


F4F Wildcat
Country | United States |
Manufacturer | Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation |
Primary Role | Fighter |
Maiden Flight | 2 September 1937 |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseThe Grumman Wildcat was the standard carrier-based fighter of the US Navy at the start of the Pacific War. After the US's entrance into the Pacific War, Wildcat pilots quickly found that their fighters were easily out-maneuvered by their Japanese counterparts, the Zero fighter. However, with heavier armor, self-sealing fuel tanks, and greater firepower, Wildcats held their own. Beginning in early 1943, the new Hellcat fighters began to replace Wildcats. Nevertheless, General Motors picked up the design (and later revised it by adding a more powerful engine) and continued to build Wildcats primarily for escort carriers.
ww2dbaseA few Wildcats also served in the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. These fighters were of early production dates originally ordered by France, but later transferred ownership to Britain after the French surrender.
ww2dbaseDuring the model's lifetime, 7,251 fighters were built.
ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.
Last Major Revision: Mar 2006
F4F Wildcat Timeline
10 Jul 1936 | The US Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics changed the specification of Grumman's new F4F prototype from a biplane to a monoplane configuration. The aircraft would emerge as the successful Wildcat fighter. |
2 Sep 1937 | The F4F Wildcat fighter took its first flight. |
4 Dec 1940 | F4F-3 Wildcat fighters entered service with the US Navy; VF-41 received the first of these aircraft. |
25 Dec 1940 | Two FAA Martlet I fighters of No. 804 Squadron RAF, on patrol over Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom, intercepted and destroyed a prowling Junkers Ju 88 aircraft, the first victory for a US-built aircraft in British service. |
20 Sep 1941 | German submarine U-124 sank British ships Baltallinn and Empire Moat of Allied convoy OG-74 500 miles west of Brest, France at 2331 hours; 60 survivors were rescued by British rescue ship Walmer Castle. Meanwhile, a Martlet Mk II fighter of No. 802 Squadron from escort carrier HMS Audacity shot down a German Fw 200 C Condor aircraft attempting to shadow OG-74; it was the first kill by a British carrier-based aircraft. |
15 Jul 1942 | British No. 892 Squadron Fleet Air Arm took delivery of new Martlet IV fighters (a lend-lease version of the American F4F-4 Wildcat fighter). The squadron subsequently embarked of the light escort carriers HMS Archer and HMS Battler. |
11 Aug 1942 | US Marine Observation Squadron 251 was set up at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides with 16 F4F-3 Wildcat fighters modified for long-range photographic missions. |
1 Sep 1942 | Having taken over responsibility for building the Wildcat fighter from Grumman's Bethpage factory (which was now going over to building the F6F-3 Hellcat for the US Navy), the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors completed and flew its first FM-1 Wildcat fighter. |
26 Oct 1942 | US Navy Ensign George L. Wrenn of VF-72 from the USS Hornet engaged Japanese aircraft attacking the US fleet. He shot down five Nakajima B5N torpedo bombers during the sortie. The Hornet was sunk during the battle and Wrenn had to be recovered aboard the USS Enterprise. |
12 Nov 1942 | US Marine Corps ace Joseph Foss destroyed two Japanese Army G4M medium bombers and a Reisen fighter bringing his tally to 22 enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat. |
SPECIFICATIONS
Grumman F4F
Machinery | 1 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine rated at 1,200 hp |
Armament | 6x0.5in Browning machine guns, 2x100lb bombs |
Span | 11.60 m |
Length | 8.76 m |
Height | 2.81 m |
Wing Area | 24.20 m² |
Weight, Empty | 2,610 kg |
Weight, Maximum | 3,610 kg |
Speed, Maximum | 515 km/h |
Rate of Climb | 9.90 m/s |
Service Ceiling | 12,000 m |
Range, Normal | 1,240 km |
General Motors FM-2
Machinery | 1 Wright R-1820-56WA rated at 1,350 hp |
Span | 11.60 m |
Length | 8.80 m |
Height | 3.00 m |
Wing Area | 24.10 m² |
Weight, Empty | 2,470 kg |
Weight, Loaded | 3,395 kg |
Weight, Maximum | 3,751 kg |
Speed, Maximum | 534 km/h |
Speed, Cruising | 264 km/h |
Service Ceiling | 10,576 m |
Range, Normal | 1,449 km |
Photographs
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Visitor Submitted Comments

21 Aug 2007 02:48:32 AM
During the models lifetime, 7,251 fighters were built. My information gives a total of 7815 built before VJ Day

30 Oct 2007 03:55:23 PM
The Martlet I gained the distinction of becoming the first U.S. built aircraft in British service to shoot down a German aircraft. This happened on December 25, 1940 when two Martlets Is of No.804 Squadron patrolling Scarpa Flow intercepted and destroyed a Junkers Ju-88.
28 Mar 2015 05:32:35 AM
F6F 42782 lost 9/30/1944 125 miles se of nantucket
who was the pilot?
http://lostaircraft.com/database.php?lang=en&mode=viewhistory&e=31035&changeset_id=0
29 Mar 2015 04:29:05 AM
Note: PS to F6F 42782
according to database http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Accidents.htm this aircaft was involved in a accident in June 1944 while part of CASU-6. Prehaps a clue to pilot id in September 1944?

29 Mar 2015 12:32:19 PM
To Anonymous #’s 4 & 5 re: F6F-3 BuNo 42782:
1. You realize you are leaving your messages on the F4F page and not the F6F page?
2. Do you know what the carrier was during the aircraft’s CQL accident?
3. The CASU-6 clue is probably not going to get you close to the pilot’s name. The nature of the damage described in the CASU-6 crash is so extensive that the aircraft most likely went through an aircraft pool before showing up on the opposite coast.
You may get a better response from the regular readers at http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/. Your question is the kind of stuff those guys often do pretty well with.
11 Apr 2015 07:03:48 AM
Thanks
8 Jun 2015 04:34:49 AM
Update on F6F 42782
Note on 30 Sept 1944 ditching the pilot is reported to have survived.=-although name is not given!
https://www.whoi.edu/page.do?pid=10737
At least this part of mystery is solved!!
By the way a picture of the aircraft was shown in a National Geographic article on "Alvin" giving the plane nUmber as well
4 Jul 2018 10:39:00 AM
F4F-4's 38 ft. wingspan initially considered too big for carrier deck handling and stowage.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Winston Churchill
21 Aug 2007 02:46:21 AM
A few Wildcats also served in the Royal Navys Fleet Air Arm. These fighters were of early production dates originally ordered by France, but later transferred ownership to Britain after the French surrender.
You are of course referring to the Martlet Mk 1. The Royal Navy received 91 of these (81 ex-French order plus 10 built from spare parts). These were followed by Martlet Mk 11s in large numbers (Sufficient to equip ten squadrons) Martlet Mk.III (ninety-five delivered ?) 220 Martlet Mk.IV and 312 Martlet Mk.Vs