Henschel Hs 123

Henschel Hs 123
Role	Dive bomber/Close-support
Manufacturer	Henschel
First flight	First public display 8 May 1935
Introduction	1936
Retired	Spring 1944
Primary user	Luftwaffe

The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support attack aircraft flown by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War and the early to midpoint of World War II. Although an obsolete design, it proved to be robust, durable and effective especially in severe conditions. It continued to see front-line service until 1944, only to be withdrawn due to a lack of serviceable airframes and spare parts.

Contents

• 1 Design and development
• 2 Operational history
  • 2.1 Prior to World War II
  • 2.2 Spanish Civil War
  • 2.3 Second Sino-Japanese War
  • 2.4 World War II (service from Poland to Greece)
  • 2.5 World War II (Eastern Front)
• 3 Legacy
• 4 Operators
• 5 Specifications (Hs 123A-1)
• 6 See also
• 7 References
  • 7.1 Notes
  • 7.2 Bibliography
• 8 External links

Design and development

Henschel was a German locomotive manufacturer. Soon after Hitler's rise to power, Henschel decided to start designing aircraft, one of the first being the Hs 123. The aircraft was designed to meet the 1933 dive bomber requirements for the reborn Luftwaffe. Both Henschel and rival Fieseler (with the Fi 98) competed for the production contract requirement, which specified a single-seat biplane dive bomber. The first prototype Hs 123, the Hs 123V1 was cleared for its maiden flight on 1 April 1935, and General Ernst Udet, a World War I ace, flew the first prototype on its first public demonstration fight on 8 May 1935. The first three Henschel prototypes, with the first and third powered by 485 kW (650 hp) BMW 132A-3 engines and the second by a 574 kW (770 hp) Wright Cyclone, were tested at Rechlin in August 1936.^[1] Only the first prototype had "smooth" cowlings; from that point on, all aircraft had a tightly-fitting cowling that included 18 fairings covering the engine valves. The Henschel prototypes did away with bracing wires and although they looked slightly outdated with their single faired interplane struts and cantilever main landing gear legs attached to smaller (stub) lower wings, the Hs 123 featured an all-metal construction, clean lines and superior maneuverability. Its biplane wings were of a "sesquiplane" configuration, whereby the lower wings were significantly smaller than the top wings.
The overall performance of the Hs 123 V1 prototype prematurely eliminated any chance for the more conventional Fi 98, which was cancelled after a sole prototype had been constructed. During testing, the Hs 123 proved capable of pulling out of "near-vertical" dives; however, two prototypes subsequently crashed due to structural failures in the wings that occurred when the aircraft were tested in high-speed dives. The fourth prototype incorporated improvements to cure these problems; principally, stronger centre-section struts were fitted. After it had been successfully tested, the Hs 123 was ordered into production with an 656 kW (880 hp) BMW 132Dc engine.
The Hs 123 was intended to replace the Heinkel He 50 biplane reconnaissance and dive bomber as well as acting as a "stop-gap" measure until the Junkers Ju 87 became available. As such, production was limited and no upgrades were considered, although an improved version, the Hs 123B was developed by Henschel in 1938. A proposal to fit the aircraft with a more powerful 716 kW (960 hp) "K"-variant of its BMW 132 engine did not proceed beyond the prototype stage, the Hs 123 V5. The V6 prototype fitted with a similar powerplant and featuring a sliding cockpit hood was intended to serve as the Hs 123C prototype.
Nonetheless, production of the type ended in October 1938 with around 250 aircraft in all series.

Operational history

A squadron of German Luftwaffe Henschel Hs 123A in flight before the Second World War.

Prior to World War II

A small pre-production batch of Hs 123A-0s was completed in 1936 for service evaluation by the Luftwaffe. This initial group was followed by the slightly modified Hs 123A-1 series, the first production examples. The service aircraft flew with an armoured headrest and fairing in place (a canopy was tested in the Hs 123V6) as well as removable main wheel spats and a faired tailwheel. The main weapon load of four SC50 50 kg (110 lb) bombs could be carried in lower wing racks along with an additional SC250 250 kg (550 lb) bomb mounted on a "crutch" beneath the fuselage. The usual configuration was to install an auxiliary fuel "drop" tank at this station that was jettisoned in emergencies. Two 7.92 mm (.312 in) MG 17 machine guns were mounted in the nose synchronized to fire through the propeller arc.
The aircraft entered service at StG 162 in autumn 1936. Its career as a dive bomber was cut short when the unit received its first Ju 87A the next year. Remaining Hs 123s were incorporated into the temporary Fliegergeschwader 100 at the time of the Munich Crisis. The Geschwader (wing) had been created as an emergency measure, equipped with obsolete aircraft and tasked with the ground attack role. With the signing of the Munich agreement, the crisis was over and the Geschwader was disbanded, the Gruppen being transferred to other established units. By 1939, despite its success in Spain, the Luftwaffe considered the Hs 123 obsolete and the Schlachtgeschwader ("close-support wings") had been disbanded with only one Gruppe, II.(Schl)/LG2 still equipped with the Hs 123.

Spanish Civil War

During the same time, at the request of Oberst (later Generalfeldmarschall) Wolfram von Richthofen, chief of staff of the Legion Condor, five aircraft had been deployed to Spain as a part of the Legion Condor, intended to be used as tactical bombers.
In their intended role, the Hs 123s proved to be somewhat of a failure, hampered by their small bomb capacity and short range. Instead, the Hs 123s based in Seville were used for ground support, a role in which their range was not such a detriment, and where the ability to accurately place munitions was more important than carrying a large load. The combat evaluation of the Hs 123 demonstrated a remarkable resiliency in close-support missions, proving able to absorb a great deal of punishment including direct hits on the airframe and engine. The Nationalists in Spain were suitably impressed with the Hs 123 under battle conditions, purchasing the entire evaluation flight and ordering an additional 11 aircraft from Germany. The Spanish Hs 123s were known as "Angelito" (dear angel or little angel), and at least one Hs 123 was in service with the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) after 1945.

