Grumman F4F Wildcat – Gaëtan Marie's Aviation Profiles

F4F Wildcat during Operation Torch

Gaëtan Marie — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 11:41:16 +0000

This VF-41 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat flown by Lt(jg) “Windy” Shields took part in Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa in November 1942. The aircraft was based on the USS Ranger, and received a yellow ring around the US roundel for better recognition.

F4F Wildcat revisited

Gaëtan Marie — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 09:01:03 +0000

Some 11 years after having created my first F4F Wildcat profiles, I’ve had the opportunity to create a brand-new template for Grumman’s very under-rated fighter. For the moment, I’ve only created the base template for the late FM-2 variant, but the more classic F4F-4 and F4F-3 should follow next.

Click on the image to view it in higher resolution.

Just for fun, this can be compared to one of my previous FM-2 drawings:

More Grumman F4F Wildcats

Gaëtan Marie — Thu, 25 May 2006 13:55:33 +0000

11. FM-2 of VC-12 based on USS Core, 1945. The Dark Gull Grey over White was the typical paint scheme for all escort Wildcats in the Atlantic.

12. A Martlet Mk II of 881 squadron, HMS Illustrious.

13. Martlet Mk II AM978 of 888 Sqdn, HMS Formidable, Madagascar, May 1942. This aircraft participated in the fighting over Madagascar during the landings.

14. Martlet Mk III of 805 Sqdn, serial AX746 (or 3876), Dekheila, August 1941. The first batch of Martlet III were aircraft ordered by Greece and diverted to Great-Britain when that country was invaded. They were all painted in USN Non-specular Light Grey.

15. Wildcat Mk VI (FM-2) serial JV715 of 881 squadron of the Royal Navy Air Service, on HMS Puncher, February 1945. The British eventually abandoned the practice of giving new names to American aircraft, thus the Martlet became known as the Wildcat in British service.

Grumman F4F Wildcat

Gaëtan Marie — Thu, 25 May 2006 13:53:45 +0000

The Wildcat was the US Navy’s primary fighter at the beginning of World War II. Although it was outmaneuvered by its principal opponent, the Japanese A6M Zero, but could take far more damage and was a sturdy aircraft. Tactical improvements such as the famous Thach Weave levelled the field somewhat and allowed the Wildcat to cope with the Zero. It was replaced as frontline fighter by the F6F Hellcat, but remained in service until the end of the war.

1. FM-1 Wildcat stationed on the USS Block Island in 1944.

2. F4F-3 Wildcat of VF-41 aboard USS Ranger, 1941. The colourful pre-war US Navy paint scheme was used throughout 1940 and 1941.

3. F4F-4 Wildcat of VF-41 aboard USS Ranger, 1942. In October 1941, this non-specular grey-blue over light-grey paint scheme was adopted by the Navy.

4. F4F-4 Wildcat of VGF-29, based on the USS Santee during Operation Torch, the Allied landing in Northern Africa in 1942. The gold ring around the US roundel is a typical feature of Operation Torch.

5. FM-2 Wildcat of VC-93 on USS Petroff Bay. The FM-2 was the most widely produced variant of the Wildcat.

6. F4F-3 flown by Maj. Marion E. Carl, Guadalcanal, September 1942. The aircraft has 16 kill marks on its port side.

7. F4F-3 of VF-7, onboard USS Wasp in December 1940 – January 1941, in typical prewar paint scheme. (Thanks to Benoît P. for the extra information).

8. F4F-4 in the typical paint scheme of the beginning of the war. The red circle in the middle of the US national marking was too often confused with the Japanese Hinomaru and disappeared later in the war.

9. F4F-4 of VF-11 Sundowners, Henderson Field, May 1943.

10. The FM-2 was produced by General Motors when Grumman began building the F6F Hellcat, and production continued until the end of the war. It could be distinguished from other Wildcat variants by its taller tail and the absence of belly windows, which had proven to be useless.