Grumman F4F Wildcat

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F4F_Wildcat

The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began
service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940,
where it was initially known by the latter as the Martlet. First used in combat
by the British in the North Atlantic, 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Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as units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 331 mph (533 km/h), more maneuverable, 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.

Lessons learned from the Wildcat were later applied to the faster F6F Hellcat.
While the Wildcat had better range and maneuverability at low speed, the Hellcat
could rely on superior power and high speed performance to outperform the Zero.
The Wildcat continued to be built throughout the remainder of the war to serve
on escort carriers, where larger and heavier fighters could not be used.

Role
Fighter aircraft

National origin
United States

First flight
2 September 1937

Introduction
December 1940

Retired
1945

Primary users
United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
Royal Navy
Royal Canadian Navy

Number built
7,885

The Wildcat was generally outperformed by the Mitsubishi Zero, its major
opponent in the early part of the Pacific Theater, but held its own partly
because, with relatively heavy armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, the Grumman
airframe could survive far more damage than its lightweight, unarmored Japanese
rival. Many U.S. Navy fighter pilots also were saved by the Wildcat's ZB homing
device, which allowed them to find their carriers in poor visibility, provided
they could get within the 30 mi (48 km) range of the homing beacon.

In the hands of an expert pilot using tactical advantage, the Wildcat could
prove to be a difficult foe even against the formidable Zero. After analyzing
Fleet Air Tactical Unit Intelligence Bureau reports describing the new carrier
fighter, USN Commander "Jimmy" Thach devised a defensive tactic that allowed
Wildcat formations to act in a coordinated maneuver to counter a diving attack,
called the "Thach Weave."

The Japanese ace Saburo Sakai described the Wildcat's capacity to absorb damage:

"I had full confidence in my ability to destroy the Grumman and decided to
finish off the enemy fighter with only my 7.7 mm machine guns. I turned the 20
mm cannon switch to the "off" position, and closed in. For some strange reason,
even after I had poured about five or six hundred rounds of ammunition directly
into the Grumman, the airplane did not fall, but kept on flying. I thought this
very odd—it had never happened before—and closed the distance between the two
airplanes until I could almost reach out and touch the Grumman. To my surprise,
the Grumman's rudder and tail were torn to shreds, looking like an old torn
piece of rag. With his plane in such condition, no wonder the pilot was unable
to continue fighting! A Zero which had taken that many bullets would have been a
ball of fire by now.

—?Saburo Sakai, Zero

In all, 7,860 Wildcats were built. During the course of the war, Navy and Marine
F4Fs and FMs flew 15,553 combat sorties (14,027 of these from aircraft
carriers), destroying 1,327 enemy aircraft at a cost of 178 aerial losses, 24 to
ground/shipboard fire, and 49 to operational causes (an overall kill-to-loss
ratio of 6.9:1). True to their escort fighter role, Wildcats dropped only 154
tons of bombs during the war.

Specifications (F4F-3)

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.60 m)
Empty weight: 4,907 lb (2,226 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,423 lb (3,367 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-76 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp
(900 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 331 mph (531 km/h)
Range: 845 mi (1,360 km)
Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.7 m/s)

Armament

Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) bombs and/or 2 × 58 gal (220 L) drop tanks




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