Wildcats are a popular subject with most modelers. I know several of them who have built multiple kits over the years. The one that most will choose is the new Tamiya Wildcat, but I know some older modelers who managed to cobble together a respectable F4F using the now ancient Monogram kit. Yours truly building the one shown at the bottom of the page.

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. I only wish I knew more about enlisted pilots in the US forces.

All three 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.

Nest below is an unknown F4F-4 from Guadalcanal circa 1942.

Upper right is 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.

Finally 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. Below is my old Monogram kit so marked. You'll notice a few differences between that earlier set of markings and the one on the new sheet.

Another superb new sheet from Superscale

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