Flying the FM-2 Wildcat – A Modern Pilot’s Personal Perspective

Of the 7,860 Grumman-designed Wildcats built, 5,280 of them were built by the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors. (Photo by David Leininger)

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I fully realize that the following dissertation on preflight, takeoff, cruise, and landing will be seen by experienced pilots as monotonous overkill—and too much detail. My thought here, however, is explain the airplane to the non-warbird pilot, paying special attention to the detail freaks, and to show the complexities and idiosyncrasies of even the simplest of World War II fighters. Note that the following is based on an FM-2 Wildcat with the original Bakelite brakes...

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION

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