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The only wildcat-pulled-from-lake-michigan info I could find is for a Wildcat that has already been restored. Did they find another one in there?
In 1994, the number three FM-1 Wildcat (BuNo 14994)-delivered on November 2, 1942, by General Motors-was pulled out of Lake Michigan.
Understandably badly damaged and corroded, it was restored by the Grumman "Gremlins" at the Valiant Air Command Museum at the Titusville, Florida, airport.
Its "coming out" party on June 16, 2001, clearly demonstrated that the 21,354 hours spent on rebuilding it were well worth the effort. This General Motors FM-1 is now, without a doubt, the most accurate "original" Wildcat in existence.
Related Results
The restoration team was led by Harold Larkin. A lead-plane captain in the Grumman experimental hangar for many years during and after WW II, Harold's knowledge lies behind the plane's present, better than new condition. His team finished the cockpit with the WW II instruments, switches and controls that would have been in an original aircraft. He found the 17 electrical switches he needed by calling one of his previous fellow workers who had "liberated" them when he left Grumman more than 40 years ago.
The only wildcat-pulled-from-lake-michigan has already been restored. Did they find another one in there?
In 1994, the number three FM-1 Wildcat (BuNo 14994)-delivered on November 2, 1942, by General Motors-was pulled out of Lake Michigan.
Understandably badly damaged and corroded, it was restored by the Grumman "Gremlins" at the Valiant Air Command Museum at the Titusville, Florida, airport.
Its "coming out" party on June 16, 2001, clearly demonstrated that the 21,354 hours spent on rebuilding it were well worth the effort. This General Motors FM-1 is now, without a doubt, the most accurate "original" Wildcat in existence.
Related Results
The restoration team was led by Harold Larkin. A lead-plane captain in the Grumman experimental hangar for many years during and after WW II, Harold's knowledge lies behind the plane's present, better than new condition. His team finished the cockpit with the WW II instruments, switches and controls that would have been in an original aircraft. He found the 17 electrical switches he needed by calling one of his previous fellow workers who had "liberated" them when he left Grumman more than 40 years ago.
great pictures!! Its so cool to think all that stuff is original from the factory, very cool.
55404 is the one here in mojaves number, I tried poking around on the interweb for info about it, no dice, but I thought maybe you guys would know the sites better.
great pictures!! Its so cool to think all that stuff is original from the factory, very cool.
55404 is the one here in mojaves number, I tried poking around on the interweb for info about it, no dice, but I thought maybe you guys would know the sites better.
If you post the pictures on the WIX board http://warbirdinformationexchange.or...cf9ad10abf4cdd you’ll probably get a quick life history of the plane. There are some historical nuts on that forum with tons of info.
Jason
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