Grumman / G. M. F4F Wildcat Fighter Pilot's Flight Operating Manual
Grumman / G. M. F4F Wildcat Fighter Pilot's Flight Operating Manual

Author: United States Navy

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2008-09

Total Pages: 88

ISBN-13: 9781935327578

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The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the primary Marine Corps and U.S. Navy fighter aircraft during the opening year of WWII. Although outperformed by the Japanese Zero, the Wildcat more than held its own. It first saw combat at Wake Island in December of 1941, and served as the Pacific Fleet¿s primary air defense during the crucial battles at Coral Sea and Midway. Almost 8,000 Wildcats were built during the war, many of them by General Motors. The GM version, designated FM-2, was based on Grumman¿s XF4F-8 prototype. These entered service after the Corsair and Hellcat were deployed. As a result,most FM-2s flew from escort carriers. Originally printed by Grumman and the U.S. Navy, this Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. Classified ¿Restricted¿, the manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form. This affordable facsimile has been slightly reformatted. Care has been taken however to preserve the integrity of the text.

Battleground
Battleground

Author: W.E.B. Griffin

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 1991-09-01

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 1440635854

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W.E.B. Griffin is a bestselling phenomenom, an American master of authentic military action and drama! Now, in this electrifying new novel, he reveals the story of one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Pacific, the epic struggle for Guadalcanal...Daredevil pilot Charles Galloway learns the hard way how to command a fighter squadron. Lt. Joe Howard teams up with the Coastwatchers. Jack "No Middle Initial" Stecker leads his infantry battalion into the thickest of fighting, at a terrible price. And Navy Captain Pickering grabs a helmet and rifle to join the ranks at Guadalcanal...

F4F Wildcat
F4F Wildcat

Author: Edward M. Young

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2023-10-26

Total Pages: 81

ISBN-13: 1472854845

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This book examines the role of the Grumman F4F Wildcat, the US Navy's standard carrier fighter at the start of the Pacific War, and its clashes against the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Force's Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen. The US Navy went to war in December 1941 with the tubby Wildcat, the first of Grumman's famed 'cats', as its principal carrier fighter. Ruggedly built and well armed, the F4F's performance was inferior to the Japanese Zero-sen, yet in the carrier battles of 1942 between the US Navy and the IJN the Wildcat pilots more than held their own against some of the finest naval aviators in the world. Many of the Wildcat pilots that saw action in the South Pacific comprised what respected naval historian John Lundstrom has called the 'First Team' – the small group of highly trained prewar pilots who manned the bulk of the US Navy's carrier fighter squadrons. Illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, including armament views and ribbon diagrams, the book examines the carrier battles that took place in August and October in the South Pacific around the first American offensive of the war – the amphibious assault on the island of Guadalcanal, and the actions of the Wildcat in combat with IJN carrier aircraft. The key combat actions are described and accompanied with rare and original photographs and diagrams, as are the training and tactics that contributed to the Wildcat's success.

F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-2
F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat Aces of VF-2

Author: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2015-02-20

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1472805593

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An illustrated history of the pilots of VF-2 who had a spectacular scoring rate and fought in many of the major aerial campaigns of the Pacific War. The first VF-2 was a prewar unit that had been dubbed the 'hottest outfit afloat' due to the skill of their non-commissioned pilots. This first unit only saw combat at the Battle of the Coral Sea, although VF-2 pilots flying Grumman F4F Wildcats were able to rack up 17 claims there during the bitter 48-hour period of fighting. The second 'Fighting Two' was armed with the new Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighter. Arriving in Hawaii in October 1943, the squadron so impressed Cdr Edward H 'Butch' O'Hare, the Medal of Honor-winning first US Navy ace of World War 2, that he requested the squadron replace VF-6 in his CAG-6 aboard USS Enterprise. No unit US Navy unit created more aces than VF-2, whose pilots went into action over the Carolines, Marianas, Guam, Iwo Jima and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. Using exquisite photographs and first-hand accounts from the elite fliers themselves, this volume tells the story of the ace pilots who comprised the original VF-2 and the second.

