Warbird Information Exchange

Forgot to state Source: San Diego Air and Space Museum archives, IWM archives, LIFE archives, my personal collection, images sent to me by others. All free and fully accessible by anyone who has an interest in them. See my disclaimer and thread a few pages back.

Any photo content stated came with the image and very pleased to see corrected when possible.

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

Source: See post above

FM-2


F4F-3 Guadalcanal 1943


F4F-3


FM-2 and P-51


Grumman-martlets


Grumman Martlets aboard HMS Illustrious


Grumman Martlets aboard HMS Illustrious


Grumman Martlets aboard HMS Illustrious


F4F-3's USS Hornet 1942


F4F-3 USS Hornet 1942


F4F's on CAP

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[Thread title is ridiculous btw]

I flew the CAF's old FM-2 N681S for quite a while and also delivered Cavanaugh's FM-2 and flew it for them in a few shows. In general, I agree with bombardier29's comments and I also did airshow acro in the CAF FM-2 and it was possible to do a full show under a 1500 foot ceiling, unusual for a fighter, due to the fat wings and this was with only a 1200 hp R-1820 fitted. The FM-2 was a very honest plane in the air, and if you understood its limitations, not that bad on the ground. I flew it mostly with the stock brakes, which faded very quickly when taxiing or even landing in strong crosswinds. My practice was always to land it three-point, with the wind from the left if possible due to the somewhat odd geometry of the gear articulation and engine/prop interaction on roll out. Frankly, the FM-2 Wildcat was probably my favorite WWII fighter to fly. My 2 cents.

Randy

P.S. bombardier29, do we know each other? Just curious. Feel free to PM me if you'd rather.

I don't believe we have met but if you are the same Randy Wilson that flew WW 1 planes with that collection in the Dallas area about thirty years ago then we may have crossed paths before. Wasn't that called the VAC or something like that? I wasn't involved with it but I remember the group and your name sounds familiar.

FM-2 and P-51

Sounds like I'm not the only guy on this thread who wishes that the P-51 would've gotten outta' the way so we could have had a better view of the FM-2! I just love Wildcats.

bombardier29 - yes, I was involved with the Fighting Air Command (FAC) group at Hartlee Field in Denton, Tx back in the early-mid 1980s. We had some of the Blue Max movie aircraft and other WWI replica aircraft. I owned a full-size Fokker Dr.I Triplane replica, which is now in the Cavanaugh Flight Museum collection.

Randy