Second Sino-Japanese War

12 Hs 123s were also exported to China, where they were used extensively as dive bombers against Japanese warships along the Yangtze River, especially in 1938.^[2]

World War II (service from Poland to Greece)

At the outbreak of hostilities, the surviving 39 Hs 123s assigned to II. (Schl)/LG 2, were committed to action in the Polish Campaign.^[3] This single unit proved to be particularly effective. Screaming over the heads of enemy troops, the Hs 123s delivered their bombs with devastating accuracy. A frightening aspect of an Hs 123 attack was the staccato noise of its engine that a pilot could manipulate by changing rpm to create "gunfire-like" bursts.^[2] The Hs 123 proved rugged and able to take a lot of damage and still keep on flying. Operating from primitive bases close to the front lines, the type was considered by ground crews to be easy to maintain and reliable in field conditions.
The Polish campaign was a success for an aircraft considered obsolete by the Luftwaffe high command. Within a year, the Hs 123 was again in action in the blitzkrieg attacks through the Netherlands and France. General Guderian was continually impressed by the quick turnaround time offered by II.(Schl)/LG 2. Often positioned as the Luftwaffe's most-forward based combat unit, the Hs 123 flew more missions per day than other units, and again proved their worth in the close-support role. With Ju 87s still being used as tactical bombers rather than true ground support aircraft and with no other aircraft capable of this mission in the Luftwaffe arsenal, the Hs 123 was destined to continue in service for some time more, although numbers were constantly being reduced by attrition.
The Hs 123 was not employed in the subsequent Battle of Britain as the English Channel proved a formidable obstacle for the short-ranged aircraft. The sole operator, II.(Schl)/LG 2 went back to Germany to re-equip with the Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighter bomber (Jabo) variant. The Bf 109E fighter bomber was not capable of carrying any more bombs than the Hs 123. It did however, have a greater range and was far more capable of defending itself. On the downside were the notoriously tricky taxiing, ground handling and takeoff/landing characteristics, especially exacerbated with a bomb load.
At the beginning of the Balkans Campaign, the 32 examples of the Hs 123 that had been retired after the fall of France were taken back into service to equip 10.(Schl)/LG 2. The aircraft performed well enough to warrant its use in Operation Barbarossa.

World War II (Eastern Front)

At the start of Operation Barbarossa, the single Gruppe of the Luftwaffe that was dedicated to ground support was II.(Schl)/LG 2, operating 22 Hs 123s (along 38 Bf 109Es).^[4] In service use on the Eastern Front, the remaining aircraft had been field-modified with the main wheel spats removed, additional armour and extra equipment fitted as well as mounting extra machine guns and even cannons in under-wing housings.
Some volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul (15 Spanische Staffel/VIII. Fliegerkorps) of JG-27 detached in Luftflotte 2 managed Hs 123s in collaboration of II.(Schl.)/LG 2 units for ground strikes along Bf 109E-7/B fighter-bombers during 1941-42 period.
During the initial drive, the unit participated in action along the central and northern parts of the front, including a brief time in support of the fighting around Leningrad, and participating in the battles for Bryansk and Vyazma. The first weeks revealed problems associated with using the Bf 109E which was plagued by undercarriage and engine problems in the fighter-bomber role. Its liquid-cooled inline engine was also more vulnerable to small arms fire than the Hs 123's radial.
The winter brought hardship to all German forces in Russia, and the pilots in the open cockpits of the Henschels suffered accordingly. Despite this, they took part in the Battle of Moscow. In January, the unit was re-designated as the first dedicated ground attack wing (in German Schlachtgeschwader 1, SchlG 1). The Hs 123 became a part of 7./SchlG 1.
This "new" unit participated in operations in Crimea in May 1942, after which it operated on the southern sector for some time, participating in the Second Battle of Kharkov and going on to take part in the Battle of Stalingrad. In the meantime, the small number of operational Hs 123 continued to slowly dwindle. Aircraft had been salvaged from training schools and even derelict dumps all over Germany to replace losses.^[2] The aircraft that had supposedly replaced the Hs 123, the Ju 87, also started to be assigned to ground support units, leaving tactical bombing to newer aircraft.
The greatest tribute to the Hs 123 usefulness came in January 1943 when Generaloberst Wolfram von Richthofen, then commander-in-chief of Luftflotte 4, asked whether production of the Hs 123 could be restarted because the Hs 123 performed well in a theater where mud, snow, rain and ice took a heavy toll on the serviceability of more advanced aircraft. However, the Henschel factory had already dismantled all tools and jigs in 1940.^[2]
After taking part in the Battle of Kursk, SG 1 returned to Crimea, and there during late spring 1944, they finally gave up the aircraft that had served all over Europe from Spain to Leningrad. 7./SG 1 traded its last Hs 123s in mid-1944, for Ju 87s, a type that was to have replaced it back in 1937.
By 1945, the Hs 123s that remained serviceable were reassigned to secondary duties such as supply dropping and glider towing.^[5]

Legacy

The Henschel Hs 123 proved the adage that a rugged and reliable aircraft could be an effective combat weapon. Despite its antiquated appearance, the Hs 123 proved itself a formidable adversary in every World War II battlefield in which it fought.^[6] No Hs 123s are known to have survived.

Operators

 China

Nationalist Air Force operated 12 aircraft using them as dive bombers.

 Germany

Luftwaffe

 Spain

Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force (Ejército del Aire) purchased the Legion Condor's remaining aircraft, and ordered an additional 11 aircraft from Germany. On the Eastern Front, volunteers of Escuadrilla Azul (15 Spanische Staffel/VIII Fliegerkorps) of JG-27 based in Vitebsk operated Hs Hs-123s alongside II.(Schl.)/LG 2 units.

