Celebrating 75 Years: The Wildcat

[Bomber_12th]

Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of the first test flight of the XF4F-2.

I hope these screenshots are at least mildly enjoyable - they were sure a lot of fun to capture.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_4.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_6.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_7.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_8.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_9.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/J26%20Mustang/wildcat_11.jpg

[Daube]

Fantastic shots John !!
Which model is this ? You just made it look so good....

[Bomber_12th]

The Wildcat is the example made by Aeroplane Heaven and published through Just Flight a while back (http://www.justflight.com/product/wildcat-and-martlet). It's a great little aircraft (and the pilot looks an aweful lot like me)! : )

[Ian Warren]

Sitting back checking some historical footage the other night as flying of carriers, they seemed so docile in footage but reading about a Japanese ace who had a good go at trying to shooting one down during the Guadalcanal campaign emptied his magazine only to find the Wildcat fill of hole's , the rudder was shot away and wing surfaces peppered , the thing that caught his eye was the pilot appeared to be perfectly fine , although no markings mentioned or who was flying the Grumman was not sure its fate, we all no the famed history of apply named Grumman 'Iron Works' , was also no mention about what this Japanese Ace thought of the survival but guessed he new Japan was in serious trouble :eek:

[Walter]

My great-grandfather used to build these!

[bazzar]

The Wildcat is the example made by Aeroplane Heaven and published through Just Flight a while back (http://www.justflight.com/product/wildcat-and-martlet). It's a great little aircraft (and the pilot looks an aweful lot like me)! : )

I hope this doesn't mean you'll be wanting appearance fees John....:icon_lol:

[fliger747]

Nodda X4F-2, which had no dorsal strake, a telescope stryle gunsite, rounded wingtips, a forward sloping rudder hinge line and a bunch of stuff that was change brefore she got to production. Czech Hunner't thou pages 483-484 for pix of the X-2

T

[TARPSBird]

Sitting back checking some historical footage the other night as flying of carriers, they seemed so docile in footage but reading about a Japanese ace who had a good go at trying to shooting one down during the Guadalcanal campaign emptied his magazine only to find the Wildcat fill of hole's , the rudder was shot away and wing surfaces peppered , the thing that caught his eye was the pilot appeared to be perfectly fine , although no markings mentioned or who was flying the Grumman was not sure its fate, we all no the famed history of apply named Grumman 'Iron Works' , was also no mention about what this Japanese Ace thought of the survival but guessed he new Japan was in serious trouble :eek:
That was well-known Zero ace Saburo Sakai vs. LT James "Pug" Southerland. Sakai definitely earned his paycheck during that engagement, and later the same day when he was wounded in the head while atacking other USN aircraft and had to dead-reckon his way back to Rabaul.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/previous_seasons/case_dogfight/index.html

[Ian Warren]

That was well-known Zero ace Saburo Sakai vs. LT James "Pug" Southerland. Sakai definitely earned his paycheck during that engagement, and later the same day when he was wounded in the head while atacking other USN aircraft and had to dead-reckon his way back to Rabaul.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/previous_seasons/case_dogfight/index.html

Thanks TARPsbird , I have writings of Saburo Sakai and how he was blacked out and reviving ... putting fingers deep into his head wound , clearing blood , his amazing return flight , I missed the name of LT James "Pug" Southerland , good to find out :cool:

Now to read your link , Thanks matey

[noddy]

Fantastic shots.

[fliger747]

For Wildcat fans, a great duo of books By Lundstrom are The First Team which covers the Wildcats adventures through Midway, and then the First team at Guadalcanal as a follow on volume.

The F4F-3 had 4 .50 cal brownings, the -4 had six, however was less favored as the firing time was quite a bit less! The wing folding etc also added weight in the described as "clunky" -4 model. Considered a tradeoff as more fighters could be carried shipboard.

Cheers: T

[Bomber_12th]

Thank you all for your posts! Baz, I wouldn't get very far with my case, since the pilot's eyes are blue. ; )

Although you'll sometimes hear about how much you can see the F3F biplane fighter in the F4F, it was even more the case for the original XF4F-2, with its 'antiquated' round tips (photo just from a quick Google).

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y282/Bomber_12th/Grumman-XF4F2.jpg

[fliger747]

One has to love the 30's art deco look persisting!

WWII accelerated aviation development to an unbelievable degree, as horrible as it was, would we now be just seeing the DC7?

T