Grumman F-4 Wildcat 1/32 Scale Mahogany Model

$ 199.95

Introducing the ready-built AF4FT Desktop Model. This 1/32 scale model was handmade with precision and accuracy to produce the finest model that will be the centerpiece of your collection for years to come. This model is a perfect gift for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. Not too big or too small, this model features a wingspan of 10.75 inches and a length of 14.25 inches. This model features a very accurate paint scheme with realistic panel lines.

This collectible model F4-F Wildcat represents the Navy’s front-line carrier-based fighter in the early days of World War II. Outclassed in performance by the Japanese Zero, its rugged construction coupled with innovative tactics gave the F4-F Wildcat a good success rate against enemy fighters. Painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by skilled craftsmen using a wealth of detail, this 1/32-scale model Navy F4-F Wildcat makes a great gift for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff.

The Wildcat grew from an earlier Grumman proposal for a Navy fighter, a biplane that lost a design competition to the Brewster F2A-2 Buffalo. Redesigned as a monoplane, Grumman’s proposal won production orders and service deliveries began in 1940.

Armed with six .50-caliber machine guns, the F4-F had a top speed of only 320 mph, but its rugged construction, self-sealing fuel tanks and armor allowed it to take more damage than the Zero and still survive.

Tactics such as the “Thach Weave,” developed by Cmdr. Jimmy Thach took advantage of the Wildcat’s strengths to defend against enemy diving attacks. In the hands of the right pilot, the Wildcat could be more than a match for the Zero. Flying from Guadalcanal, Marine Corps pilot Joe Foss shot down 26 Japanese planes using a Wildcat, making him one of the top Marine Corps aces and the recipient of the Medal of Honor.

The Wildcat led to the development of the F6F Hellcat, a Navy fighter that outclassed the Zero in all respects and which racked up an impressive array of aerial victories.

Related products