Specifications (Hs 123A-1)

Data from Aircraft of World War II: The Aviation Factfile.^[7]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 8.33 m (27 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 10.50 m (34 ft 5.5 in)
• Height: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 24.85 m² (267.49 ft²)
• Empty weight: 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
• Loaded weight: 2,215 kg (4,884 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × BMW 132Dc 9-cylinder radial engine, 880 hp (656 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 341 km/h (183 knots, 211 mph) at 1,200 m (3,900 ft)
• Range: 860 km (463 nmi, 533 mi with drop tank; 480 km (298 mi) with 200 kg of bombs) ^[8]
• Service ceiling: 9,000 m (29,530 ft)
• Rate of climb: 15 m/s (2,950 ft/min) at sea level

Armament

• 2× 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, 400 rpg (field modification of 2× 20 mm (0.79 in) MG FF cannon)
• Up to 450 kg (992 lb) of bombs under wings and under fuselage

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Aichi D1A
• Fiat CR.42
• Heinkel He 50
• Junkers Ju 87
• Henschel Hs 129

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of military aircraft of Germany

References

Notes

1. ^ Air International August 1978, p. 73.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Fitzsimmons 1967, p. 1373.
3. ^ Weal 1997, p. 5.
4. ^ Weal 1997, pp. 4–6.
5. ^ Taylor 1969, p. 172.
6. ^ Winchester 2004, pp. 130-131.
7. ^ Winchester 2004, p. 131.
8. ^ Smith and Kay 1972, p. 321.

Bibliography

• Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.
• Fitzsimmons, Bernard, ed. "Hs 123, Henschel." The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare. New York: Columbia House, 1967.
• Franco, Lucas Molina. Henschel HS 123 (Perfiles Aeronáuticos 2: La Máquina y la Historia) (in Spanish with English captions). Valladolid, Spain: Quiron Ediciones, 2006. ISBN 84-87314-61-9.
• Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Nine: Bombers. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1968 (fourth impression 1972). ISBN 0-356-01491-6.
• Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1970 (fourth impression 1979). ISBN 0-356-02382-6.
• Gunston, Bill. An Illustrated Guide to German, Italian and Japanese Fighters of World War II: Major Fighters and Attack Aircraft of the Axis Powers. New York: Arco Publishing Inc., 1980. ISBN 0-668-05093-4.
• Gunston, Bill. The Encyclodepia of the Worlds Combat aircraft'. New York: Chartwell Books, Inc., 1976.
• Gunston, Bill and Tony Wood. Hitler's Luftwaffe. London: Salamander Books Ltd., 1977. ISBN 0-86101-005-1.
• Höfling, Rudolf. Henschel Hs 123: Die Geschichte eines legendären Schlachtflugzeuges (Flugzeug Profile 42) (in German). Stengelheim, Germany: Unitec Medienvertrieb, 2004.
• Ledwoch, Janusz. Henschel Hs 123 (Wydawnictwo Militaria 4) (in Polish with English captions. Warszawa, Poland: Wydawnictwo Militaria, 1995. ISBN 83-86209-30-5.
• "Legacy of Udet...The Henschel HS 123". Air International, Vol. 15, No 2, August 1978, pp. 72–79. Bromley, UK: Fine Scroll.
• Shepherd, Christopher. German Aircraft of World War II with Colour Photographs. Edinburgh: Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd., 1975. ISBN 0-283-98179-2.
• Smith J. R. and Anthony Kay. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam & Company Ltd., 1972. ISBN 0-370-00024-2.
• Taylor, John W. R. "Henschel Hs 123." Combat Aircraft of the World from 1909 to the present. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1969. ISBN 0-425-03633-2.
• Weal, John. "Eastern Front Schlachtflieger." Wings of Fame, Vol. 7. London: Aerospace Publishing Ltd., 1997. ISBN 1-880588-23-4.
• Winchester, Jim. "Henschel Hs 123." Aircraft of World War II: The Aviation Factfile. Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. ISBN 1-84013-639-1.

Grumman F4F Wildcat

F4F Wildcat
F4F-3 in non-reflective blue-gray over light gray scheme from early 1942
Role	Fighter
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 [1]

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy (as the Martlet) in 1940. First used in combat by the British in Europe, 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 World War II in 1941 and 1942; the disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as units became available. With a top speed of 318 mph (512 km/h), the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster 331 mph (533 km/h), more maneuverable, and longer ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. But the F4F's ruggedness, coupled with tactics such as the Thach Weave, resulted in an air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the entire war.^[2]
Lessons learned from the Wildcat were applied to the faster F6F Hellcat which, with the exception of range,^[3] could outperform the Zero on its own terms. The Wildcat continued to be built throughout the remainder of the war to serve on escort carriers, where larger and heavier fighters could not be used.

I would still assess the Wildcat as the outstanding naval fighter of the early years of World War II ... I can vouch as a matter of personal experience, this Grumman fighter was one of the finest shipboard aeroplanes ever created.

—Eric M. Brown, British test pilot^[2]

Contents

• 1 Design and development
• 2 Operational history
• 3 Variants
• 4 Operators
• 5 Survivors
• 6 Specifications (F4F-3)
• 7 Specifications (F4F-4)
• 8 See also
• 9 References
• 10 External links

Design and development

The XF4F-3 in 1939. It was written off in a fatal accident 16 December 1940.

