No US aircraft other than the Wildcat fought throughout WWII, all the way from 1940 to VJ Day in 1945; the Wildcat was there when the US Navy and Marines entered the Pacific theatre and when the atomic bomb was dropped to put an end to hostilities. Apart from service in the North Atlantic, British Martlets saw combat in warmer climes too such as Malta, North Africa and alongside their American counterparts throughout the Pacific.
The Wildcat could well be considered the US Navy’s 'Spitifre', performing heroically against considerable odds in often difficult conditions in the defining battles of the Coral Sea and Midway and later in the dark days of the early Pacific islands campaigns at infamous locations such as Guadalcanal and Rabaul.
It is a testament to the success of this rugged little fighter that the design remained basically unchanged until the end of the war, and the last Wildcat to roll off the General Motors production lines in 1945.
Model features
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Fully detailed and animated F4F undercarriage
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Folding wings (F4F-4 and Martlet MkIV) with detailed mechanisms and correct wing stay rods when folded
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Fully detailed split flaps
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Opening dinghy storage area
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Accurate and detailed radial engines
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Operating tail hook and lockable tail wheel
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Realistic animated pilot in a choice of uniforms to suit the aircraft
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Retractable landing lights
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Animated cowl flaps in correct configurations for each type
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Authentic pre-war and wartime liveries
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Choice of aircraft with tanks or no tanks
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Fully compatible with Acceleration carrier operations
Virtual Cockpit features
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Highly detailed Virtual Cockpit
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Every switch, knob and lever is animated and most are fully functional
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Switchable and dimmable gunsight reticles
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Choice of British and US gunsights, compasses etc.
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Working checklist gauge
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Separate VCs for US and British types and different layouts for F4F-4 and F4F-3
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Fluid 3D gauges with accurate readings
Included models
F4F-3 MF-1 - the mount of Major Robert E. Galer, who totalled 13 confirmed victories and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Galer’s Marines unit, VMF-224, took part in the heroic struggles at Guadalcanal in 1942, repaying some of the awful losses suffered by US land forces in recapturing the airfield there against impossible odds and in atrocious conditions.
F4F-4 BuNo 5093/’White 23’ - flown by Lt Cdr John S Thach, Officer Commanding VF-3, USS Yorktown, Midway, 4 June 1942. The battle of Midway, although resulting in the loss of the Yorktown, succeeded in pushing back the Japanese advance and prompted the US Navy’s decision to retake the island groups of the Pacific.
F4F-4 22-F-1 - displays the later tri-colour scheme adopted by all US naval aircraft in the Pacific Campaign. The machine was on board USS Independence in April of 1943, flying with Fighting Squadron VF-22.
Martlet MkI ‘French 2’ - an F4F-3 ordered by the French AeroNavale, prior to the fall of France in 1940. Originally, France had ordered 81 aircraft from the Grumman plant, fitted with the Wright Cyclone engine. Seven had been built by the time of the French capitulation. The British took over the order when France fell and these, plus the remaining aircraft ordered, were delivered as Martlet Mk1s to the Royal Navy.
Martlet MkIV 9Z - an 893 Squadron machine at the time of Operation Torch, the joint allied invasion of French North Africa. In a rather confused fashion, many aircraft carried dual nationality in the shape of both US and British insignia and markings. Note the US star insignia on this aircraft.