|
General Motors
FM-2 Wildcat
When I saw a
picture of the FM-2 with markings from VC93 of the USS Petrof Bay many years
ago, I was sure I had to build one someday. So I was glad when I found that MPM
produced exactly this aircraft.
The MPM kit is
in fact a complete F4F-4 by Academy plus conversion kit to make it a FM-2. It
contains new fuselage with taller rudder and different exhausts, 9-cylinder
engine, Eduard photoetched sheet with complete cockpit, vacformed canopy and
nice Propagteam decals.
Construction
began with the cockpit (OOB except gunsight) that fit perfectly into the
fuselage halves. Unfortunately MPM included no upgrade to very schematic Academy
undercarriage, so I had to scratchbuild everything that should be in the wheel
wells. Quality of outer surfaces of fuselage was poor (maybe I got kit with
parts molded at the end of life of the shortrun forms). Many panel lines that
should be engraved were partly raised, so I had to sand them and rescribe.
Conversion work continued with wings. Outer guns, gun access panels and oil
coolers should be deleted from wings (FM-2 had only 4 guns). For filling panels
I used CA glue. Wings joined to the fuselage perfectly without any
filling. Undercarriage was mostly scratchbuilt, only main legs and wheels were
taken from old Revell kit. Details were handbrushed with Humbrol enamels,
overall blue was airbrushed with Tamyia acrylic. Decals from Propagteam were
perfectly thin, but little translucent. For setting decals I used Future (not
original SCJohnson but Czech equivalent named Sidolux). It was my first attempt
to use this technique and I was very pleased with the result – there is no
silvering at all. Panel lines are emphasized with Future lightly tinted black
and brown. Final coat was airbrushed Humbrol satin. Exhaust and gunpowder stains
were made with black pastel chalk. Antennas were made from nylon thread painted
black. Pictures were taken with Olympus C-2100UZ digital camera.
Hope You enjoy
this aircraft.
Radim
Czech
Republic
|
