FM-1 Wildcat

FM-1 Wildcat
Country	USA
First fly	2 September 1947
Built	7885

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy (as the Martlet) in 1940. First used in combat by the British in Europe, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of World War II in 1941 and 1942; the disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as units became available. With a top speed of 318 mph (512 km/h), the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster and more nimble 331 mph (533 km/h) Mitsubishi A6M Zero, but its ruggedness, coupled with tactics such as the Thach Weave, resulted in an air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the entire war. 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 (110 kg) bombs or six rockets. Production later switched to the improved FM-2 (based on Grumman’s XF4F-8 prototype) optimized for small-carrier operations, with a more powerful engine (the 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) Wright R-1820-56), and a taller tail to cope with the torque.

Source: FM-1 Wildcat on Wiki

FM-1 Wildcat
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	35

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FM-1 Wildcat
Photographer	Bill Spidle
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	87

FM-1 Wildcat

Design and Performance

The FM-1 was essentially a licensed-built version of the Grumman F4F-4, retaining the rugged construction and compact size that made the Wildcat ideal for operations from smaller **escort carriers** (CVEs). While it was often outmatched in terms of speed and maneuverability by the Japanese Zero fighter, its heavy armor, self-sealing fuel tanks, and tough airframe gave it superior resilience in combat.

A key modification from the original F4F-4 was made in response to pilot feedback from the Pacific theater. The FM-1 reduced the aircraft’s armament from six machine guns to **four 0.50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns**. This change increased the ammunition capacity per gun, giving pilots longer effective firing time in dogfights, a trade-off preferred over having more guns with less ammunition.

Specifications Snapshot

Role	Carrier-Based Fighter
Manufacturer	General Motors (Eastern Aircraft Division)
Engine	Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engine (approx. 1,200 hp)
Armament	4 0.50 caliber machine guns
Features	Manually retractable landing gear, foldable wings, armor plating, self-sealing fuel tanks.
Service	Used extensively by the US Navy and the British Royal Navy (initially as the Martlet V).