Grumman fighter development began with the two-seat Grumman FF biplane. The FF was the first U.S. naval fighter with a retractable landing gear. The wheels retracted into the fuselage, leaving the tires visibly exposed, flush with sides of the fuselage. Two single-seat biplane designs followed, the F2F and F3F, which established the general fuselage outlines of what would become the F4F Wildcat. In 1935, while the F3F was still undergoing flight testing, Grumman started work on its next biplane fighter, the G-16. At the time, the U.S. Navy favored a monoplane design, the Brewster F2A-1, ordering production early in 1936. However, an order was also placed for Grumman's G-16 (given the navy designation XF4F-1) as a backup in case the Brewster monoplane proved to be unsatisfactory.^[4][5]
It was clear to Grumman that the XF4F-1 would be inferior to the Brewster monoplane, so Grumman abandoned the XF4F-1, designing instead a new monoplane fighter, the XF4F-2.^[4][6] The XF4F-2 would retain the same, fuselage-mounted, hand-cranked landing gear as the F3F, with its relatively narrow track. (The unusual landing gear design was originally created in the 1920s by Leroy Grumman for Grover Loening. It was on all of Grumman's fighter biplanes (from the FF-1 through the F3F) of the 1930s and on the J2F Duck amphibious flying boat as well.^{[7][N 1]}) Landing accidents caused by failure of the gear to fully lock into place were distressingly common.^[8]

An early F4F-3 at NACA Langley Research Center

The overall performance of Grumman's new monoplane was felt to be inferior to that of the Brewster Buffalo. The XF4F-2 was marginally faster, but the Buffalo was more maneuverable. It was judged superior and was chosen for production.^[6] After losing out to Brewster, Grumman completely rebuilt the prototype as the XF4F-3 with new wings and tail and a supercharged version of the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 "Twin Wasp" radial engine.^[6][9] Testing of the new XF4F-3 led to an order for F4F-3 production models, the first of which was completed in February 1940. France also ordered the type, powered by a Wright R-1820 "Cyclone 9" radial engine, but France fell to the Axis powers before they could be delivered and the aircraft went instead to the British Royal Navy, who christened the new fighter the "Martlet." The U.S. Navy officially adopted the aircraft type on 1 October 1941 as the "Wildcat." Both the Royal Navy's and U.S. Navy's F4F-3s, armed with four .50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns, joined active units in 1940.^[9]
On 16 December 1940, the XF4F-3 prototype, BuNo 0383, c/n 356, modified from XF4F-2, was lost under circumstances that suggested that the pilot may have been confused by the poor layout of fuel valves and flap controls and inadvertently turned the fuel valve to "off" immediately after takeoff rather than selecting flaps "up". This was the first fatality in the type.^[10]

Operational history

Royal Navy

See also: Royal Navy Martlets

Even before the Wildcat had been purchased by U.S. Navy, both the French Navy and the British Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA) had ordered the Wildcat, with their own configurations..
The F4F Wildcat (known in British service as the "Martlet") was taken on by the British Fleet Air Arm (FAA) as part of an interim replacement for the Fairey Fulmar. The Fulmar was a two-seat fighter with good range but at a performance disadvantage against single-seater fighters; navalised Supermarine Spitfires were not available because of the greater need of the Royal Air Force.^[11] In the European theater, the Wildcat scored its first combat victory on Christmas Day 1940, when a land-based Martlet destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 bomber over the Scapa Flow naval base.^[12] This was the first combat victory by a US-built fighter in British service in World War II.^[12] The type also pioneered combat operations from the smaller escort carriers.^[13]
Six Martlets went to sea aboard the converted former German merchant vessel HMS Audacity in September 1941^[14] and shot down several Luftwaffe Fw 200 Condor bombers during highly effective convoy escort operations.^[15] These were the first of many Wildcats to engage in aerial combat at sea.

A Fleet Air Arm Wildcat in 1944, showing "invasion stripes"

The British received 300 Eastern Aircraft FM-1s as the Martlet V in 1942/43 and 340 FM-2s as the Wildcat VI.^[16] In total, nearly 1,200 Wildcats would serve with the FAA. By January 1944, the Martlet name was dropped and the type was identified as "Wildcat."^{[17][18][N 2]}
In March 1945, Wildcats shot down four Messerschmitt Bf 109s over Norway, the FAA's last victory with a Wildcat.^[15]

U.S. Navy and Marines

Pacific

The Wildcat was outperformed by the Mitsubishi Zero, its major opponent in the early part of the Pacific Theater, but held its own partly because, with relatively heavy armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, the Grumman airframe could survive far more damage than its lightweight, unarmored Japanese rival.^[19] Many U.S. Navy fighter pilots also were saved by the Wildcat's ZB homing device, which allowed them to find their carriers in poor visibility, provided they could get within the 30 mi (48 km) range of the homing beacon.^[20]
In the hands of an expert pilot using tactical advantage, the Wildcat could prove to be a difficult foe even against the formidable Zero.^[21] After analyzing Fleet Air Tactical Unit Intelligence Bureau reports describing the new carrier fighter, USN Commander "Jimmy" Thach devised a defensive strategy that allowed Wildcat formations to act in a coordinated maneuver to counter a diving attack, called the "Thach Weave."^[22]
Four U.S. Marine Corps Wildcats played a prominent role in the defence of Wake Island in December 1941. USN and USMC aircraft formed the fleet's primary air defense during the Battles of Coral Sea and Midway, and land-based Wildcats played a major role during the Guadalcanal Campaign of 1942–43.^[6] It was not until 1943 that more advanced naval fighters capable of taking on the Zero on more even terms, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and Vought F4U Corsair, reached the South Pacific theatre.

F4F-4s on Guadalcanal, 1942

The Japanese ace Saburo Sakai described the Wildcat's capacity to absorb damage:

I had full confidence in my ability to destroy the Grumman and decided to finish off the enemy fighter with only my 7.7 mm machine guns. I turned the 20 mm cannon switch to the "off" position, and closed in. For some strange reason, even after I had poured about five or six hundred rounds of ammunition directly into the Grumman, the airplane did not fall, but kept on flying. I thought this very odd—it had never happened before—and closed the distance between the two airplanes until I could almost reach out and touch the Grumman. To my surprise, the Grumman's rudder and tail were torn to shreds, looking like an old torn piece of rag. With his plane in such condition, no wonder the pilot was unable to continue fighting! A Zero which had taken that many bullets would have been a ball of fire by now.

