Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat (oz4550)

About this Plan

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat. Radio control scale model WWI fighter.

Quote: "Grumman's F4F Wildcat first flew in 1937 and became the US Navy's dominant fighter in the first part of World War II. Although inferior in performance to Japan's Zero, its ruggedness and superior tactics gave it an impressively unbalanced 6.9:1 kill ratio. 7,885 were built before it was retired in 1945.

This 31 in span model was designed by Hurst Bowers, built by Don Srull and published in November 1978 Model Aviation magazine. Intended for Schoolyard Scale, it used lightweight pulse rudder control and a Cox .020 engine."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "The Wildcat, by Hurst Bowers and Don Srull.

For 'schoolyard' flying it would be difficult indeed to improve upon the smart performance and flight realism of Grumman's chubby little Navy fighter of WW II. The Cox Pee Wee makes it go, Ace's rudder-only pulse system controls it.

I HAVE always liked short, fat little airplanes so the Grumman stable naturally has a tremendous amount of appeal. Back in the days of rubber, and free flight powered scale, I frequently built models with these characteristics, but in keeping with the 'old wives tales' of the day, most of them turned out to be less than spectacular fliers. This did not deter me, however, for I continued to build them and strive for more success on the flying field.

Of course, the Wildcat has consistently remained one of my favorite aircraft and this fascination was enhanced one day back during the big war, when an F4F pulled up next to me, tucked in, and followed like a friendly kitten for awhile. I was flying a B-25 and from the left seat had ample opportunity to enjoy the view and study the pleasant and efficient lines of the little fighter, as well as be thankful that I was not flying a Japanese bomber. When the 'F4' peeled off to the left and vanished behind a big, puffy cumulus cloud I felt a bit lonesome.

Many years later, during a cold and wet Sunday afternoon in Paris, I was going through some of my collection of drawings when I ran into three-views of the Wildcat. I thought of my 'wing man' of almost 20 years earlier and got out the drawing board to develop a model that I just knew would prove the 'old wives' didn't know what they were talking about. I finished the plans and put them away, to build from later on when I had more time.

The story of the Grumman Wildcat is not new to most model aviation enthusiasts, and its combat record in the Pacific is legendary. When historians recount the events of Wake Island and Guadalcanal, the F4F comes to mind as one of the most outstanding participants. These were not the only engagements; there were many others as well, such as Rabaul and the Coral Sea, to name but a few. According to Profile Publications Limited, 376 F4F variants were built, with 229 being deployed by the US Navy and Marine Corps, primarily aboard the aircraft carriers of the day. Some were consigned to both the Greeks and the French, but delivery was diverted with their capitulation; Britain was the only Ally to use the aircraft, designated by then as the 'Marlet.'

The design first appeared in 1936 and the Bureau of Aeronautics contracted with Grumman for the first machine. In the competition that followed, it lost out to the Brewster Company's X F2A-1, another 'FLUF' (fat little ugly fellow); however, the world situation at the time precluded discarding such a promising aircraft.

After several design changes and improvements the Navy bought it, and of course the story is very well known from there. Briefly, the vital statistics are: Wing span 35 ft; length 28 ft 9 in; gross weight 7,065 pounds; engine R-1830-76, 86, 90 of 1200 horsepower; maximum speed 331 at 21,000 ft; service ceiling 37,000 ft; range 860 miles.

My basement workshop is frequently visited by such model aviation notables as Don Srull, one of the most outstanding modelers that I know, as evidenced by his 1976, '77, and '78 winnings in the scale events at the Nationals. One night a couple of years ago, when 'schoolyard scale' was in its formative stage, Don and I were looking at some of my old 'must build later' drawings when we came to the Wildcat. It hit both of us as a natural for schoolyard flying with an .020 engine and pulse-rudder radio control installed. We agreed that it was light and simple enough to be safe and compatible with small flying sites.

As I was currently working on another model, Don took the plans and a few nights later called me to come over and see the structure which he had just completed. It was light, sturdy and without a doubt the most beautiful example of craftmanship that I have ever seen. A few days later he had the model completed, and finished in the livery of US Navy Squadron VF-41, based aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger, in 1940. It was beautiful and is very light, weighing all-up only 8.9 ounces. And this includes engine, radio, and everything. The wing loading is 7.5 ounces/sq. ft. of area. Need more be said?

To the surprise of a few remaining skeptics (probably still subscribers to the old wives' tale) it flies, and it flies well. It is beautiful in flight. No doubt you detect my enthusiasm for this model. Anyway, it is still around and flying as well as ever, and in response to many requests, here is the plan and a quick and easy recapitulation of how to build and enjoy this chubby little bird. It is very simple and no extraordinary skills or techniques are required - just plain, old fashioned, straight-forward modeling.

At this point I should elaborate to some extent on the many and varied color schemes and combinations used on Naval aircraft. During the 1930's when carrier operations were in their formative years, the carrier-based aircraft carried distinctive colors, in addition to their standard Navy livery, which were coded to their particular mother ships. For instance, a green tail indicated that the aircraft was assigned to the USS Ranger, white for the Saratoga, and yellow for the Lexington, etc. Also adding color and distinction were the fuselage and cowl color bands, the wing chevrons, and the squadron insignia. These could tell a complete story, such as indicating the aircraft of the squadron and flight commanders, formation positions, and units of assignment. In general, the standard Navy color scheme of the period was light gray fuselage and wing bottom, with the top side of the wing being chrome yellow..."

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