The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft used by the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy during World War II. Surviving Wildcats are preserved in museums and some are flying Warbirds.[1][2]
Survivors
editSolomon Islands
edit
- On display
- F4F-4
- 12068 - displayed unrestored at the Vilu War Museum in Honiara.[3]
United Kingdom
edit
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- Airworthy
- FM-2
- 86690 - Restored to flight in 2022 by the Aircraft Restoration Company at Imperial War Museum Duxford. Crashed 6/7/2023 at Heveningham Hall.[4][5]
- 86711 - The Fighter Collection in Imperial War Museum Duxford.[6]
- On display
- Martlet I (F4F-3)
- AL246 – Fleet Air Arm Museum in RNAS Yeovilton.[7][8]
- Under restoration
- FM-1
- JV482 - for display at the Ulster Aviation Society (Long Kesh Hangar), Lisburn, Northern Ireland.[9]
United States
edit- Airworthy
- F4F-3
- 12260 - based at Lewis Air Legends in San Antonio, Texas.[10][11] As of August 2021, it was on loan to the EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.[12]
- FM-2
- 16203 - privately owned in Wilmington, Delaware.[13]
- 47030 - based at Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.[14][15]
- 47160 - privately owned in Lewes, Delaware.[16]
- 55627 - based at Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.[17][18]
- 74560 - privately owned in Houston, Texas.[19]
- 86564 - based at Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.[20][21]
- 86572 - based at Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas.[22][23]
F4F FM-2, tail number N18P, from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, at the Alliance Air Show in Ft. Worth, Texas.
- 86680 - based at Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts.[24][25] unique in having a passenger cabin. It is shown to be able to carry 4 passengers.
- 86741 - based at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.[26][27]
- 86746 - based at Frasca Air Museum in Champaign, Illinois.[28]
- 86754 - based at Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.[29][30]
- 86774 - based at Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota.[31][32]
- 86777 - based at Dakota Territory Air Museum in Minot, North Dakota.[33][34]
- 86819 - based at Commemorative Air Force (FM-2 Sponsor Group) in Upland, California.[35][36]
- 86956 - based at Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.[37][38] Removed from public display when the museum indefinitely closed on 1 January 2024. To be moved to North Texas Regional Airport in Denison, Texas.[39]
- On display
- F4F-3
- 3872 - National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[40]
- 4039 - displayed unrestored in a simulated underwater diorama at the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[41]
- 12290 - USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California.[42]
- 12296 - Pacific Aviation Museum at Ford Island, Hawaii.[43]
- 12297 - Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[44]
- 12320 - Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois as a memorial to Navy Cross and Medal of Honor recipient and airport namesake, LCDR Edward O'Hare. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[45]
- F4F-3A
- 3956 - Patriots Point Naval Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.[46]
- 3969 - National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[47]
- F4F-4
- 11828 - San Diego Aerospace Museum in San Diego, California. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[48]
- 12114 - National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia.[49]
- FM-1
- 14994 - Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum at Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[50]
- 15392 - National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.[51]
- FM-2
- 16089 - National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[52]
- 16161 - Pima Air & Space Museum, adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB, in Tucson, Arizona.[53]
- 16278 - Hickory Aviation Museum, Hickory, North Carolina.[54]
- 55052 - USS Hornet (CV-12) at the former Naval Air Station Alameda in Alameda, California.[55]
- 74120 - New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut.[56]
FM-2 Wildcat at the National Museum of the Pacific War. - 74512 - Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.[58][59]
- 86581 - Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[60][61]
- 86747 - National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.[62]
- Under restoration
- FM-2
- 57039 - Restoration is being done by Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While conducting training on 28 December 1944, the FM2 Wildcat malfunctioned and rolled off the deck of the training aircraft carrier USS Sable. The pilot, ENS William Forbes, escaped from the aircraft before it sank into Lake Michigan. In early December 2012, the aircraft was moved 45 miles under the water to a safe harbor in Waukegan, Illinois. The Wildcat fighter was lifted from the water on Friday 7 December 2012.[63]
- 86773 - to airworthiness by private owner in New London, Pennsylvania.[64]
References
editNotes
edit- ^ "USS Yorktown Action Report". NHHC. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- ^ Edward, M. (2013). F4F Vs. A6M. Osprey Publishing. p. 60.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12068." pacificwrecks.com Retrieved: 28 February 2015.