—Saburo Sakai, Zero^[19]

Grumman's Wildcat production ceased in early 1943 to make way for the newer F6F Hellcat, but General Motors continued producing Wildcats for both U.S. Navy and Fleet Air Arm use. At first, GM produced the FM-1 (identical to the F4F-4, but with four guns). Production later switched to the improved FM-2 (based on Grumman's XF4F-8 prototype) optimized for small-carrier operations, with a more powerful engine, and a taller tail to cope with the increased torque.^[20]
From 1943 onward, Wildcats equipped with bomb racks were primarily assigned to escort carriers for use against submarines and attacking ground targets, though they would also continue to score kills against Japanese fighters, bombers and kamikaze aircraft. Larger fighters such as the Hellcat and the Corsair and dedicated dive bombers were needed aboard fleet carriers, and the Wildcat's slower landing speed made it more suitable for shorter flight decks.^[23]
In the Battle off Samar on 25 October 1944, escort carriers of Task Unit 77.4.3 ("Taffy 3") and their escort of destroyers and destroyer escorts found themselves as the sole force standing between vulnerable troop transport and supply ships engaged in landings on the Philippine island of Leyte and a powerful Japanese surface fleet of battleships and cruisers. In desperation, lightly armed Avengers and FM-2 Wildcats from Taffys 1, 2 and 3 resorted to tactics such as strafing ships, including the bridge of the Japanese battleship Yamato, while the destroyers and destroyer escorts charged the enemy. Confused by the fierce resistance, the Japanese fleet eventually retreated.

Atlantic

U.S. Navy Wildcats participated in Operation Torch. USN escort carriers in the Atlantic used Wildcats.

Totals

In all, 7,860 Wildcats were built.^{[24][N 3]} During the course of the war, Navy and Marine F4Fs and FMs flew 15,553 combat sorties (14,027 of these from aircraft carriers^[25]), destroying 1,327 enemy aircraft at a cost of 178 aerial losses, 24 to ground/shipboard fire, and 49 to operational causes^[26] (an overall kill-to-loss ratio of 6.9:1).^[27] True to their escort fighter role, Wildcats dropped only 154 tons of bombs during the war.^[27]

Variants

U.S. Navy Wildcats

F4F-1/-2

The original Grumman F4F-1 design was a biplane, which proved inferior to rival designs, necessitating a complete redesign as a monoplane named the F4F-2. This design was still not competitive with the Brewster F2A Buffalo which won initial U.S. Navy orders, but when the F4F-3 development was fitted with a more powerful version of the engine, a Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-76, featuring a two-stage supercharger, it showed its true potential.^[28]

F4F-3

U.S. Navy orders followed as did some (with Wright Cyclone engines) from France; these ended up with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm after the fall of France and entered service on 8 September 1940. These aircraft, designated by Grumman as G-36A, had a different cowling from other earlier F4Fs and fixed wings, and were intended to be fitted with French armament and avionics following delivery. In British service initially, the aircraft were known as the Martlet I, but not all Martlets would be to exactly the same specifications as U.S. Navy aircraft. All Martlet Is featured the four .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns of the F4F-3 with 450 rpg. The British directly ordered and received a version with the original Twin Wasp, but again with a modified cowling, under the manufacturer designation G-36B. These aircraft were given the designation Martlet II by the British. The first 10 G-36Bs were fitted with non-folding wings and were given the designation Martlet III. These were followed by 30 folding wing aircraft (F4F-3As) which were originally destined for the Hellenic Air Force, which were also designated Martlet IIIs.^[15][29] On paper, the designation changed to Marlet III(A) when the second series of Martlet III was introduced.
Poor design of the armament installation on early F4Fs caused these otherwise reliable machine guns to frequently jam, a problem common to wing-mounted weapons of many U.S. fighters early in the war.^{[30][N 4]} It was an F4F-3 flown by Lieutenant Edward O'Hare that in a few minutes shot down five Mitsubishi twin-engine bombers attacking Lexington off Bougainville on 20 February 1942. But contrasting with O'Hare's performance, his wingman was unable to participate because his guns would not function.^{[31][N 5]}

F4F-3s of VF-3, April 1942

A shortage of two-stage superchargers lead to the development of the F4F-3A, which was basically the F4F-3 but with a 1,200 hp (890 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90 radial engine with a more primitive single-stage two-speed supercharger. The F4F-3A, which was capable of 312 mph (502 km/h) at 16,000 ft (4,900 m), was used side by side with the F4F-3, but its poorer performance made it unpopular with U.S. Navy fighter pilots. The F4F-3A would enter service as the Martlet III(B).^{[citation needed]}
At the time of Pearl Harbor, only Enterprise had a fully equipped Wildcat squadron, VF-6 with F4F-3As. Enterprise was then transferring a detachment of VMF-211, also equipped with F4F-3s, to Wake. Saratoga was in San Diego, working up for operations of the F4F-3s of VF-3. 11 F4F-3s of VMF-211 were at the Ewa Marine Air Corps Station on Oahu; nine of these were damaged or destroyed during the Japanese attack. The detachment of VMF-211 on Wake lost seven Wildcats to Japanese attacks on 8 December, but the remaining five put up a fierce defense, making the first bomber kill on 9 December. The destroyer Kisaragi was sunk by the Wildcats,^[32] and the Japanese invasion force retreated.
In May 1942, the F4F-3s of VF-2 and VF-42, onboard Yorktown and Lexington, participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Lexington and Yorktown fought against the Zuikaku, Shōkaku and the light carrier Shōhō in this battle, in an attempt to halt a Japanese invasion of Port Moresby on Papua. During these battles, it became clear that attacks without fighter escort amounted to suicide, but that the fighter component on the carriers was completely insufficient to provide both fighter cover for the carrier and an escort for an attack force. Most U.S. carriers carried less than 20 fighters.^{[citation needed]}

F4F-3S "Wildcatfish"

The Grumman F4F-3S "Wildcatfish", a floatplane version of the F4F-3. Edo Aircraft fitted one F4F-3 with twin floats.

