Greg Boeser
1st Lieutenant
On November 28, 1941, 11 F4F-3s and twelve pilots belonging to Marine Fighting Squadron 211 (VMF-211), under the command of Major Paul A. Putnam, departed Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Enterprise, (CV-6), enroute to Wake Island. A twelfth F4F-3 was transferred from VF-6.
landing on Wake Island on December 4th, the squadron had little time to prepare before war broke out on the 8th. (December 7, Hawaii time.)
Most of the planes were caught on the ground and destroyed on the 8th, when a Japanese air raid consisting of 34 G3M2 bombers of the Chitose Kokutai evaded the combat air patrol and bombed and strafed the island. Over the next two weeks the survivors would fight off numerous air raids, assist in repulsing an invasion attempt and in the process, sink a destroyer, damage several other ships, and shoot down at least a half dozen Japanese planes. The last two aircraft were lost on 22 December, opposing the strike aircraft of the Soryu and Hiryu.
Wake Island fell the next day when the defenders were overwhelmed by the second Japanese landing attempt.
The pilots and ground crews, bereft of aircraft, fought along side the infantry until the island commander gave the order to surrender.
The kit: Admiral 1/72 scale F4F-3P
This is a very nice looking kit with instructions for the F4F-3, F4F-3P, and Martlet Mk. III.
Sprue one has the fuselage halves, horizontal stabilizers, prop, cockpit floor, engine firewall, and parts of the landing gear.
Sprue two has a set of upper and lower wing halves, more landing gear parts, tail wheel, a cowl ring, and various cockpit parts.
Sprue three has another set of wings, a different cowl ring, another prop, and engine shroud.
A clear sprue contains a closed cockpit canopy and the belly windows.
Also included is a photo eched sheet with parts for the instrument panel and seat belts
For the Wake Island F4F-3 I will be using the parts from sprue three.
Markings will be taken from the Yellow Wings Decals U.S.M.C. VMF-211 F4F-3 "WAKE ISLAND WILDCATS" 72-032
landing on Wake Island on December 4th, the squadron had little time to prepare before war broke out on the 8th. (December 7, Hawaii time.)
Most of the planes were caught on the ground and destroyed on the 8th, when a Japanese air raid consisting of 34 G3M2 bombers of the Chitose Kokutai evaded the combat air patrol and bombed and strafed the island. Over the next two weeks the survivors would fight off numerous air raids, assist in repulsing an invasion attempt and in the process, sink a destroyer, damage several other ships, and shoot down at least a half dozen Japanese planes. The last two aircraft were lost on 22 December, opposing the strike aircraft of the Soryu and Hiryu.
Wake Island fell the next day when the defenders were overwhelmed by the second Japanese landing attempt.
The pilots and ground crews, bereft of aircraft, fought along side the infantry until the island commander gave the order to surrender.
The kit: Admiral 1/72 scale F4F-3P
This is a very nice looking kit with instructions for the F4F-3, F4F-3P, and Martlet Mk. III.
Sprue one has the fuselage halves, horizontal stabilizers, prop, cockpit floor, engine firewall, and parts of the landing gear.
Sprue two has a set of upper and lower wing halves, more landing gear parts, tail wheel, a cowl ring, and various cockpit parts.
Sprue three has another set of wings, a different cowl ring, another prop, and engine shroud.
A clear sprue contains a closed cockpit canopy and the belly windows.
Also included is a photo eched sheet with parts for the instrument panel and seat belts
For the Wake Island F4F-3 I will be using the parts from sprue three.
Markings will be taken from the Yellow Wings Decals U.S.M.C. VMF-211 F4F-3 "WAKE ISLAND WILDCATS" 72-032
