1/48 Grumman F4F-4 'Battle of Santa Cruz' White 19 Lt. Swede Vejtasa VF-10 USS Enterprise Oct 1942

Stanley Winfield "Swede" Vejtasa (27 July 1914 - 23 January 2013) was a United States Navy career officer and World War II flying ace. During the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, he was credited with downing seven enemy aircraft in one mission - first two Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers attacking USS Hornet (CV-8), then five Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers targeting Enterprise - becoming an "ace in a day". Lieutenant Vejtasa is the only World War II carrier pilot awarded the Navy Cross "for both dive bombing and aerial combat."

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.

• Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
• Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
• Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
• Opening canopies, revealing detailed cockpit interiors.
• Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear.
• Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
• Accurately detailed underside with concealed screwheads.