This floatplane version of the F4F-3 was developed for use at forward island bases in the Pacific, before the construction of airfields. It was inspired by appearance of the A6M2-N "Rufe", a modification of the Mitsubishi A6M2 "Zeke". BuNo 4038 was modified to become the F4F-3S "Wildcatfish". Twin floats, manufactured by Edo Aircraft Corporation, were fitted. To restore the stability, small auxiliary fins were added to the tailplane. Because this was still insufficient, a ventral fin was added later.^[33]
The F4F-3S was first flown 28 February 1943.^[34] The weight and drag of the floats reduced the maximum speed to 241 mph (388 km/h). As the performance of the basic F4F-3 was already below that of the Zero, the F4F-3S was clearly of limited usefulness. In any case, the construction of the airfields at forward bases by the "Seabees" was surprisingly quick. Only one was converted.

F4F-4

Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats on USS Wasp 1942

A new version, the F4F-4, entered service in 1942 with six machine guns and folding wings which allowed more aircraft to be stored on an aircraft carrier, increasing the number of fighters that could be parked on a surface by more than a factor of 2. The F4F-4 was the definitive version that saw the most combat service in the early war years, including the Battle of Midway. The F4F-3 was replaced by the F4F-4 in June 1942, during the Battle of Midway; only VMF-221 still used them at that time.^{[citation needed]}
This version was less popular with American pilots because the same amount of ammunition was spread over two additional guns, decreasing firing time.^[35] With the F4F-3's four .50 in (12.7 mm) guns and 450 rpg, pilots had 34 seconds of firing time; six guns decreased ammunition to 240 rpg, which could be expended in less than 20 seconds. The increase to six guns was attributed to the Royal Navy, who wanted greater firepower to deal with German and Italian foes. Jimmy Thach is quoted as saying, "A pilot who cannot hit with four guns will miss with eight."^[36] Extra guns and folding wings meant extra weight, and reduced performance: the F4F-4 was capable of only about 318 mph (512 km/h) at 19,400 ft (5,900 m). Rate of climb was noticeably worse in the F4F-4; while Grumman optimistically claimed the F4F-4 could climb at a modest 1,950 ft (590 m) per minute, in combat conditions, pilots found their F4F-4s capable of ascending at only 500 to 1,000 ft (150 to 300 m) per minute.^[20] Moreover, the F4F-4's folding wing was intended to allow five F4F-4s to be stowed in the space required by two F4F-3s. In practice, the folding wings allowed an increase of about 50% in the number of Wildcats carried aboard U.S. fleet aircraft carriers. A variant of the F4F-4, designated F4F-4B for contractual purposes, was supplied to the British with a modified cowling and Wright Cyclone engine. These aircraft received the designation of Martlet IV.

FM-1/-2 Wildcat

FM-2s from USS White Plains, in June 1944

General Motors / Eastern Aircraft produced 5,280 FM variants of the Wildcat.^[2] Grumman's Wildcat production ceased in early 1943 to make way for the newer F6F Hellcat, but General Motors continued producing Wildcats for both U.S. Navy and Fleet Air Arm use. Late in the war, the Wildcat was obsolescent as a front line fighter compared to the faster (380 mph/610 km/h) F6F Hellcat or much faster (446 mph/718 km/h) F4U Corsair. However, they were adequate for small escort carriers against submarine and shore threats. These relatively modest ships carried only two types of aircraft (along with the GM-built Avengers). The Wildcat's lower landing speed and ability to take off without a catapult made it more suitable for shorter flight decks.^[23] At first, GM produced the FM-1, identical to the F4F-4, but reduced the number of guns to four, and added wing racks for two 250 lb (110 kg) bombs or six rockets. Production later switched to the improved FM-2 (based on Grumman's XF4F-8 prototype) optimized for small-carrier operations, with a more powerful engine (the 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) Wright R-1820-56), and a taller tail to cope with the torque.^[20]
Tasked with supporting ground forces off Leyte, sorely under-armed aircraft from escort carriers such as Gambier Bay in the "Taffy" task groups found themselves up against a major surface fleet, which they helped turn back in the Battle off Samar. Four FM-2 Wildcats from Shamrock Bay's Composite Squadron 94 (VC-94) helped shoot down a number of kamikaze aircraft attacking Laffey off Okinawa before running out of ammunition.^{[citation needed]}

F4F-7

The F4F-7 was a photoreconnaissance variant, with armor and armament removed. It had non-folding "wet" wings that carried an additional 555 gal (2,101 L) of fuel for a total of about 700 gal (2,650 L), increasing its range to 3,700 mi (5,955 km). A total of 21 were built.^[6]

F2M Wildcat

The F2M-1 was a planned development of the FM-1 by General Motors / Eastern Aircraft to be powered by the improved XR-1820-70 engine, but the project was cancelled before any aircraft were built.^[13]

Royal Navy Martlets

Martlet Mk I

At the end of 1939, Grumman received a French order for 81 aircraft of model G-36A, to equip their new Joffre-class aircraft carrier: Joffre and Painlevé. The main difference with the basic model G-36 was due to the unavailability for export of the two-stage supercharged engine of F4F-3. The G-36A was powered by the nine-cylinder, single-row R-1820-G205A radial engine, of 1,200 hp (890 kW) and with a single-stage two-speed supercharger.^[37]

A G-36A at Grumman, 1940

The G-36A also had French instruments (with metric calibration), radio and gunsight. The throttle was modified to conform to French pre-war practice: the throttle lever was moved towards the pilot (i.e. backward) to increase engine power. The armament which was to be fitted in France was six 7.5 mm (.296 in) Darne machine guns (two in the fuselage and four in the wings). The first G-36A was flown on 11 May 1940.^[38] After the Battle of France, all contracts were taken over by Britain. The throttle was modified again, four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) guns were installed in the wings and most traces of the original ownership removed.^[39]
The Martlets were modified for British use by Blackburn, which continued to do this for all later marks. British gunsights, catapult spools and other items were installed.^[40] After attempts to fit British radio sets, it was decided to use the much superior American equipment.^[41] The first Martlets entered British service in August 1940, with 804 Naval Air Squadron, stationed at Hatson in the Orkney Islands. The Martlet Mk I did not have a wing folding mechanism and was therefore only used from land bases.^{[citation needed]} In 1940, Belgium also placed an order for at least 10 Martlet Mk 1s. These were to be modified with the removal of the tailhook. After the surrender of Belgium, none were delivered and by 10 May 1940, the aircraft order was transferred to the Royal Navy.

