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A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:03 pm

Looks to be a Grumman F4F-4 (W27) stateside post-war. Not sure the date or location, but it looks to have been used by a few different units. I may have posted a few photos a good while ago showing Navy planes post-war with the same "W2#" on the cowlings of other Navy aircraft. I'll have to look those up again and check.

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Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Sun Apr 28, 2024 6:39 pm

A fourth photo of this same Wildcat can be found on page 47 of the late William T. Larkins' 2005 book: "Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft". The caption indicates the aircraft is F4F-4 BuNo 12114 with the markings: "J1-F-7" and states it was with the U.S. Marine Corps Museum in 1996.

The late Joe Baugher's website indicates this same aircraft was noted at the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps in Quantico, VA.

Todd Hackbarth

Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Sun Apr 28, 2024 6:39 pm

Duplicate post!!!

Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Sun Apr 28, 2024 7:16 pm

Lots of interesting markings on this one. Three versions of the National Insignia. Star & Bar on upper left wing, Circle & Star upper right wing. Fuselage codes, JL (??)-F 7.

F4F-4
http://joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries1.html
01991/02152 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat
03385/03544 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat

http://joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries2.html
11655/12227 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat

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Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Sun Apr 28, 2024 7:30 pm

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f4fregis ... 12114.html
Holgate Technical School/Seattle Community College, White Center, Seattle, WA, 1955-1968.

https://www.historylink.org/File/10526
Look what's in the yard. The F4F may be behind the Stearman, but over on the left.... :D

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Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:01 am

Interesting since Goodall shows an FM-2 at Edison:

Washington Seattle FM-2 BuNo 74512 Educational Edison Technical School, Seattle, date unknown but present in 1950 (Goodall)

To park display, c. 1959; to Pacific Northwest Aviation History Museum, c. 1965; to Fairchild AFB for static display, c. 1983; to Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, 1983; currently on static display

The FM-2 is on the Aero vintage list here: https://www.aerovintage.com/waa-rfc-listing/

Not sure the one at Edison is the F4F

Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Mon Apr 29, 2024 8:06 am

The one to the left looks like an A6M5 Zero to me. Randy

Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Mon Apr 29, 2024 11:40 am

Randy Wilson wrote:The one to the left looks like an A6M5 Zero to me. Randy


I think that was Mike Furline's point.

Re: A Weathered & Worn-out Wildcat ...

Mon Apr 29, 2024 8:44 pm

Well pardon me for the comment. Randy
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