F4F Wildcat Fighter

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

XF4F-3 prototype Wildcat in flight, Apr 1939

XF4F-3 prototype Wildcat in flight, 3 Apr 1939

XF4F-3 prototype Wildcat in flight, 21 Jul 1939

F4F-3A Wildcat as it is being accepted from the factory at NAS St Louis, Missouri, USA, 1940. This particular aircraft was later destroyed by friendly fire near Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii the night of Dec 7 1941; the pilot was killed.

See all 161 photographs of F4F Wildcat Fighter

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
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

2. Hobilar says:
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

Alan Chanter says:
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.

4. Anonymous says:
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

5. Anonymous says:
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?

David Stubblebine says:
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.

7. Anonymous says:
11 Apr 2015 07:03:48 AM

Thanks

8. Anonymous says:
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

9. Anonymous says:
4 Jul 2018 10:39:00 AM

F4F-4's 38 ft. wingspan initially considered too big for carrier deck handling and stowage.

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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

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

World War II Database

F4F Wildcat