**** DONE: GB-61 1/48 FM-1 Wildcat - Carrier and Maritime Aircraft

[N4521U]

Self is more important!

 

[fubar57]

Weird rudder but all else is great

 

[Wayne Little]

Great work so far Andy.

 

[Gnomey]

Lovely work so far Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks all. Busy days so just a quick update. Gunsight in place and part of the landing gear glued up and trial fitted.

Sorry for the short note but can't stick around long. See ya later.

 

[SaparotRob]

The gunsight is pretty neat. I always wondered if pilots would poke their eyes out with out with "telescope" like prior gunsight. Yes, I know it was padded but still.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

It is a great gunsight but that landing gear looks so spindly and not beefed up as one would expect. You've done a good job there Andy.

 

[A4K]

Agree with Vic on the u/c - dosen't look tough enough for carrier landings!

 

[Airframes]

Amazing the stresses golf trollies can absorb .................. just saying !

 

[Gnomey]

Looks good so far Andy!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks guys. Nothing new to show I'm afraid.

Note that the undercarriage shown above is incomplete in that there is a whole other layer of struts to be added. I only dry fitted it to make sure the partial assembly was properly aligned.

 

[Crimea_River]

I have a question.

Thinking ahead to the painting, I've gone through the video in detail once more to study things. In doing so I noticed something carried on the port wing only as seen in these screen grabs (red arrows):

It doesn't appear to be a bomb and looks like it's a yellow colour Anyone know what this is? Other a/c in the vid are carrying it as well and one has it both port and starboard wings.

 

[Airframes]

Possibly protective buffers, to prevent damage when wing is folded ? Removed before flight.

 

[N4521U]

Bottom photo he's taking off with it!
Rocket rail?????

 

[Crimea_River]

To clarify, the video excerpts were taken right after landing so the unit was used in flight. Also it's only on the port side on my aircraft. Later in the video you can catch the right wing being folded and there is no such unit there.

I'm thinking that it might have something to do with training.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Not sure if this is any good Andy. Under a cutaway drawing it shows a similar shape and is listed as a bomb rack.

I've also come across this discussion on Britmodeller

Wildcat question

Britmodellers, I am once again asking for your knowledge. Can anyone tell me what the pod-shaped object under the port wing is? There seems to be an empty rack under the starboard wing, but I think I have also seen that pod under the starboard wing on other photos, but always only one seems to be...

www.britmodeller.com

 

[mjfur]

Small bomb rack.

 

[A4K]

Nah, lads, it's a smoke generator for airshow displays

 

[Crimea_River]

Excellent info guys thanks! I'm going with the practice bomb dispenser in the BM link provided by Vic. Looks exactly like what I see in the video grab.