Grumman F4F-4 Photoetched Cockpit Accessories and Flaps

Published on
May 3, 2016
Review Author(s)
Scale
1/72
MSRP
$73538.00
Product / Stock #
73538
Base Kit
Airfix F4F-4 #A02070
Company: Eduard - Website: Visit Site
Provided by: Eduard - Website: Visit Site
Package

This is a much more extensive set of PE details for the Airfix F4F-4 kit, and actually includes both the larger sheet and the smaller #SS538 PE sheet which has the cockpit details. In addition, the much larger PE sheet provides parts to construct more detailed wings, including flaps and sections of the folded wings. Some of the inner details for the wings in the folded position are provided, and they look excellent. Also, a new firewall is provided, and some details for it. A set of bomb racks and shackles is also on the sheet. The parts are relatively easy to prepare for assembly, but some careful trimming is required, and I would suggest using some pretty sophisticated magnification equipment, as these parts are pretty small and assembly is tedious. If you want to display your model with the flaps in the “down” position, this set will fill the bill.

However, there is a major philosophical problem here. The PE SHEET provides two sets of flaps,

one a single unit, and the other a two piece unit, the latter apparently intended for the folded wing units, although they would probably also be useful for the fixed wing configuration. Very detailed instructions are provided for their assembly, and while the preparation and trimming process for the flaps is rather tedious, I had them together and painted in just a few minutes. I just attached the flaps with white glue at the recommended 45 degree setting, and they look very good.

The problem is that when looking through my sources, I found very few photos of F4F’s with the flaps down, and the ones I did find were usually on landing, and rarely on takeoff. Every airplane I’ve ever flown equipped with flaps has in its checklist the lowering of flaps just before takeoff, and the retraction just after landing, usually as you taxi off the runway. When airplanes are left out in the open, high winds or propeller wash, not to mention people walking by, can damage flaps when they are down, and this is the reason they are usually left up when the airplane is parked. So to display a model of an airplane like the F4F-4 with the flaps down may not be a normal condition for the airplane. So I am questioning whether the addition of lowered flaps is necessary at all.

Recommendation

This is an excellent PE sheet, and will result in a much more detailed model. It would be very useful in adding details to the firewall and cockpit interior, and to the exposed sections of the folded wings. As for the flaps it is a different story. The smaller PE sheet does a great job on the cockpit, but it is available separately, and the larger PE sheet will be especially useful if you want to do this airplane in that configuration. Just make sure you know what you’re doing. Recommended with reservations.

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