A Finnish Wildcat

[NARSES2]

Not much to say about this really as I built the Airfix kit mainly to see if you could install the undercarriage and cockpit assemblies separately rather than as a single item as the instructions would have it. The answer is that you can but there are a couple of extra tweeks I will perform when building the forthcoming Martlet.

Anyway she is finished in a combination of Humbrol, Xtracrylic and Lifecolor paints and the transfers are all from the spares box. I think the unit/personal insignia is actually intended for a Fokker DXXI ? An enjoyable build which is one of those I am actually quite pleased with. It dosen't always turn out that way.

[Old Wombat]

Nice one, mate!

[Snowtrooper]

Looks very nice. Could have almost been too, had history gone only slightly differently (after all, Finland did get Buffalos IRL).

Though there's always room for improvement: the register code would have been two letters (consonants preferred, derived from either the manufacturer's or plane's name), dash, and one to three numbers (some fuzzy logic dictates this, as the numbering is consecutive for only a given type, not for all of the planes of FAF or even all of the fighters of FAF), so GR-206 in this case).

[chrisonord]

Very nice build Chris, and an unusual subject country wise. 
Chris

[Scooterman]

Good looking machine, Chris. 

[Tophe]

  surprising colours for this bird...
do you have a piece of backstory to explain how this plane went there? (as a single one or a whole squadron?)

[perttime]

two letters ... so GR-206 in this case...

Agreed.
Another niggle is that the code and the fuselage hakaristi seem to be aligned horizontally when the aircraft is sitting on the wheels. More likely, they would have been horizontal in level flight.

Quite convincing otherwise - and it is a might-have-been.
When Finland was trying to get fighters from USA in 1939, the possibilities were Grumman F4F Wildcat, Seversky EP-1 and Brewster F2A "Buffalo". In Real World, only some Brewsters were available on short notice. Wildcat production had only just started and there were orders to US Navy.

[dumaniac]

Finland had a nice collection of axis and allied aircraft - they make great models

[zenrat]

Good job Chris.  Looks great.

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice! Looks very natural. 

[NARSES2]

Though there's always room for improvement: the register code would have been two letters (consonants preferred, derived from either the manufacturer's or plane's name),

Yes, I will hold my hand up to this and apologise to our Finnish friends. I couldn't find two suitable letters in the same font, so took the easy way out and went with one.

Another niggle is that the code and the fuselage hakaristi seem to be aligned horizontally when the aircraft is sitting on the wheels. More likely, they would have been horizontal in level flight.

I completely forgot about that  She's so portly I was just concentrating on getting them on.

Cheers gents

[perttime]

Do you think the Wildcat could fit pilot, two passengers, a dog and some luggage, like Brewster Buffalo?

[NARSES2]

Do you think the Wildcat could fit pilot, two passengers, a dog and some luggage, like Brewster Buffalo?

  You could probably get one passenger, a dog and some luggage, but not all at the same time  I've heard of a Hurricane flying home from France in May 1940 with 2 passengers but doubt they had luggage  Knowing the RAF or Brits in general they probably brought the station mascot home as well 

Seriously I knew the Buffalo was portly but didn't realise it was that portly. I have a nice "yellow wings" kit which I'll have to build as a comparison

[perttime]

Do you think the Wildcat could fit pilot, two passengers, a dog and some luggage, like Brewster Buffalo?

  You could probably get one passenger, a dog and some luggage, but not all at the same time  I've heard of a Hurricane flying home from France in May 1940 with 2 passengers but doubt they had luggage  Knowing the RAF or Brits in general they probably brought the station mascot home as well 

Seriously I knew the Buffalo was portly but didn't realise it was that portly. I have a nice "yellow wings" kit which I'll have to build as a comparison

Ilmari Juutilainen said that it really happened with a Buffalo:  "It was also a "gentleman's traveling plane", for it had a roomy cockpit and room in the fuselage, as we used to say, for a poker gang. We unofficially transported mechanics, spare parts, oil canisters etc. in our Brewsters. Once, though two pilots went a little too far - a flight sergeant was flying, and in the fuselage was a second lieutenant, his friend, his dog and a lot of baggage. Upon landing the plane went off the runway and the suitcase came out. Both pilots were punished."
http://web.archive.org/web/20120405144702/http://www.sci.fi/~fta/finace01.htm

[DogfighterZen]

The Wildcat looks great in those colors, nice job!