Inside the Arma Hobby 70090 kit you will find decals and masks for some of the most famous Wildcats from the opening months of the Pacific War. The decals were printed by the Italian company Cartograf, while the masks were precision-cut to make painting the distinctive F4F-3 Wildcat canopy easier.
Marking options included in the kit
F4F-3 Wildcat “F-5”, VF-3, USS Lexington
Pilot: Lt. Albert O. Vorse Jr.
Battle: Battle of the Coral Sea, May 1942
This aircraft from USS Lexington took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Flying this Wildcat, Lt. Albert O. Vorse Jr. shot down an Aichi D3A1 “Val” dive bomber and a Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero from the carrier Shōkaku.
F4F-3 Wildcat BuNo 4019 “211-F-11”, VMF-211, Wake Island
Pilot: Captain Henry T. Elrod
Location and date: Wake Island, December 1941
This Wildcat belonged to VMF-211 defending Wake Island in December 1941. Flying this aircraft, Captain Henry T. Elrod became famous for sinking the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi — one of the first American successes against Japan after Pearl Harbor.
F4F-3 Wildcat BuNo 3986 “F-13”, VF-3, USS Lexington
Pilots: Lt. Noel A. M. Gayler / Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach
Period: Early 1942
The aircraft originally belonged to Lt. Noel A. M. Gayler, but on February 20, 1942 it was urgently reassigned to VF-3 commander Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach. During the action against Japanese bombers, Thach scored 1 and 1/2 aerial victories while flying this Wildcat.
70090 F4F-3 Wildcat – Three Aircraft That Faced the Might of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Bonus marking options
The kit also allows you to build additional VF-3 Wildcats connected with the famous combat of February 20, 1942. These variants use extra side numbers, serial numbers, and victory markings included on the decal sheet.
F-1 – Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach’s aircraft
Pilot: Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach
To build this version, the number “1” must be cut from other decals, and the tail stripes should be extended all the way to the top of the vertical stabilizer. Three victory markings under the cockpit may also be added.
F-3
Pilot: Lt. Edward H. O’Hare
The side number should be taken from the F-13 markings, while the serial number remains unknown. This Wildcat carries five victory markings (decal no. 11), commemorating the famous February 20, 1942 action in which O’Hare actually fought flying Wildcat F-15.
F-15, BuNo 4031
Pilot: Lt. (jg) Rolla S. Lemmon / temporarily assigned to Lt. Edward H. O’Hare
To build this aircraft, use numbers from other marking options together with serial number decal no. 24. On February 20, 1942 the aircraft was urgently assigned to Lt. Edward H. O’Hare, who scored five kills against Mitsubishi G4M1 “Betty” bombers and received the Medal of Honor, becoming the first US Navy fighter ace of World War II.
F-5, BuNo 4009
Pilot: Lt. (jg) Onia B. Stanley Jr. / Ens. Dale W. Peterson
The side number should be taken from the F-5 markings, while the serial number is decal no. 25. Flying this Wildcat, Ens. Dale W. Peterson scored one individual G4M1 victory and one shared kill.
More about these markings:
https://armahobbynews.pl/en/blog/2026/05/05/destruction-of-the-4th-kokutai-f4f-3-wildcat-70090/
See also:
- See the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat kit in the Arma Hobby store
Modeller happy enough to work in his hobby. Seems to be a quiet Aspie but you were warned. Enjoys talking about modelling, conspiracy theories, Grand Duchy of Lithuania and internet marketing. Co-founder of Arma Hobby. Builds and paints figurines, aeroplane and armour kits, mostly Polish subject and naval aviation.
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