Training FM-2 Wildcats - 1944/45 info request

Mark V · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:51 am

Just hoping somebody might be able to kindly assist with links or photos to show candidate schemes for re-painting an FM-2 Wildcat. Appears from airframe paint evidence that the aircraft originally wore the Non-Specular Sea Blue over White scheme in its training role when based on the East coast in early '45 (Oceana area) rather than the tri-color pattern (or all over Glossy Sea Blue). We are not ruling anyting out completely at this stage and are looking to find photographic evidence that might be more specific to this or similar aircraft when it operatred out of Pungo.

Any help will be most gratefully received!

skymstr02 · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:38 am

This aircraft was recovered from Lake Michigan:

Mark V · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:40 pm

That is very helpful - thank you. Where is this one located please?

jamesintucson · **Joined:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:42 am **Posts:** 546

Mark V wrote:

That is very helpful - thank you. Where is this one located please?

Pima Air & Space Museum. From looking at it closely when we got it I believe the plane was originally in the tri-color scheme and was given a quick overall coat of dark sea blue probably when it moved to Glenview NAS not long before it went swimming. The overcoat is coming off while the factory applied scheme is still stable.

James

Mark V · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:23 am

Thanks James, I have sent you a PM with some more questions about this FM-2.

mustanglover · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:24 am

Can anyone confirm what the yellow circle means?

Holedigger · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:33 am

Just one of the many National Insignia changes the USAAF went through, here is a link to a USAF explanation of the history of the various insignia, click through the years for pics and description.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsh ... sp?id=1455

Jim MacDonald · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:01 am

The Navy used the yellow surround on the National Insignia for aircraft that were participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa on 8 Nov 42. Not sure of the exact date that it was removed.

Mac

Sorry, it was used on all of the American A/C participating in Torch.

Mac

CraigQ · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:09 am

Maybe as the Crew Chief of the restoration work I can give a little assist here with some additional info. The airframe is the former DuPont FM-2 serial #47030. It was in the Oceana area around 2-3 months (7-28-45 until 10-18-45 from AC Record of Transfer) . While at NAS Norfolk it was attached to CASU-21 and the 6 days it was stationed in Pungo it was attached to VF-97A ( a transient paper squadron as best that can be determined). Maybe this info will help out someones recollection of seeing something somewhere.
Craig Q

That being said, here is a picture of it right before we started stripping.

Mark V · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:24 pm

CraigQ wrote:

Maybe as the Crew Chief of the restoration work I can give a little assist here with some additional info.

Hi Craig, welcome to the thread

Hopefully we will get some more helpful input on this but it is looking increasingly like the original scheme was the tri-color, just like 16161 was above. Hope to meet you soon!

Steve Atkin

CraigQ · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:31 pm

Hi Steve & thanks for the welcome. I hope the additional info will help if it jogs a memory of someone who may recall the squadron or unit it was assigned to. I agree that the original scheme was most likely a 3 tone. I recently found a picture in a pilots handbook of an airframe with the serial # 47170 and it is in 3 tone.
Anything I can be of help with let me know.

Cheers
Craig

mustanglover · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:14 pm

Jim MacDonald wrote:

The Navy used the yellow surround on the National Insignia for aircraft that were participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa on 8 Nov 42. Not sure of the exact date that it was removed.

Mac

Sorry, it was used on all of the American A/C participating in Torch.

Mac

From what I have read, then the yellow surround would have never been seen here in the states?

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:20 pm

mustanglover wrote:

Jim MacDonald wrote:

The Navy used the yellow surround on the National Insignia for aircraft that were participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa on 8 Nov 42. Not sure of the exact date that it was removed.

Mac

Sorry, it was used on all of the American A/C participating in Torch.

Mac

From what I have read, then the yellow surround would have never been seen here in the states?

As far as I know those yellow surrounds were field applied prior to Torch and only used in the Mediterranean Theatre. With the red center on the original insignia and bare metal underneath you have an interesting situation there.

mustanglover · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:58 pm

Second Air Force wrote:

mustanglover wrote:

Jim MacDonald wrote:

The Navy used the yellow surround on the National Insignia for aircraft that were participating in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa on 8 Nov 42. Not sure of the exact date that it was removed.

Mac

Sorry, it was used on all of the American A/C participating in Torch.

Mac

From what I have read, then the yellow surround would have never been seen here in the states?

With the red center on the original insignia and bare metal underneath you have an interesting situation there.

That is what we are trying to figure out. The yellow band seems to be on the last layer (above the sea blue) and that is what has us confused.

mustanglover · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:01 pm

And of course being a WWII Navy airplane, there seem to be few external markings.............except for this.

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Training FM-2 Wildcats - 1944/45 info request

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