Warbird Information Exchange

Originally posted by Mark Allen. Images restored 11-032018. Scott WRG Editor

Per a couple of requests. This will be a large thread so check in from time to time. And these are only FM-2's because? ... "This ain't no stinkin F4F, this here be an FM-2" ...


Image 01: Grumman FM-2 Wildcat


Image 02: FM-2 of War Assets Administration Surplus on the ground at Modesto, CA. 1948


Image 03: An FM-2 awaiting catapulting from the USS Charger (CVF-30) November 1943


Image 04: FM-2 Wildcat of VC-79 is on the deck of USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) at Okinawa c 1945


Image 05: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-36 launching from the deck of the USS Core (CVE-13)


Image 06: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-79 caused a fouled deck aboard the USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83)


Image 07: FM-2 on the U.S.S. Charger (ACU-30) during CARQUALS circa 1943


Image 08: FM-2 of VC-14 is on the flight deck of USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) November 1944


Image 09: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-84 on the deck of USS Makin Island (CVE-93) c 1945


Image 10: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft on the deck of USS Windham Bay (CVE-92)


Image 11: FM-2 of VC-90 is on the deck of the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) c 1945


Image 12: FM-2 of VC-99 is aboard the USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) c 1945


Image 13: FM-2 on the deck of USS Matanikau (CVE-101)


Image 14: FM-2 Wildcat in flight


Image 15: FM-2 Wildcat of VC-55 in flight in attached to USS Card (CVE-11).


Image 16: FM-2 of VC-90 or 93 is in flight from the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) 1945


Image 17: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VF-26 is in flight off Leyte, PI. The squadron is assigned to USSUSS Santee (CVE-29) c 1944


Image 18: Grumman FM-2 Wildcat in flight


Image 19: Three (3) FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VF-84 in flight c 1945


Image 20: Two (2) FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-4 in flight attached to USS White Plains (CVE-66) in flight c 1944


Image 21: Three (3) FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-4 in flight attached to USS White Plains (CVE-66) October 1944


Image 22: Two (2) FM-2 Wildcats of VC-80 in flight in WESTPAC attached to USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) c 1944


Image 23: Four (4) FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-77 in flight attached to USS Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81) c 1945


Image 24: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft in flight attached to USS Matanikay (CVE-101) October 1944


Image 25: FM-2 of VC-93 in flight in the Pacific Ocean off the USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) c 1945


Image 26: FM-2 Wildcat transient from USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) to USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75) VC-71 c 1945


Image 27: FM-2 Wildcats and TBM-3 Avengers of Composite Squadron (VC) 96 pictured on board the escort carrier Rudyerd Bay CVE 81) c 1945


Image 28: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-84 on the deck of USS Makin Island (CVE-93) at Okinawa c 1945


Image 29: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-86 on the deck of USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) November 1944

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More non-F4F's ...
And forgot to mention for those who give a sh*t ... Sources, NMNA archives, SDASM archives, Library of Congress, My own stuff.


Image 30: FM-2 of VC-93 in flight in WESTPAC off USS Steamer Bay (CVE-87) c 1945


Image 31: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft take-off from a carrier deck.


Image 32: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-86 landing on the deck of USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) c 1945


Image 33: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft creating wood chips while landing on a carrier deck.


Image 34: FM-2 of VC-27 is aboard the USS Savo Island (CVE-78) c 1945


Image 35: Collision between a TBM-1C Avenger and an FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-80 in a barrier crash on the flight deck of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) in Westpac


Image 36: FM-2 of VC-93 is upside down on the deck of the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) c 1945


Image 37: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-75 crashing into the barrier on the flight deck of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61)


Image 38: FM-2 of VC-10 is eased overboard.on the deck of the USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) following heavy damage c 1944


Image 39: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC68 crashes into a sea. Pilot is Ed Van Hise, Jr c 1945


Image 40: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC68 crashes into a sea. Pilot is Ed Van Hise, Jr c 1945


Image 41: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of F-9 crash landing on the carrier deck causing bits and pieces to fly about in the air


Image 42: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft engine smoke

... And a few civil FM-2's ...


Image 43: FM-2


Image 44: FM-2 on the ground in Otumwa IA The pilot is Rudy Frasca 1975


Image 45: FM-2 on the ground in Otumwa IA The pilot is Rudy Frasca 1975


Image 46: Civilian FM-2 in Oregon c 1973


Image 47: Civilian FM-2 in Oregon c 1973


Image 48: CDR R. L. Clark and LT Veter stand by an FM-2 of FASRON 7 c 1948

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A couple more civies ...


Image 049: FM-2 Wildca tAlton IL 1971


Image 050: Frasca's FM-2

And more FM-2 carnage ...


Image 051: Barrier crash of an FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-81 aboard the USS Natoma Bay (CVE-62) c 1944


Image 052: FM-2 of VC-8 missed the wire on landing on the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) c 1945


Image 053: FM-2 of VC-8 missed the wire on landing on the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) c 1945


Image 054: FM-2 of VC-8 missed the wire on landing on the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) c 1945


Image 055: FM-2 of VC-11 on the deck of the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74)


Image 056: FM-2 of VC-70 is landing at an angle on the flight deck of USS Salamaua (CVE-96) c 1945


Image 057: Impending trouble as a VC-7 Wildcat lands off-center and runs into the port catwalk of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) enroute to the Philippines.


Image 058: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-86 landing on the deck of USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) crashes into an other aircraft c 1945


Image 059: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-86 landing on the deck of USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) crashes into an other aircraft c 1945


Image 060: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft crashed into another aircraft on deck of carrier.


