As you may have noticed, Gold Medal Models has been very active in production of fine brass photo-etched detail sets to super detail the Trumpeter USS Hornet. GMM has produced a standard ship’s fret, GMM #350-21, and an Ultra Gold fret, GMM #350-21A that provide new and replacement parts for the ship. However, GMM has also addressed the needs of the aircraft.

With WW2 USN Carrier Details GMM #350-26 you can add detail to the Wildcats, Dauntlesses and Devastators that come packaged by Trumpeter for the USS Hornet kit. Your Devastators for Torpedo-8 will have the detail they need to make a fitting appearance. The plastic parts Trumpeter provides for the aircraft for the propellers and landing gear are on the thick side but that is to be expected because of the limitations of plastic. The stock plastic landing gear are basically posts without the specific gear design of each craft. This is especially noticeable with the gear for the F4F Wildcat. The gear has a unique triangular strut design to retract the wheels into the stubby, barrel-like fuselage of the fighter. The GMM parts have this design, which the stock plastic parts don’t provide.


Parts Comparison: Trumpeter & GMM
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Fret GMM #350-26 WW2 USN Carrier Details doesn’t stop with the early war aircraft. If you are getting the forthcoming USS Essex from Trumpeter, there is plenty for you on the fret as well. Parts are provided for the Hellcat F6F, Avenger TBF, Helldiver SB2C, and Corsair F4U, early with three bladed props and late with four bladed props, ten of each.


For Hornet - F4F, TBD & SBD:  For Essex - F6F, F4U, TBF & SB2C
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GMM #350-26 WW2 USN Carrier Details consists of wheels , antennae, and propellers for nine F4F Wildcats, ten SBD Dauntlesses, ten TBD Devastators, ten F6F Hellcats, ten, SB2C Helldivers, ten TBF Avengers and ten F4U Corsairs (with ten three bladed props and ten four bladed props. Additionally the fret provides plenty of tail hooks for your aircraft.


Tail Hooks for the Fleet
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Gold Medal Models has provided the extra goodies that you need to add all of the extra detail that those wonderful 1:350 Devastators, Wildcats et al, need to be worthy of USS Hornet. You also receive the same treatment for the later war carrier aircraft for Essex. Every modeler of the Trumpeter 1:350 Hornet will find fret GMM #350-26 WW2 USN Carrier Details of great value in super detailing the aircraft.

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