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The Grumman F4F Wildcat (nose seen in image) 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.
There were 7,825 Wildcats built. The breakdown was 1,988 F4F Wildcats produced by Grumman between September 1937 and May 1943, and 5,837 FMs by Eastern between August 1942 and August 1945. By the time Hellcat production was in full swing, the lessons learned at Eastern’s Wildcat production in New Jersey enabled Grumman to build 400 Hellcats a month. The FM-1 Wildcat evolved with Eastern and Grumman collaborating on the new FM-2 design, which was required by the USN for its “Jeep” or Escort Carriers.
This is perhaps one of the most interesting Wildcat survivors (Bu #86680). It has a rich Navy and civilian history that has spanned over seventy years. While not a combat veteran like her sisters, this Wildcat has survived to tell the story of the GM Eastern plants in New Jersey, the Escort Carriers, Island Hopping in the Pacific balanced with long summer days in the Midwest and on the coast, flying rides, airshows and introducing several generations to flight.
The Wildcat is surrounded by artifacts in the Vietnam, Cold War, Gulf War, and War on Terror exhibits within the American Heritage Museum.
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The United States is one of the most diverse countries on earth, jam packed full of amazing sights from St. Patrick's cathedral in New York to Mount Hollywood California.The Northeast region is where it all started. Thirteen British colonies fought the American Revolution from here and won their independence in the first successful colonial rebellion in history. Take a look at these rolling hills carpeted with foliage along the Hudson river here, north of New York City.The American south is known for its polite people and slow pace of life. Probably they move slowly because it's so hot. Southerners tend not to trust people from "up north" because they talk too fast. Here's a cemetery in Georgia where you can find graves of soldiers from the Civil War.The West Coast is sort of like another country that exists to make the east coast jealous. California is full of nothing but grizzly old miners digging for gold, a few gangster rappers, and then actors. That is to say, the West Coast functions as the imagination of the US, like a weird little brother who teases everybody then gets famous for making freaky art.The central part of the country is flat farmland all the way over to the Rocky Mountains. Up in the northwest corner you can find creative people in places like Portland and Seattle, along with awesome snowboarding and good beer. Text by Steve Smith.
