The Museum's Wildcat was produced in 1944. It saw service in the Philippines and in July, 1945 was transferred to a small training field in Pungo. It entered private hands in 1952 and came to the Museum in 2010. It is thought to be the most original F4F in existence.
Back to Military Aviation Museum
General Motors FM-2
Wildcat
The FM-2 Wildcat was built by the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors under license from Grumman. It was based on Grumman's XF4F-8 prototype and was optimized 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 added torque. Grumman's Wildcat production ceased in early 1943, but General Motors continued producing Wildcats for both U.S. Navy and Fleet Air Arm use. While the Wildcat was obsolescent late in the war, they were adequate for small escort carriers against submarine and shore threats.