat V and VI - and the TBM-1C Avenger II and Goodyear for the Corsair II) used "FAA equivalent" colors, which were Neutral Gray for Extra-Dark Sea Gey, Olive Drab for Dark Slate Grey and Light Aircraft Grey (aka "Sky Grey") for Sky. Both companies also used Interior Green on the cockpits, rather than the Bronze Green used by both Grumman and Vought.

    And yes, getting into the vagaries of paint will suck you into The Weeds quickly. 🙂

    • Hi There,
      Thanks for your kind words.
      I was well aware that it should have been painted in ANA colours but didn't have them so used the FAA instead.

      Cheers,
      Alistair

  4. A fantastic build of a very good and detailed kit, Alistair!

  5. Very nice build, looks great in this scheme.

  6. Nicely done Alistair.

  7. Seeing more and more of these little kits online, I really feel the urge to build one. One of the first kits I ever built was a Wildcat, from Academy. Far away from the quality of modern day offerings.

    Yours is one of best builds of these kits, I really like it!

  8. Very nice, great looking color scheme!

  9. Nice work, Alistair. FAA stuff always interests me.

  10. A lovely build - love the scheme, and of course the scale!

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