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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Grumman F4F/FM Wildcat
    Latest Model:FM-2 Wildcat
    Last Military Serial:57039 USN
    Construction Number:3646
    Compressed ID:General Motors Eastern Aircraft Div...
    Latest Owner or Location:Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Experience, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, Kalamazoo, Michigan

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a FM-2 by General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division at Baltimore, MD, USA.

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Navy with BuNo 57039.

    Crashed.
    Crashed into the lake in about 200 feet of water at 1151 hours on December 28, 1944. The pilot, Ensign William E. Forbes, was about to make his third takeoff from the USS Sable for his aircraft carrier qualification. Although the engine had checked out okay, it began to pop on the takeoff roll and then quit completely.

    December 2012

    Recovered.

    December 2012


    Photographer: Chicago CBS
    Notes: 2012 photo during recovery from Lake Michigan

    August 2013

    To Air Zoo, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, Kalamazoo, MI.
    View the Location Dossier

    To Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Experience, Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport, Kalamazoo, MI.
    View the Location Dossier
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     U.S. Military Out of Service 2016 by Andy Marden
    Internet Sources
     Aerodata Quantum+
    U.S. Demobbed by Horrex, Ray, Boulanger, Dunn, McGhee and Wood
    Individual Contributors
     John Bennett
    Terry Fletcher
    Mike Henniger
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