FM-2 Wilder Cat
For some time I've wanted the FM-1 and FM-2 variants to go with my Navy collection, but I just could not get excited about the Hobby Boss and Sword offerings which need a lot of work. Then I heard rumors about Eduard releasing the FM-2 so I had to have one! Well worth the wait, this is one of the best kits I've encountered. I went with the Brassin seat, printed instrument panel, wheels, and guns. All that wasn't necessary, as the kit parts are excellent - you can't even see the guns anyway. The Brassin seat is nice, the wheels are nice, though in my opinion the kit's tailwheel is better than the Brassin parts. And the kit's PE instrument panel is on par with the printed version. So, it looks like I have some nice spares. I decided on an Atlantic scheme, I only have one other in that scheme, one of my Avengers. This one operated off the USS Guadalcanal, and might have been a shipmate with my Avenger.
The build was trouble-free, everything fit perfectly, no filler or putty needed anywhere. A real pleasure to build, considering that most of my builds lately have been limited run kits that needed some extra elbow grease. I had an old bottle of MM Dark Gull Grey I was going to use, but it had been sitting around too many years. So, I experimented with mixing the grey with Tamiya paints. I found that 3 parts XF-54 and 1 part XF-2 was a good match. I sprayed a sample on a piece of styrene, let it dry, then took it out in the sunshine and compared it with the grey on my Avenger. Can't tell the difference. The kit comes with lots of decals for several schemes, 2 rudders, 2 props, drop tanks, and bombs and rockets. I really like the way Eduard does their nav lights - they are attached to a post that fits into a hole in the wings and tail. No need to clean up those tiny little things, just paint them and cement them in their hole. I wish other manufacturers would take this approach to nav light lenses! The only things I added was wiring for the ignition harness and some telescoping brass tubing to make the prop spin, and it's done!
Outstanding work on both planes. Just need a 1/700 waterline model of U-505 in the background.
Thanks, David. The U-505 thing happened before this aircraft came aboard with VC-69 on a later cruise.
Fantastic result, Chas!
Thanks, Spiros!
Beautiful work done, Chas @chasbunch
Thanks, John.
Nice work Chas. I see you sanded off the rocket plates without problem.
Youcan get an FM-1 with the F4F-4 kit - just fill the ammo chute for the outer one and sand off the door associated with the outer guns and then rescribe - about as hard as modifying the FM-2 was. Tamiya has announced they're going to "graces us" with an FM-1 done from their 30 year old unfixably-incorrect F4F-4 kit and a new wing. A further sign of their increasing irrelevance.
Thanks, Tom. I did the Tamiya F4F-4 years ago, I guess it's time to get the Eduard kit and make a FM-1.
Maybe I should have left the rocket launcher plates alone - this VC-69 FM-2 came aboard Guadalcanal fairly late in the war and the Avengers aboard at that time had rockets. I couldn't find any FM-2 photos to confirm rockets one way or the other.
Nice work, Chas. This is the first one of these kits that I’ve seen in the anti-sub scheme. Well done.
Thanks, John.
Chas,
You have many gifts and talents in photography, computers, and modeling. Love the build, seeing a real pilot who smiles and a prop that represents the real thing turning. The build really is a affirmation on how good this kit is and what can be done with this kit. You've set the bar high on this one. Looking forward to your next adventure in modeling.
Thanks, Stephen.
VERY nice. Build & finish right-on.
Where'd you find such a small naval aviator?
Thanks, Bob. I have several pilot heads living in my computer just waiting to go fly something.
Wow that was quick. Nice Atlantic Wilder Cat.
Yup, when this one became available, everything else got put on hold!
I love Atlantic markings, Chas (@chasbunch). Well done, along with a nice base for the photos.
Looks great.
Looks very nice in this colour scheme.
Outstanding in those Atlantic colors, Chas @chasbunch. Would that be you in the pilot's seat?
Thanks, Eric. No, that's a Navy pilot pic I found on the web. Here's one of me "flying" one of my Stearmans
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Great looking 'cat! The Atlantic scheme is a winner also. Well done!
Absolutely love the Atlantic scheme. Tail looks spot on too!
Nice work Chas!