GM FM2 Wildcat For Sale

[Stearmen]

This might interest a few, the late Howard Pardue's FM2-P is for sale. A very rare photorecon version of the Eastern GM built Wildcat. Forget about Spitfires or Mustangs, this is the plane to own for air shows! Nine cylinder engine, much lower fuel consumption, vacuum operated flaps, hand cranked under carriage, the only hydraulic system in the bird is the brakes. The late Frank Tallman movie pilot extrodnair, rated this as the best Warbird fighter to own. No price, but no Wildcat has topped the million mark yet, so still a bargain. Unfortunately well out of my price range I'm sure.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Available here: http://www.ezellaviation.com/sales.html Grumman FM-2-P S# 86777
Airframe total time- 1777.1 last Annual- Dec 2010

Engine 1820-56 S.M.O.H 546.2
Prop 24D-50-87 AD 81-13-06 C/W 10/2010
GPS Apollo GX56
2- Coms Collins Microline VHF- 251
1- Nav Collins Microline VTR – 351 With O.B.S
1- Transpoder Collin Microline TDR-950
Restored 1981
Color- Navy Blue

 

[RHY]

If the seller could use a tax write off, he could donate it to the Pacific Aviation Museum based at Ford Island at Pearl Harbor. The Wildcat was the primary fighter that the Navy had during the early days of WWII. At the Battles for Wake Island, the Coral Sea and Midway the Wildcat played an instrumental role in those engagements. It would be fitting home for such a historic warbird, sitting on Ford Island next to the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri.

 

[Stearmen]

Available here: http://www.ezellaviation.com/sales.html Grumman FM-2-P S# 86777
Airframe total time- 1777.1 last Annual- Dec 2010

Engine 1820-56 S.M.O.H 546.2
Prop 24D-50-87 AD 81-13-06 C/W 10/2010
GPS Apollo GX56
2- Coms Collins Microline VHF- 251
1- Nav Collins Microline VTR – 351 With O.B.S
1- Transpoder Collin Microline TDR-950
Restored 1981
Color- Navy Blue

Thanks, I forgot the link!

 

[Phantomfixer]

I saw nothing listed on the equipment list for .50 machine guns.... did the photo version have em? Love the Wildcat. One of the Duponts had/has one here on the East Coast. Nice plane always fun to watch fly....

 

[DesertDan]

My great-uncle was a wildcat pilot and flew in both theaters during the war. He was credited with a U-boat kill in addition to Japanese and German aircraft.

 

[dhermann1]

All those CVEs (Carrier - Vulverable - Expendable, as their crews called them) continued to carry Wildcats throughout the war, after they had been replaced on the big carriers with hellcats, didn't they?

 

[1930artdeco]

I was talking to a pilot who used to fly the old warbirds for short movies and write books on them and he had a pretty good argument for which was the best aircraft of WW II. I forget his name at the moment, but he was always asked what he thought was the best US fighter of the war. His reply was the P-40 for the AAF and F4F for the Navy. His reasoning was simple, these two aircraft were at the beginning of the war and at the end of the war. They may not have been in constant front line use towards the end, but they were still being used in their inteneded capacity.

Mike

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Indeed the F4F Wildcat was used during 'Operation Torch', the invasion of North Africa. They are distinguished by the yellow ring that circles the national roundel. -dixon cannon

 

[Stearmen]

I saw nothing listed on the equipment list for .50 machine guns.... did the photo version have em? Love the Wildcat. One of the Duponts had/has one here on the East Coast. Nice plane always fun to watch fly....

They were armed with Four .50s.

 

[Stearmen]

I was talking to a pilot who used to fly the old warbirds for short movies and write books on them and he had a pretty good argument for which was the best aircraft of WW II. I forget his name at the moment, but he was always asked what he thought was the best US fighter of the war. His reply was the P-40 for the AAF and F4F for the Navy. His reasoning was simple, these two aircraft were at the beginning of the war and at the end of the war. They may not have been in constant front line use towards the end, but they were still being used in their inteneded capacity.

Mike

That would be the late Frank Tallman. Must have been over 30 years ago.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Here is one getting those four "Ma Deuces" fed for the day!

-dixon cannon

 

[Stearmen]

Here is one getting those four "Ma Deuces" fed for the day!

-dixon cannon

Actually, thats an earlier F4F with six guns! See the single hatches farther outside the doubles on the wing?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Well I be dipped in donut oil! Any idea why the far reach for the outboard gun? I didn't want to make an assumption that that too was a gun access, being so far outboard and separate from the others. -dixon cannon

P.S. When Grumman Aircraft began producing the F6F Hellcat, other Grumman aircraft then being produced had to be manufactured by other companies. The F4F Wildcat and the Avenger torpedo bomber were examples of this, and both types were manufactured under license by the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors. The General Motor's Wildcat was given the designation FM-1, with the only difference being that the armament was changed from six .50 caliber machine guns to four, with an increase in ammunition capacity of 20%.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Also, regarding question of .50 cals are being sold with the aircraft up for grabs. I would doubt that it has anything in the access bays. I talked to a 'Mustang' pilot once who told me with the price of fuel he didn't need to be toting around six dead weights in the wings that no one was going to see anyway! He carried spares and odd bits, and as we were talking he opened one and took out his jacket! -dixon cannon

 

[Otter]

The ultimate jacket storage system!

or : Contents 1 A-2 (replacing 1 M-2)

 

[Phantomfixer]

an internal travel pod!

 

[Stearmen]

Also, regarding question of .50 cals are being sold with the aircraft up for grabs. I would doubt that it has anything in the access bays. I talked to a 'Mustang' pilot once who told me with the price of fuel he didn't need to be toting around six dead weights in the wings that no one was going to see anyway! He carried spares and odd bits, and as we were talking he opened one and took out his jacket! -dixon cannon

Cavalier who built the two seat executive Mustang conversions in the 60s, had an L shaped bladder to fit in the gun bay for fuel. I believe they held 70 gallons each, they are now very common on civilian Mustangs. The ultimate Cavalier conversion had 110 gallon wing tip tanks for a non reserve endurance of 2500 Nautical miles! All the while sitting in leather seats and sipping oxygen. What a great way for a Chairman Of The Board to travel!

 

[Phantomfixer]

Better than the Navion....