F4F Wildcat

The story of Jefferson DeBlanc, the USMC F4F pilot that with his Wildcat low on fuel escorted SBDs and TBFs and shot down 5 Japanese aircraft before bailing out of his stricken F4F

The story of Jefferson DeBlanc, the USMC F4F pilot that with his Wildcat low on fuel escorted SBDs and TBFs and shot down 5 Japanese aircraft before bailing out of his stricken F4F

An “ace in a day” feat that earned 2Lt Jefferson DeBlanc, a USMC F4F Wildcat pilot from VMF-112, the Medal… Read More

2 weeks ago

Saburo Sakai Zero-sen ace recalls his most memorable and harrowing combat where he was wounded by US Navy SBD Dauntless dive bombers (not by Avengers)

As Saburo Sakai and his wingman closed the range, the SBD rear gunners opened fire. For the high scoring ace,… Read More

1 month ago

US company that specializes in recovering WWII aircraft proposes to recover F4F-3 Wildcat flown previously by 4 US Navy Aces

The Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighter had been previously flown by LT Edward ‘Butch’ O’Hare, LCDR John Smith ‘Jimmy’ Thach, LT… Read More

8 months ago

The Original Tomcat: Did you know the Grumman F7F Tigercat was originally to be named “Tomcat?”

On Memorial Day 1996, the F7F Tigercat flew its only airshow routine with its more modern descendant, the F-14 Tomcat,… Read More

1 year ago

Did you Know on the Eve of the Battle of Midway Legendary Naval Aviator Jimmy Thach had 27 F4F Wildcat fighters and was his Squadron’s Only Pilot?

Initially the only pilot in his squadron, Thach personally test flew all 27 airplanes he was assigned, noting their discrepancies… Read More

1 year ago

The story of the Fleet Air Arm F4Fs that overwhelmed Luftwaffe Bf-109Gs and why the little Wildcat could be more than a match for the legendary Messerschmitt Bf 109

In the final days of the war Fleet Air Arm Squadron 882 F4F Wildcat fighters overwhelmed some Messerschmitt Bf-109Gs of… Read More

2 years ago

The Dogfight that led to the birth of the “Thach Weave” maneuver, the defensive counter employed during WWII by all US Navy and USMC fighter pilots when dealing with the Zero´s superior maneuverability

One of the pivotal events in the development of US Navy fighter tactics in World War II took place on… Read More

3 years ago

Buffalo flop! The story of the Brewster F2A, the aircraft deemed superior to Grumman’s F4F but that was totally outclassed by Japanese fighters

The Buffalo won a competition against the Grumman F4F Wildcat in 1939 to become the US Navy's first monoplane fighter aircraft. Designed and… Read More

3 years ago

The Story of the Last Aviator to fly All the Grumman Cats

Commander Glenn Tierney finished his illustrious military career in 1971 having flown every Navy fighter from the Wildcat to the… Read More

3 years ago

Here’s how Cactus Air Force was able to Repel every Japanese Assault during the Battle of Guadalcanal

The Cactus Air Force, primarily flying the rugged Wildcat fighter and the incomparable Dauntless divebomber, weathered every Japanese assault and… Read More

4 years ago

The Story of Butch O’Hare, the F4F Wildcat Pilot that shot down 5 Japanese Bombers Expending only 60 Rounds of 0.50-caliber ammunition

The captain of the Lexington, Frederick Sherman, recommended O'Hare for the Congressional Medal of Honor but O'Hare refused, insisting to… Read More

5 years ago