The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War.
| Role | Carrier-based fighter aircraft |
|---|---|
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Grumman |
| First flight | 2 September 1937 |
| Introduction | December 1940 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| Primary users | United States Navy United States Marine Corps Royal Navy Royal Canadian Navy |
| Number built | 7,885 |
Operators
- Belgium
- France
- Canada
- Greece
- United Kingdom
- United States
Specifications (F4F-3)
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.61 m)
- Wing area: 260 sq ft (24 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 23015; tip: NACA 23009
- Empty weight: 4,907 lb (2,226 kg)
- Gross weight: 7,423 lb (3,367 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-76 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 331 mph (533 km/h, 288 kn)
- Range: 845 mi (1,360 km, 734 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.70 m/s)
- Wing loading: 28.5 lb/sq ft (139 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.282 kW/kg (0.172 hp/lb)
Armament
- Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
- Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45.4 kg) bombs and/or 2 × 58 US gal (48 imp gal; 220 l) drop tanks
Photos Rob Vogelaar
