The oldest surviving Wildcat & Hellcat

[Pat Carry]

I was fipping through the Squadron/Signal Publications on the Wildcat & Hellcat and I got to thinking, of the survivors out there what is the oldest of these 2 Grumman designed planes?

[Mike]

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f4fregis ... istry.html

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f6fregis ... istry.html

[Russ Matthews]

My guess would be ...

Wildcat Bu No 3872

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f4fregistry/f4f-3872.html

Hellcat Bu No 04893

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=335512

[JDK]

The earliest member of the Wildcat family that survives, and with a significant claim to both originality and historical interest, is the Fleet Air Arm Museum's Grumman Martlet, AL246, which is currently undergoing a major investigation into the aircraft's history through paintwork and structural investigation.

It was order by the French Aeronavalle, but supplied, as a result of the fall of France, to the British Fleet Air Arm.

http://www.fleetairarm.com/aviation-mus ... angar.aspx

[Russ Matthews]

It was ordered by the French Aeronavalle, but supplied, as a result of the fall of France, to the British Fleet Air Arm.

Good catch, JDK. As a Martlet 1, AL246 would predate Bu No 3872 by almost a year!

[JDK]

It's funny, because I knew the answer from coming at it from the other end - I'd talked to Dave Morris about it coming after the Corsair story, and it was mentioned as being the oldest known 'Wildcat', in that conversation.

Regards,

[Sasquatch]

...which is currently undergoing a major investigation into the aircraft's history through paintwork and structural investigation.

http://www.fleetairarm.com/aviation-mus ... angar.aspx

That is great news JDK. I have the book on the Corsair that the museum stripped back to it's original paint and that is a really interesting story! So cool that they're going to do the Martlet the same way. The FAA colous just look so cool on those birds; sure wish there were more Martlets, Hellcats, Corsairs and Avengers flying in FAA colors.

Anybody have good photos they can post of any of these naval birds in FAA colors? I, for one, have my drool cup in the upright and locked position!

--Tom