Enjoy free admission year-round, plus other great perks!
Events
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Don’t miss out upcoming events and happenings at Patriots Point.
F4F Wildcat
Statistics for F4F Wildcat
type
Single-seat Carrier-based fighter
bureau number
3956
nmna id
2005.070.001
manufacturer
Grumman
powerplant
One 895-kW (1200-hp) Wright R-1830-36 Cyclone radial piston engine
maximum speed
512 km/h (317 mph)
cruising speed
249 km/h (154 mph)
range
1239 km (768 miles)
service ceiling
12,010 m (39,400 ft)
Armament
Six fixed 12.7-mm (.50-cal) Browning air-cooled machine guns with 240 rounds per gun plus two 45-kg (100-lb) bombs
weights
Empty 2612 kg (5746 lb) Maximum take-off 3607 kg (7935 lb)
dimensions
Span: 11.60 m (38 ft) Length: 8.50 m (28 ft) Height: 3.60 m (12 ft) Wing area: 24.15 m2 (260 sq ft)
Discover the Heroic Legacy of the F4F Wildcat: Unveiling WWII’s Most Courageous Fighter Pilot and Iconic Aircraft
This museum treasure represents the WWII American fighter that took on the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M-Zero during the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Placed in service only months before Pearl Harbor, the F4F Wildcat delivered crucial blows to the enemy at Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal. Perhaps the most famous F4F pilot was Edward "Butch" O'Hare. In February of 1942, launched from the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), O'Hare and his Wildcat were in great peril as the only thing standing between the carrier and as many as nine attacking Japanese bombers. Roaring full throttle into the enemy's formation, O'Hare shot down five of the bombers. Other Wildcats joined the fight defending the USS Lexington from the rest of the bombers. For his bravery and skill, O'Hare was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Location: USS Yorktown Hangar Bay
