fm2?

[folkwufe]

even a real plane? i cant find any history on it... it looks like a f6f with smaller
wings

[Krusty]

FM-2 is a real plane. The F4F-4 was built at Grumman and at GM. The GM plane was called FM-1. Later in the war, the GM plant started producing an up-powered version named the FM-2. I think I read somewhere the FM-2 is about the equivelant to the F4F-8, but I can't verify this.

It was real.

[folkwufe]

ok, thanks. so ur sayin it was a sort of knock-off from f4f?

[Karnak]

Not a knock off, just a more advanced version.

Like a Spitfire MK VIII is to a Spitfire Mk V the FM2 is to the F4F-4.

[DiabloTX]

Larger vertical tail and more powerful engine.  Wildcat on steroids.

[Shuckins]

FM-2 was 500 pounds lighter than the F4F-4 and carried only four .50 caliber machine guns.  The engine had approximately 150 more horsepower, if memory serves.

[Wolf14]

very fun plane and also very sporty.

I hidden gem.

A diamond in the rough so to say.

[Saxman]

My only real complaints with the FM-2 are speed and vertical performance. Otherwise a very good bird. Very maneuverable, (she'll handily out-turn pretty much anything except Zeros and Hurricanes) is small and tough to hit, and can soak up an irritating amount of damage (both as the shooter, AND as the target because she appears to take more punishment than even my F4U, which seems rather off).

[parin]

Go to Google type FM-2 then hit "feeling lucky"

[Widewing]

Originally posted by Saxman
My only real complaints with the FM-2 are speed and vertical performance. Otherwise a very good bird. Very maneuverable, (she'll handily out-turn pretty much anything except Zeros and Hurricanes) is small and tough to hit, and can soak up an irritating amount of damage (both as the shooter, AND as the target because she appears to take more punishment than even my F4U, which seems rather off).

When flying the FM-2, E management is vital. LEADPIG and I were dueling of sorts in the TA. Ordinarily, the P-38J is better in the vertical than the FM-2. However, carefully hording my E enabled my FM-2 to follow the P-38 in the vertical. It has a reasonable climb rate at altitudes where WEP boosts horsepower. Where it lacks in in the zoom climb, due to relatively light weight, but more the result of lacking speed. Thus, minding your E state is more important than most other fighters.

In terms of turning, the FM-2 is excellent, but it suffers when forced into prolonged turning contests.

Several months ago, Platano and I flew a series of duels in F4Us and the FM-2. We ended up with him flying the FM-2 and I was in an F4U-4. I just dumped flaps and used the -4's massive power. The result was a great fight, but the Corsair had a slight edge, even in a stall fight.

Likewise, the 109F-4 can dominate the FM-2 in a slow turning fight, provided the 109 pilot is skilled at using the flaps. For that matter, the uninspiring SBD and TBM can defeat the FM-2 if the correct tactics are employed. E management, tactics and knowing how to fly at the absolute limit of your plane's performance can certainly make a significant difference.

My regards,

Widewing

[Flame 2 the boy]

Originally posted by folkwufe
even a real plane? i cant find any history on it... it looks like a f6f with smaller
wings

 an fm2 ive never heard of such pish posh....

[CAF001]

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT -- 1922-1962 DESIGNATION SYSTEM --
General Motors FM-2 "Wildcat" fighters

In 1942, automobile manufacturer General Motors converted several of its east coast factories to aircraft production under the name Eastern Aircraft Division. Eastern received contracts to build F4F-4 "Wildcat" fighters and TBF-1 "Avenger" torpedo planes, allowing Grumman to gradually reconcentrate its energies on the new, urgently-needed F6F "Hellcat" fighter. The GM F4F-4s, redesignated FM-1s, had only four .50 caliber machine guns, but were otherwise little changed from the original model. Well over a thousand FM-1 fighters were delivered in 1942-43, including some three hundred for the British Royal Navy.

Meanwhile, Grumman had prototyped a new "Wildcat" under the designation XF4F-8, which was to be produced by Eastern Aircraft as the FM-2. With lightened structure and a more powerful Wright R-1820 radial engine, the FM-2 was notably quicker, faster climbing, longer ranged and more maneuverable than its predecessor. To help control the increased power, the new plane had a distinctive, taller vertical tail. All-in-all, it was a great improvement, and more than four thousand FM-2s were built in 1943-45. Of those, over three hundred went to the British.

The U.S. Navy FM-2s operated exclusively from escort carriers (CVEs), small ships with notoriously lively flight decks. They were used in the Atlantic, teamed with TBM "Avengers" for anti-submarine work, the escort carriers' original purpose. In the Pacific, CVEs did ASW too, but also employed their "Avengers" and "Wildcats" to provide air cover for invasion forces and close air support for ground troops. Those missions produced opportunities for aerial combat against Japanese planes, and two Navy pilots achieved "ace" status in FM-2s. The GM "Wildcat" also played an important role in the 25 October 1944 Battle off Samar, in which a force of the slow CVEs and their escorts out-fought a vastly superior Japanese surface fleet.


http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/ac-usn22/f-types/fm2.htm