Arma Hobby 70032 - 1:72 Wildcat Mk VI - Model Kit

Plastic model kit of the British Wildcat Mk VI fighter in 1:72 scale

Wildcat Mk VI was the designation under which the FM-2 served with the British Fleet Air Arm. These aircraft equipped Royal Navy escort carriers and operated both in the Atlantic and in the Indian Ocean. Arma Hobby kit 70032 renders this version on the tooling introduced with kit 70031.

The model retains all the features typical of the FM-2: the tall vertical tail, the Cyclone radial cowling and the finely reproduced airframe surface with rivets and panel lines. This is the standard boxing – plastic sprues, a clear sprue, decals and instructions – aimed at modellers who prefer to decide themselves how far to take the detailing.

The decals cover two options: Wildcat VI JV699 'J-F' from HMS Trumpeter, late 1944, and Wildcat VI JV884 'B1-C' of 882 Sqn FAA from HMS Searcher, August 1945, Indian Ocean, flown by Sub.Lt Frearson.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues with the airframe parts
• One clear sprue
• Decals for two marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Kit specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 70032
• Manufacturer: Arma Hobby
• Assembled length: approx. 122 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 161 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: glue, paints and modelling tools are not included. The model requires assembly.

Building the model:

The model is small but sensibly broken down, so assembly is relaxed even for a less experienced modeller. We suggest painting and finishing the cockpit before closing the fuselage halves, as access becomes limited afterwards. It is worth spending a little time on aligning the engine cowling and the canopy – these are the two areas where accuracy shows most on the finished model.

Both Fleet Air Arm aircraft wore the naval camouflage of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey uppersurfaces over Sky. We recommend applying the decals over a gloss coat to reduce silvering, and finishing the model with a satin varnish. If you want to add detail, painting masks, photo-etched sets and metal parts matching this kit are available separately.

Tools you will need:

• Sprue cutters for removing the parts from the sprues
• Modelling knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding sticks for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in a range of sizes or an airbrush
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decalling and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal setting solution
• Wash for picking out panel lines and details

About the aircraft – Wildcat Mk VI:

The Wildcat Mk VI was the British designation of the American FM-2, the last and most numerous Wildcat variant, built by General Motors. Compared with earlier versions it received a more powerful Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone 9 radial of about 1,350 hp and its armament was reduced to four 12.7 mm heavy machine guns, which combined with the lower weight to give noticeably better performance.

The recognisable feature is the taller vertical tail, introduced to balance the greater torque of the new engine. Its short take-off run and good low-speed handling made the FM-2 ideal for operating from small escort carriers – exactly the ships the Royal Navy had available.

British Wildcat Mk VIs served with Fleet Air Arm squadrons from 1944 until the end of the war, escorting convoys, taking part in strikes along the Norwegian coast and in operations in the Indian Ocean. Their duties covered both fighter cover and attacks on surface targets.

Original aircraft specifications (Wildcat Mk VI / FM-2):

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.81 m
• Wingspan: 11.58 m
• Powerplant: Wright R-1820-56 Cyclone 9 radial engine of approx. 1,350 hp
• Gun armament: 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns in the wings
• External load: up to 6 x 5-inch HVAR unguided rockets or 2 x 250 lb bombs
• Maximum speed: approx. 530 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 10,500 m
• Distinguishing features: taller vertical tail, folding wings, manually retracted landing gear
• Production: approx. 4,700 aircraft built by General Motors

About the manufacturer – Arma Hobby:

The Arma Hobby brand is run by a Warsaw team that has been publishing plastic kits since 2016, after years of producing resin accessories as Attack Squadron. Design and tooling are carried out in Poland, supported by CAD and by scanning preserved museum aircraft. Modellers value these kits mainly for their very fine surface detail – rivet lines and panel joints – as well as thin trailing edges and carefully made transparent parts. Decal sheets are printed to a high standard with good colour registration. The range covers 1:72 and 1:48 and falls broadly into two families: Polish aviation, led by the PZL P.7a, PZL P.11c and TS-11 Iskra, and Allied WWII types. Kits from this manufacturer have collected awards in industry polls, including Model of the Year at the Nuremberg fair. A separate line of development is the pairing of injection-moulded sprues with 3D-printed parts and downloadable print files.