This is another reprint, the original sheet being 48-724, but as often happens, the older sheets were popular and sold out quickly. It also provides Superscale with an opportunity to make any corrections needed, though I don't think this one required any. It does, however have more data markings and prop blade markings that the earlier sheet lacked.

This sheet is a bit of old and new mixed into one sheet. I know that the Galer aircraft was on an older sheet and suspect that the Raby one was as well. One interesting thing to note is that the upper left Wildcat is noted as being flown by an enlisted pilot, and one with aerial victories as well. The US forces tended to treat enlisted pilots very much as second-class citizens and kept most of them out of combat. Not so the other fighting powers who realized that rank has little to do with your abilities. It is gratifying to see that there is finally a set of markings for an NCO pilot.

All four of these planes are medium grey over light grey with the later star insignias sans red central dots.

First is the VF-6 Wildcat of Donald Runyon. This one has an interesting tail markings I have not seen before.

Next is the mount of Marion Carl, an ace from VMF-223 based on Guadalcanal in 1942

Then there is Major Galer's Guadalcanal based F4F-3. Unlike most Wildcats, it has a red nose and red fuselage stripe. Though the stripe is a single piece, you'll have to trim it or it will show through the insignia.

Finally,  an 'Operation Torch' F4F-4 with the yellow circled fuselage insignia. The European theater was not good for making ace in a Wildcat and I can't think of a single American who managed to get five kills in a Wildcat that were all in Europe or the Med.

The recommended kit is the very nice Tamiya F4F-4 kit. It is surprising that this kit is now pretty much 10 years old and was part of the initial batch of kits announcing Tamiya's return to 1/48 aircraft.

September  2005

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