Texas Warbird Survivors 2003
Texas Warbird Survivors 2003

Author: Harold A. Skaarup

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2002-12-16

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1462047823

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Many examples of aircraft that saw service in the various armed forces of the United States are currently being restored to flying status or preserved in museums in the state of Texas. Some of them have significant war records, and a few are currently standing as gate guardians outside their former airbases. These Warbirds are a permanent part of our modern history, and they deserve to be remarked upon and remembered. This handbook provides a simple checklist of where the surviving military aircraft in Texas are located now, along with a few photographs and a brief history of their service in the US military. This book should spark your interest in some of the military aviation history that can be found in this warm and friendly state on Americas Gulf Coast. Texas Warbird Survivors is specifically intended to provide a where are they guide for residents and visitors to Texas who are interested in its rich resources of historical military aircraft. Contact numbers are provided for the museums, should you be interested in learning more about each aircraft. Perhaps you will then choose to visit these museums in order to appreciate the rich resources of aviation heritage preserved on your behalf.

World War II Fighter Planes Spotter's Guide
World War II Fighter Planes Spotter's Guide

Author: Tony Holmes

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-02-04

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1472848527

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World War II saw pilots from around the world battling in the skies over Europe, Asia and Africa, with victory resting upon their nerve, skill and the capabilities of some of history's most iconic aircraft. In the chaos of battle, it was vital that they could quickly identify friend from foe. But do you know your Hurricane from your Bf 109, or what the legendary P-51 Mustang looks like? Do you know the wingspan of the A6M Zero-sen, or how fast it could fly? THE WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PLANES SPOTTER'S GUIDE answers all of these questions and more, providing essential information on over 90 legendary aircraft, from the celebrated Spitfire to the jet-powered Me 262. Featuring full-colour artwork to aid recognition, as well as all the details you need to assess their performance, this is the perfect pocket guide to the Allied and Axis fighters of World War II.

California Warplanes
California Warplanes

Author: Harold Skaarup

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2012-04-16

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9781475901450

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This aviation handbook is designed to be used as a quick reference to the classic military heritage aircraft that have been restored and preserved in the state of California. The aircraft include those flown by members of the US Air Force, the US Navy, the US Army, the US Marine Corps, the US Coast Guard, the Air and Army National Guard units, and by various NATO and allied nations as well as a number of aircraft previously operated by opposition forces in peace and war. The interested reader will find useful information and a few technical details on most of the military aircraft that have been in service with active flying squadrons both at home and overseas. 150 selected photographs have been included to illustrate a few of the major examples in addition to the serial numbers assigned to American military aircraft. For those who would like to actually see the aircraft concerned, aviation museum locations, addresses and contact phone numbers, websites and email addresses have been included, along with a list of aircraft held in each museums current inventory or that on display as gate guardians throughout the state of California. The aircraft presented in this edition are listed alphabetically by manufacturer, number and type. Although many of Californias heritage warplanes have completely disappeared, a few have been carefully collected, restored and preserved, and a good number have been restored to flying condition. This guide-book should help you to find and view Californias Warplane survivors.

Dive Bomber Down
Dive Bomber Down

Author: Bryan J. Dickerson

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2024-03-08

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1476692467

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James A. Nist lived an extraordinary life in his 24 years. Raised on a New Jersey farm, he graduated high school at 16 and earned both a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University and a private pilot's license. In 1942, he joined the Navy as an aviation cadet, earning his wings and an officer's commission in the Naval Reserve. He became proficient in three of the Navy's high-performance combat aircraft: the SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, the F6F Hellcat fighter and the F4U Corsair fighter. In 1945, he deployed to the Pacific aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill and flew combat missions over Japan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Drawing on Nist's letters and personal papers and official Navy documents, historian Bryan J. Dickerson tells the story of his great uncle's life and service during World War II.