Grumman F4F (FM-2) Wildcat Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions

The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the primary Marine Corps and U.S. Navy fighter aircraft during the opening year of WWII. Although outperformed by the Japanese Zero, the Wildcat more than held its own.

The plane first saw combat at Wake Island in December of 1941, and served as the Pacific Fleet's primary air defense during the crucial battles at Coral Sea and Midway.

Almost 8,000 Wildcats were built during the war, many of them by General Motors. The GM version, designated FM-2, was based on Grumman's XF4F-8 prototype. These entered service after the Corsair and Hellcat were deployed. As a result, most FM-2s flew from escort carriers.

Originally printed by Grumman and the U.S. Navy, this Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. The manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form.