Grumman Wildcat (Martlet) - Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2019

The Fighter Collection's Grumman FM-2 Wildcat, JV579/G-RUMW, flown by display and test pilot Dave Southwood, on the first day of the Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow 2019. The Wildcat was flying at the same time as a PBY-5A Catalina, which is not shown in this film (but will be in another); which is why you can hear the commentator talking about the Catalina while the Wildcat is on camera.

This Wildcat was built by the General Motors Corporation (Eastern Aircraft Division) at Trenton, New Jersey for the US Navy in 1945, and accepted by the US Navy on the 24th July 1945. It was immediately placed into storage at Tillamook Naval Air Station, Oregon. The aircraft was subsequently struck off US Navy charge on the 28th February 1946.

The aircraft went through a series of private owners between 1946 and 1975. During 1975 it was placed on display at the Chennault Air Museum, California, where it stayed until 1992. It was then moved to Chino for overhaul to airworthy condition by Fighter Rebuilders. The first post restoration flight took place in January 1993.

The aircraft was acquired by The Fighter Collection in 1993 and shipped to Duxford in April of the same year. It currently wears the scheme of JV579, A Wildcat V of 846 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm based on board HMS Tracker during D-Day 'Operation Overlord' in June 1944.

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service in 1940 with both the United States Navy, and the Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet, but from January 1944 US supplied aircraft retained their original names in Royal Navy service and subsequent deliveries were known as the Wildcat.
1,123 Fleet Air Arm Martlets operated in all theatres of war including Norway, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Far East.
However, Martlets distinguished themselves in the Battle of Atlantic and on Arctic Convoys providing effective fighter support from escort carriers and working effectively with Fairey Swordfish in the hunt for German U Boats.
In October 1940 two Martlets of 804 Naval Air Squadron, based on Orkney, forced down a German Junkers 88A that was attempting to bomb the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. This was the first victory credited to an American Built fighter in British service.

The Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theatre in 1941 and 1942; the disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favour of the Wildcat and replaced as units became available. With a top speed of 318 mph, the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster 331 mph , more manouverable, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. However, the F4F's ruggedness, coupled with tactics such as the Thach Weave, resulted in a claimed air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the entire war.

General Motors / Eastern Aircraft produced 5,280 FM variants of the Wildcat. Grumman's Wildcat production ceased in early 1943 to make way for the newer F6F Hellcat, but General Motors continued producing Wildcats for both U.S. Navy and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm use. Late in the war, the Wildcat was obsolescent as a front line fighter compared to the faster (380 mph) F6F Hellcat or much faster (446 mph) F4U Corsair. However, they were adequate for small escort carriers against submarine and shore threats. These relatively modest ships only carried two types of aircraft, the Wildcats and GM-built TBM Avengers. The Wildcat's lower landing speed and ability to take off without a catapult made it more suitable for shorter flight decks. At first, GM produced the FM-1, identical to the F4F-4, but reduced the number of guns to four, and added wing racks for two 250 lb bombs or six rockets. Production later switched to the improved FM-2 optimised for small-carrier operations, with a more powerful engine (the 1,350 hp Wright R-1820-56), and a taller tail to cope with the torque.


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