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Code: MU-PK0011

Status: Sold out - Discontinued
We regret this item is no longer available for sale. Please see the product description for links to similar items we still have available.

The Flying Mule Mule Pack PK0011
Mule Pack
WWII US Naval 3-Piece Bundle

1:72 Scale     Length     Width
Grumman F4F Wildcat     4.75"     6.25"
Grumman F6F Hellcat     5.75"     7.25"
Vought F4U Corsair     5.5"     6.75"

DM-50189 Dragon Models F4F Wildcat Diecast Model, USN VC-10, "Mah Baby", Bruce Allen McGraw

This fully finished and pre-painted model represents "Mah Baby" that was flown by Lt. Bruce Allen McGraw in October of 1944. This aicraft flew from the U.S.S. Gambier Bay.

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the standard carrier-based fighter of the United States Navy for the first year and a half of World War II. An improved version built by General Motors (the General Motors FM Wildcat) remained in service throughout the war, on escort carriers where newer, larger and heavier fighters could not be used.

The Wildcat was outperformed by the Mitsubishi Zero, its major opponent in the Pacific war, but held its own by absorbing far more damage and wielding more firepower. With heavy armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, the Grumman airframe could survive far more than its lightweight, unarmored Japanese rival.

The original Grumman F4F-1 design was a biplane, which when proving inferior to rival designs was recast as the monoplane F4F-2. This was still not competitive with the Brewster F2A Buffalo which won initial US Navy orders, but when the F4F was fitted with a more powerful engine, the Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp, it showed its true merits and became the F4F-3. US Navy orders followed as did some (with Wright Cyclone engines) from France; these ended up with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm after the fall of France. In British service initially these were known as the Martlet I, but not all Marlets would be to the exact same specifications as US Navy aircraft. The F4F-3A would enter service as the Marlet III(B), the FM-1 as the Marlet V, and the FM-2 as the Martlet VI. The name Wildcat was still commonly used for these aircraft inspite of the official name change.

A new version, the F4F-4, entered service in 1942 with six guns and folding wings, allowing more to be crammed on a carrier; this was the definitive version and the one that saw the most combat service in the early war years including the Battle of Midway.

Grumman production ceased in early 1943 to make way for the newer F6F Hellcat, but General Motors continued producing them for both US Navy and Fleet Air Arm use, as larger fighters such as the Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair were too large for use on escort carriers. At first they produced the identical FM-1 model but then switched to the improved FM-2 (based on Grumman's F4F-8 prototype) with a more powerful engine and a taller tail to cope with the torque. In all, 7,251 Wildcats were built.

All versions of the Wildcat used hand-cranked landing gear with a relatively narrow track, making landing accidents where the landing gear were not fully locked into place distressingly common.

DM-50235 Dragon Models F6F Hellcat Diecast Model, USN VF-27, "White 9", Carl Brown, USS Princeton

This item showcases the F6F "White 9" aboard the USS Princeton in October 1944 and includes every detail of the highly detailed livery. This aircraft was flown by Lt. Carl A. Brown. The Grumman F6F Hellcat started development as an improved F4F Wildcat, but turned into a completely new design sharing a family resemblance to the Wildcat but with no shared parts. The Hellcat and the Vought F4U Corsair were the primary United States Navy carrier fighters in the second half of World War II. The Hellcat was withdrawn from service shortly after the war's end. This Grumman-manufactured aircraft had the highest kill-to-loss ratio (the ratio was 19:1) of any fighter in service with the American Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force! In fact, this efficient fighter was credited with nearly 75% of all naval air-to-air combat kills, a truly astounding achievement in only two years of operational use from 1943 onwards. Its success was due in large part to its rugged airframe.

CG-AA33005 Corgi F4U Corsair Diecast Model, USN VF-84 Jolly Rogers, "White 167", Roger Hedrick

In February 1945 the Central Pacific carrier Heel consisted of four large carriers, the Bennington, Wasp, Essex and Bunker Hill. Each carrier was equipped with two Marine Corsair squadrons whilst Bunker Hill also had the Navy's first day fighter Corsair squadron, VF-84, commanded by Lt. Cdr. Roger Hedrick. Hedrick commanded VF-84 until he assumed command of the Air Group following the death of the previous commander. In this aircraft he destroyed 2 Franks and a Zero on 25th February, bringing his final score to 12 aircraft destroyed and 4 damaged. It is as it appeared at the time having had its temporary yellow nose band painted over and the vertical arrow 'G' symbol.

Grumman F4F Wildcat

Designed to meet a US Navy requirement for a new carrier-based fighter, the F-4F was first flown on September 2nd, 1937. Originally used by the British (who called it the Martlet) against the Luftwaffe, the Wildcat also became the United States Navy's primary carrier fighter in the Pacific Theatre. The Wildcat was no match for the maneuverability of the Japanese Zero, but the two airplanes were roughly equal in speed and the F-4F was able to absorb far more damage. With its array of 6 x 12.7mm machine guns and its distinctive Thach weave maneuver, two Wildcats could handle four or five Zeros.

Grumman F6F Hellcat

Developed by Grumman to combat the Japanese Zero, the carrier-based F6F Hellcat was first flown on June 26, 1942. The Hellcat was a far more potent force than its predecessor, the Wildcat. It had increased fuel capacity, a low-mounted wing, wide landing gear, strengthened cockpit armor plating, and increased ammunition capacity. The big Double Wasp engine was set three degrees off the center axis, giving the aircraft a tail-down attitude in flight. Pilots' stories of “mostly holes where the airplane used to be" underscore the Hellcat's ability absorb unbelievable punishment and still return to the ship.

Vought F4U Corsair

Designed to meet a US Navy requirement for a single-seat carrier based fighter, the F4U was first flown on May 29th, 1940. This versatile aircraft saw service with both the Navy and Marine Corps in WW II and in the Korean War. During its lifetime, the Corsair underwent numerous improvements such as a lengthened fuselage, a high visibility bubble-top canopy and folding inverted gull wings that provided clearance for a large propeller. Its performance advantage, 400 mph capability, the ability to withstand punishment and six .50 Browning machine guns made the F4U a devastating weapon against aircraft, ground targets and ships.