Martlet Mk II

Before the Fleet Air Arm took on charge the Martlet Mk Is it had already ordered 100 G-36B fighters. The British chose the Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G engine to power this aircraft; this too had a single-stage, two-speed supercharger. The FAA decided to accept a delay in delivery to get folding wings, which were vitally important if the Martlet was to be used from British carriers with their small hangar decks. Nevertheless, the first 10 received had fixed wings. The first Martlet with folding wings was not delivered before August 1941.^{[citation needed]}
In contrast to USN F4F-3, the British aircraft were fitted with armor and self-sealing fuel tanks. The Mk II also had a larger tailwheel. For carrier operations, the "sting" tail hook and attachment point for the American single-point catapult launch system were considered important advantages. Nevertheless, the Martlets were modified to have British-style catapult spools. The FAA had ordered G-36Bs with fixed wings, but wing-folding allowed a carrier to handle a larger number of aircraft, so the contract was amended to specify the folding wings, but the first 10 of the order had already been built with fixed wings. Deliveries of the folding-wing G-36Bs began in August 1941, with 36 shipped to UK and 54 shipped to the Far East; they were designated "Martlet Mark II".^{[citation needed]} Boscombe Down testing of the Martlet II at a mean weight of approximately 7350 lb showed a maximum speed of 293 mph at 5400 ft and 13,800 ft, a maximum climb rate of 1940 fpm at 7600 ft at 7790 lb weight, and a time to climb to 20,000 ft of 12.5 minutes. The service ceiling at 7790 lb was 31,000 ft.^[42]

A Martlet II from HMS Formidable, 1942

The Martlet was the second single-seat, monoplane fighter to operate from Royal Navy aircraft carriers following the introduction of the Sea Hurricane IB on HMS Furious in July 1941.^[43]
The majority of the Martlet Mk IIs were sent to the Far East. The first shipboard operations of the type in British service were in September 1941, on board of HMS Audacity, a very small escort carrier with a carrier deck of 420 ft (130 m) by 59 ft (18 m), no elevators and no hangar deck. The six Wildcats were parked on the deck at all times. On its first voyage, it served as escort carrier for a convoy to Gibraltar. On 20 September, a German FW 200 was shot down. On the next voyage, four Fw 200 Condors fell to the guns of the Martlets. Operations from Audacity also demonstrated that the fighter cover was useful against U-boats. Audacity was sunk by an U-boat on 21 December 1941, but it had already proven the usefulness of escort carriers.^[20]
In May 1942, the 881 and 882 squadrons on HMS Illustrious, participated in operations against Madagascar. In August 1942, 806 NAS on HMS Indomitable provided fighter cover for a convoy to Malta. Later in that year they participated in the landings in French North Africa.^{[citation needed]}

Martlet Mk III

The first 30 F4F-3As were released for sale to Greece, after the Italian invasion in November 1940. However, at the defeat of Greece in April 1941 the aircraft had only reached Gibraltar. They were taken over by the FAA as Martlet Mk III-B. As these aircraft did not have folding wings, they were only used from land bases. They served in a shore-based role in the Western Desert.^{[citation needed]}
Ten fixed-wing G-36Bs were used by the FAA as Martlet III-A.

Martlet Mk IV

The Royal Navy purchased 220 F4F-4s adapted to British requirements. The main difference was the use of a Wright R-1820-40B Cyclone in a distinctly more rounded and compact cowling, with a single double-wide flap on each side of the rear and no lip intake. These machines were named Martlet Mk IV. Boscombe Down testing of the Martlet IV at 7350 lb weight showed a maximum speed of 278 mph at 3400 ft and 298 mph at 14,600 ft, a maximum climb rate of 1580 fpm at 6200 ft at 7740 lb weight, and a time to climb to 20,000 ft of 14.6 minutes. The service ceiling at 7740 lb was 30,100 ft.^[42]

Martlet Mk V

The Fleet Air Arm purchased 312 FM-1s, originally with the designation of Martlet V. In January 1944, a decision was made to retain the American names for US-supplied aircraft, redesignating the batch as the Wildcat V.

Wildcat Mk VI

The Wildcat VI was the Air Ministry name for the FM-2 Wildcat in FAA service.

Operators

 Belgium

• Belgian Air Force: at least 10 Martlet Mk 1s ordered, never delivered, transferred to Royal Navy after surrender.

 France

• Aeronavale: 81 aircraft ordered, never delivered, transferred to Royal Navy after French defeat.

 Canada

• Royal Canadian Navy: RCN personnel assigned to the Royal Navy HMS Puncher, were to provide the RCN with experience in aircraft carrier operations. The RCN flew 14 Martlets as part of 881 (RN) Squadron from February–July 1945.^[44]

 United Kingdom

• Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm

 United States

• United States Navy
• United States Marine Corps

Survivors

Main article: List of surviving Grumman F4F Wildcats

Specifications (F4F-3)

Data from The American Fighter ^[45]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
• Wingspan: 38 ft (11.58 m)
• Height: 11 ft 10 in (3.60 m)
• Loaded weight: 7,000 lb (3,200 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-76 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp (900 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 331 mph (531 km/h)
• Range: 845 mi (1,360 km)
• Service ceiling: 39,500 ft (12,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,303 ft/min (11.7 m/s)

Armament

• Guns: 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns with 450 rounds per gun
• Bombs: 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) bombs and/or 2 × 58 gal (220 L) drop tanks

Specifications (F4F-4)

LCDR John Thach in his Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat with six kill markings, 1942