- ^ aerovet. "Wonderful Wildcat (updated)". www.scramble.nl. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
- ^ "Incident Grumman FM-2 Wildcat (General Motors built) G-KINL, 06 Jul 2023". aviation-safety.net.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86711." Archived 2012-04-19 at the Wayback Machine The Fighter Collection. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Grumman Martlet I/AL246." Fleet Air Arm Museum. Retrieved: 27 February 2015.
- ^ Morris, David. "Grumman Martlet AL246: A Rare and Unusual Aircraft" (PDF). Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "General Motors FM-1 Wildcat/JV482." Ulster Aviation Society. Retrieved: 4 November 2023.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N12260." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12260." Lewis Air Legends. Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
- ^ EAA Aviation Museum Facebook Page
- ^ "FAA Registry: N909WJ." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N315E." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 47030." Military Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 20 April 2020.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N551TC." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N47201." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 55627." Palm Springs Air Museum. Retrieved: 3 March 2014.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N29FG." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N4629V." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86564." Yanks Air Museum. Retrieved: 10 January 2018.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N86572." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86572." Mid America Flight Museum. Retrieved: 13 August 2019.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N11FE." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86680." Collings Foundation. Retrieved: 10 January 2018.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N222FM." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86741." Fantasy of Flight. Retrieved: 10 January 2018.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N6290C." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N58918." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86754." Erickson Aircraft Collection. Retrieved: 20 April 2020.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N774FM." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86774." Fagen Fighters WWII Museum. Retrieved: 11 April 2019.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N5HP." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86777." Dakota Territory Air Museum. Retrieved: 8 August 2019.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N5833." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86819." Commemorative Air Force. Retrieved: 20 April 2020.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N18P." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86956. Cavanaugh Flight Museum. Retrieved: 20 April 2020.
- ^ Sullivan, Cole (1 January 2024). "Historic Addison flight museum announces closure". WFAA. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 3872." National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 4039."National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12290" USS Midway Museum. Retrieved: 16 March 2020.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12296." Pacific Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 15 July 2014.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12297." Cradle of Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12320." Chicago Department of Aviation Retrieved: 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 3956." Patriots Point Naval Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 3969." National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 11828." San Diego Aerospace Museum. Retrieved: 11 January 2018.
- ^ "Grumman F4F Wildcat/Bu. 12114." National Museum of the Marine Corps Retrieved: 12 September 2022.
- ^ "General Motors FM-1 Wildcat/Bu. 14994." Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. Retrieved: 2 March 2021.
- ^ "General Motors FM-1 Wildcat/Bu. 15392." National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 16089." National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 16161". Pima Air & Space Museum. Retrieved: 26 March 2020.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 16278." Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 11 January 2022.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 55052." USS Hornet Museum. Retrieved: 26 March 2020.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 74120." New England Air Museum. Retrieved: 27 March 2013.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 74161." National Museum of the Pacific War Retrieved: 28 February 2015.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 74512." Museum of Flight. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ Robinson, Jerry (9 November 2011). "SLIDESHOW: FM-2 Navy Grumman restored at last". West Seattle Herald. Robinson Communications Inc. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86581." Air Zoo. Retrieved: 3 March 2014.
- ^ Michelhaugh, Thomas A.; Painter, William (2006). "WING-FOLDING MECHANISM OF THE GRUMMAN WILDCAT" (PDF). American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 86747." National Naval Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 17 April 2012.
- ^ "General Motors FM-2 Wildcat/Bu. 57039." AirZoo. Retrieved: 24 March 2020.
- ^ "FAA Registry: N1352N." FAA.gov Retrieved: 19 July 2021.