Image 061: FM-2 of VC-10 is eased overboard.on the deck of the USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) following heavy damage c 1944


Image 062: FM-2 of VC-8 missed the wire on landing on the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) August 1945


Image 063: FM-2 of VC-63 aircraft crashed on nose.on the deck of the USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71)


Image 064: Burned out FM-2

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At ease men (and women) Just a few more and then you're all releaved of your duties ...


Image 065: Detail of stabilizer of FM-2 of VC-88 is on the flight deck of USS Hoggatt Bay (CVE-75)


Image 066: Detail of landing gear of FM-2 while on the ground at Milwaukee, WI 1971


Image 067: FM-2 Cockpit


Image 068: FM-2 Cockpit


Image 069: FM-2 Cockpit

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Random groovy FM-2 stuff ...


Image 070: FM-2 of VC-10 aircraft.on the deck of the USS Gambier Bay (CVE-73) c 1944


Image 071: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-83 are on the deck of USS Sargent Bay (CVE-83) at Okinawa c 1945


Image 072: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-77 on the deck of the USS Rudyerd Bay (CVE-81) c 1945


Image 073: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft in flight over the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) in Westpac c 1945


Image 074: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-84 flying from the deck of USS Makin Island (CVE-93) at Okinawa c 1945


Image 075: FM-2 of VC-90 is on the deck of the USS Petrof Bay (CVE-80) c 1945


Image 076: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft of VC-80 lands on the flight deck of the USS Manila Bay (CVE-61) in Westpac c 1945


Image 077: FM-2 of VC-11 landing on the deck of the USS Nehenta Bay (CVE-74) November 1944


Image 078: FM-2 Wildcat aircraft from Naval Aviation Modification Unit (NAMU) Johnsville, PA


Image 079: FM-2 on static display on the ground at NAS North Island, CA 1961


Image 080: Loading VC-42 aboard USS Guadacanal (CVE-60) at NAS North Island, CA August 1943 (Hey! are those 'stinking' F4F's and NOT FM-2's?)

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Great stuff. I never really paid attention to Wildcats until I did the story on Yagen's FM-2. I learned quite a bit and after flying with the aircraft in formation I realized it really is a cool little fighter.

Do the sources ever list the BuNo's of these aircraft? I just bought Osprey's American Aces Against the Kamikaze and most of the color profiles have 'BuNo Unknown'.

When I see those shots of a perfectly goos airplane being pushed overboard I wish we had coordinates where they were so we could go retrieve them today!

Lastly, Mark. Am I good to right-click-save or are these images lower resolution than what you have on your computer.

Chappie

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Brrring. Dispersal? TWO SECTIONS SCRAMBLE!!

Jim MacDonald aughtta love this.

Usually very little and sometimes inaccurate information.

Right click away! ...

Jim's a good guy and a class act so I too hope he sees something he likes. He knows his Navy stuff quite well.

M

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Zero Surprise!!...

Thanks Mark.

Great stuff as always.

Andy

FAB-U-LOUS Mark!!! I've seen *maybe* 15% of what you've posted here- the biggest FM-2 pic source I was aware of are the pic series from the Wolverine and Sable over on the NMNA site, but you have clearly gone above and beyond in pulling actual operational pics together. Some truly awesome ones in here, and a lot of really fantastic modeling options- some of those things were insanely filthy!

Excellent work once again, sir!

Lynn

Your welcome sir! ... and now that you've seen the other 85% there shouldn't be any more excuses to not get those model schemes correct


Image 081: FM-2 of FASRON 7 on the ground c 1948


Image 082: FM-2 N18PK 1958


Image 082: FM-2


Image 083: CAF Grummans

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And of course contrary to several of the captions, there ain't no stinkin' "Grummans" in the bunch either - except for the F6F Hellcat and the F8F Bearcat in the very last photo.

The whole point of the FM-2 designation was that those aircraft were built not by Grumman but by the Eastern Aircraft division of General Motors.

According to Mitch Mayborn's Grumman Guidebook, the only FM-2-like Wildcats (with R-1820-56 engines and a taller tail fin) actually built by Grumman were the two XF4F-8 prototypes - and because they were actually built by Grumman, they were still officially F4F series aircraft. They were OEM c/n 3923 and 3924 which were assigned USN Bu. nos. 12228 and 12229.

(Flogging a dead horse may not get you anywhere, but at least you still develop some good muscles!)

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“To invent the airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything!” - Otto Lilienthal

Natasha: "You got plan, darling?"
Boris: "I always got plan. They don't ever work, but I always got one!"

Remember, any dummy can be a dumb-ass...
In order to be a smart-ass, you first have to be "smart"
and to be a wise-ass, you actually have to be "wise"

Yep! I was waiting for someone to come along and correct the error in many of the captions about the 'Grumman vs Eastern Aircraft division of General Motors thing', I was too lazy to do it myself. Thx

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Zero Surprise!!...

Just had a friend contact me stating a couple color photos I posted in this thread are copyright protected. I promptly took them down even though they're plastered all over the internet. As we all know, or should know, there's so many shady areas with finding and posting photos on the internet (that has been rehashed here on WIX to death so no need to open that can again) The point of this post is to reinforce my stance on posting photos and that is I always try to do the right thing. Most times there's never a problem, but occasionally a flag is risen and when that happens I'd rather remove the photo and move on. I do what I can to give credit where due, but many times there's simply no one to credit and nothing to state who, what, when, where etc.

I take my chances when posting photos and it's never a problem for me to remove a photo if someone wants it removed. I simply have no time to bicker with anyone about an old photo I've posted. It's much easier to remove it and say "sorry" .... that way we all get along nicely right?

OK sorry back to whatever we all were back to ...

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Zero Surprise!!...

Fabulous Mark! As usual.

A side question : any idea when the last Wildat (be it FM-2 or F4F) was taken out of active service?

Laurnt