F4F-4 receives maintenance of its six .50cal AN/M2 Browning machine guns

Data from F4F-4 Airplane Characteristics & Performance^[46]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.8 m)
• Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.6 m)
• Height: 9 ft 2.5 in (2.8 m)
• Wing area: 260 ft² (24.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 5,895 lb (2,674 kg)
• Loaded weight: 7,975 lb (3,617 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 8,762 lb (3,974 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine, 1,200 hp (900 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 320 mph (290 kn, 515 km/h)
• Range: 830 mi (721 nmi, 1,337 km)
• Service ceiling: 34,000 ft (10,363 m)
• Rate of climb: 2,200 ft/min @ normal power (11.17 m/s)
• Wing loading: 30.7 lb/ft² (149.77 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 249 w/kg (0.15 hp/lb)

Armament

• Guns: 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) AN/M2 Browning machine guns,

See also

• Joe Foss, the top scoring Wildcat ace with 26 victories, flying with VMF-121 during World War II and winner of the Medal of Honor.
• John Lucian Smith, second scoring Wildcat ace with 19 victories whilst flying with VMF-223 and also winner of the Medal of Honor.
• Marion Eugene Carl, the third scoring Wildcat ace with 16.5 victories whilst flying Wildcats, plus an additional two flying Vought F4U Corsairs while in service with VMF-221 and VMF-223.

Related development

• Grumman F3F
• Grumman F6F Hellcat

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Brewster Buffalo
• Hawker Sea Hurricane
• Mitsubishi A6M Zero
• Supermarine Seafire

Related lists

• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• List of fighter aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)
• List of aircraft of the United States during World War II
• List of aircraft of World War II

References

Notes

1. ^ Quote: ...landing gear was almost identical to that in the J2F's.
2. ^ Note: In January 1944, the Admiralty decided to abandon the name Martlet, and the type became the Wildcat Mk IV in British service. The name "Martlet" had been in use from May 1940, whereas the U.S. Navy had officially adopted the name "Wildcat" on 1 October 1941.
3. ^ 7,860 aircraft produced, starting in December, 1940
4. ^ Quote: "Early Wildcat guns had a tendency to jam during hard maneuvers"
5. ^ Quote" "...O'Hare's wingman discovered his guns were jammed."

Citations

1. ^ Hickman, Kennedy. "World War II: Grumman F4F Wildcat." About.com. Retrieved: 15 June 2010.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Polmar 2004
3. ^ Tillman 1983, pp. 5, 96.
4. ^ ^{a b} Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 205.
5. ^ Green 1969, p. 60.
6. ^ ^{a b c d e} Donald 1995, pp. 128–134.
7. ^ "Wayne Waters CDR USN(ret)." willyvictor.com.
8. ^ Tillman 1983, p. 12.
9. ^ ^{a b} Green 1961, pp. 90–96.
10. ^ "Grumman's Willing Wildcat". Air Enthusiast Quarterly, Bromley, Kent., UK, Number 3, 1976, p. 51.
11. ^ Buttler 2004
12. ^ ^{a b} Thetford 1978, p. 201.
13. ^ ^{a b} Gustin Emmanuel. "Grumman F4F Wildcat." skynet.be. Retrieved: 22 April 2010.
14. ^ Smith, Gordon. "HMS Audacity (D 10)." Naval-History.Net. Retrieved: 11 October 2011.
15. ^ ^{a b c} Thetford 1978, p. 202.
16. ^ "Grumman F4F Martlet (Grumman F4F Wildcat)." Fleet Air Arm Archive 1939–1945, 4 March 2000. Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
17. ^ Thetford 1978, p. 205.
18. ^ Gustin, Emmanuel. "Grumman F4F Wildcat". skynet. Retrieved: 2 May 2007.
19. ^ ^{a b} "Saburo Sakai: 'Zero'." acepilots.com. Retrieved: 11 October 2011.
20. ^ ^{a b c d e} Garner, Forest. "Fighting the U-boats." UBoat.net, 2009. Retrieved: 25 September 2009.
21. ^ Winchester 2004, p. 98.
22. ^ Lundstrom 1984, pp. 480–481.
23. ^ ^{a b} Kinzey 2000, p. 68.
24. ^ "Wildcat." acepilots.com. Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
25. ^ Barber 1946, Table 1
26. ^ "Naval Aviation Combat Statistics World War II, OPNAV-P-23V No. A129," 17 June 1946.
27. ^ ^{a b} Barber 1946, Table 2
28. ^ Tillman 1983, p. 7.
29. ^ March 1998, pp. 132–133.
30. ^ "World War II: The Cactus Air Force Fought at Guadalcanal." historynet.com. Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
31. ^ "Saving the Lexington." Acepilots. Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
32. ^ "IJN Kisaragi: Tabular Record of Movement." Imperial Japanese Navy Page. Retrieved: 21 June 2009.
33. ^ Green 1962, pp. 180–181.
34. ^ Green 1962, p. 181.
35. ^ "F4F-4 Airplanes." Battle of Midway Action Report, USS Yorktown (CV-5). Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
36. ^ "Excerpts from a 1942 Interview with Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach." microsoft.com. Retrieved: 22 October 2010.
37. ^ Green, Swanborough and Brown 1977, pp. 52, 60–61.
38. ^ Wixley Air Enthusiast July–August 1997, p. 51.
39. ^ Green, Swanborough and Brown 1977, p. 61.
40. ^ Jackson 1968, pp. 40–42.
41. ^ Green, Swanborough and Brown 1977, p. 68.
42. ^ ^{a b} Mason, p.306.
43. ^ Brown 1980, pp. 45, 110.
44. ^ L’Heureux, Commander E.J, RCN (Ret’d). "Aircraft Carriers: Royal Canadian Navy (RCN)." Canada Aviation and Space Museum Aircraft. Retrieved: 25 November 2011.
45. ^ Angelucci 1987, p. 226.
46. ^ , Bureau of Ordnance, 1943

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