Academy 12326 1/48 USN F3F-2 VF-6 "Fighting Six"

Grumman F3F is a single-seat carrier-based fighter that was the last biplane fighter of the Grumman concern and the last biplane fighter in the US Navy. The prototype flew on 20 March 1935, in January of the following year deliveries of 54 series aircraft in the F3F-1 version began. In 1937, a contract was signed for the delivery of a new version of the F3F-2 with a more powerful engine. Deliveries began in July 1937, 81 units of this version were built. The following year, the F3F-3 version was created with a slightly changed fuselage, this version entered production in December 1938. A total of 165 aircraft of all versions were built. The F3F became the basic equipment of the US Navy carrier-based fighter squadrons until the beginning of 1940. F3Fs were used in 8 fighter squadrons (used, among others, on the aircraft carriers USS Ranger and USS Saratoga). The last aircraft withdrawn from use in the US Navy in the summer of 1941. Technical data (version F3F-3): Maximum speed: 425 km/h, rate of climb: 14 m/s, maximum ceiling 10,120 m, maximum range: 1,600 km, armament: fixed - 1 M1919 machine gun caliber 7.62 mm and 1 M2 machine gun caliber 12.7 mm, underwing - up to 104 kg of bombs.

Academy brings us a model kit of the F3F-2 biplane fighter used by the U.S. Navy! Its characteristic shape is precisely molded, and photo-etched parts are provided for the antenna and engine piping. Five types of U.S. Navy Squadron (VF-6, etc.) decals are included.

Specification

• 1/48 scale unpainted plastic assembly kit
• Size when assembled: total length 5.8 inches (147 mm), total width 8.0 inches (203 mm)
• Aerial lines and engine piping are reproduced with etching
• Includes 5 US Navy Squadron (VF-6 etc) decals