Grumman F4F Wildcat

Kagero has been turning out some very interesting and well-researched monographs on many subjects. In this latest release, Kagero gives a nice look at the Grumman F4F Wildcat. Published in both Polish and English, the author walks the reader through the development of the aircraft, its initial combat experiences, and its evolution into an effective combat aircraft through most of the war.

The coverage includes:

• Introduction
• Origins, Design and Development
• Series and Variants
• Baptism of Fire
• Midway - Solomons - "Torch"
• The King's Mercenary
• Unscheduled Finale
• F4F-4 Specifications
• Colors and Markings

In addition to the history of the aircraft, the title looks at the details of the Wildcat through some very thorough diagrams detailing the differences between each variant. These diagrams are produced in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 (excellent!). A brief color walk around of the aircraft is provided near the back of the book, with coverage ending with some excellent color profiles of the F4F series.

As is customary for the Kagero series, a sheet of decals is included representing selected subjects from the color profiles in the title. In a new push, Kagero has elected to provide fewer subjects on the decal sheet in favor of providing those subjects that are covered in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32. All modelers win with this approach!

You'll definitely want to add this title to your reference library. You can find Kagero books at your favorite hobby retailer or directly through Squadron Mail Order.

My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!