When the United States entered the Second World War, the Grumman Wildcat was the standard single-seat fighter serving with the U.S. Navy's shipboard squadrons and remained so throughout the crucial first half of the Pacific conflict. Although it was the first really successful shipboard monoplane to enter service with the U.S. Navy, its performance proved to be markedly inferior to its principle opponent in the Pacific, the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero-Sen, especially in speed, climb rate and overall maneuverability. Still, its American pilots soon proved adept at turning the Wildcat's superior firepower, internal protection and structural integrity against the enemy's weaknesses and evolved combat tactics like the 'Thatch Weave' to minimized the advantages held by the Japanese fighter. The Wildcat fought in all the early major naval battles of the Pacific War including Wake Island, Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal and the Solomons.

The 5-model set offered here actually includes three different gear down models including (x2) models without drop tanks and (x3) with drop tanks (one of them with folded wings). While photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills, check out the details of the well proportioned model including the fuselage complete with detailed canopy, engine cowling and tail assembly; the wings (with drop tanks on 3 of the models) and especially the correctly rendered undercarriage complete with the tiny tail wheel!

While the surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers), the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene as noted above. The models may still have some powder and oil-like agent on them that needs to be removed by washing in warm water with a drop of detergent added to it.

NOTE: While we currently maintain limited inventories of most items, some items may be "printed on demand", which usually requires 10-15 business days from order to shipment.