BUILT

F4F-3A, BuNo. 3920, Lt. James Seton Gray, VF-6, USS Enterprise (CV-6), February 1942

648766 F4F-3 exhausts PRINT (Brassin) 648769 F4F gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, James Seton Gray

loved the flying since the childhood. In 1930, at

the age of sixteen years he became the youngest

pilot license holder. After he graduated from the

United States Naval Academy in 1936, he served

on the ships. In 1938 he started his pilot training

and after its completion he was assigned to VF-6

on board of USS Enterprise (CV-6). After the USA

entered the war, he took part in the first Navy

raid against the Japanese on Taroa island in

Marshall Islands. During the raid he shot down

two A5M Claude fighters. During the Battle of

Midway he commanded the whole VF-6 escorting

VT-6 Devastators on their attacks against the

Japanese carriers. During the afternoon CAP on

that day he shot down E13A Jake floatplane. Gray

added further kills to his score while commanding

the night fighters aboard USS Enterprise in 1944

and became a fighter ace. Lt. Gray’s Wildcat

in which he fought over Marshall and Gilbert

archipelagos was camouflaged in Light Gray and

Blue Gray. The rudder sports nine red and white

stripes. The national markings on the fuselage

and wings were already supposed to be enlarged

however the aircraft photograph shows that the

large insignia were painted on the fuselage and

starboard wing only. The port wing retained the

original size insignia.

644171 F4F-3 early LööK (Brassin)

648777 F4F-3 cockpit w/ reflector

gun sight PRINT (Brassin)

648795 F4F-3 wheel bay PRINT (Brassin)

August 2023

INFO Eduard

105