The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Lt. Cdr. Edward "Butch" O'Hare - Oct. 22nd, 2003

AcePilots.com ^

[snippy_about_it]

Man! Nothing gets by you does it? :-)

LOL. Not if I can help it!

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Snippy.

[w_over_w]

Morning Glory Snip & Sam~

But Butch O'Hare was Easy Eddie's son.

Today's FReeper Foxhole has been both an excellent read (as usual) and a blessing. Another precious example of a father's love . . .

[SAMWolf]

Hi MEG33.

We have some feedback that the Foxhole is used by some home schoolers and has been suggested for reading by a local University Professor. It's nice to know that the FoxHole is being read and used by people. One of our purposes is to let people learn about and remember the things you don't get in your "standard" History education today.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Radu. Still haven't straightened out your ISP?

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. I've gone through a few days of random crashes again too. I ran defrag last night, we'll see if that helps.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Mayor.

Quotes and Coffee, a New Morning Feature?

[SAMWolf]

Hi Manna!

[Johnny Gage]

Air Power
Grumman F4F (FM-2) Wildcat

In 1936 the US Navy evaluated a number of designs which were competing to be the Navy's new carrier-based fighter. Grumman built a design which, after several re-designations and airframe modifications, won the contract and eventually became the F4F Wildcat. The prototype, the XF4F-2, first flew on 2 September 1937. The prototype of an improved version, the XF4F-3, was renamed the F4F and was ordered by the Navy in August of 1939. The first five aircraft off the assembly line were sent to Canada, with the next 90 (designated "Martlet Mk I" going to the 804 Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm where, in December 1940, two Martlets made history by becoming the first American-made aircraft to down a German plane in WWII.

The first US Navy F4F-3 was flown on 20 August 1940, powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engine with 1,200 horsepower. The subsequent F4F-4, incorporating several improvements including folding wings, six guns and self-sealing fuel tanks, was delivered in November 1941. It was then that the name "Wildcat" was first given to the F4F. As war raged around the world, the Wildcat's reputation and utilization grew immensely. It flew with the US Navy and US Marines in all of the major Pacific battles, and in North Africa with the Navy.

In mid 1942, Grumman realized that it needed to concentrate on the production of its new F6F Hellcat fighter, and so it contracted with the General Motors Company to build the Wildcat under the designation FM-1. The first FM-1 flew on 31 August 1942, and over 1,150 of them were produced, hundreds of which went to the Fleet Air Arm as the "Martlet Mk V." General Motors next developed an improved version, called the FM-2 ("Wildcat Mk VI" in the Fleet Air Arm), which was powered by a Wright R-1820 engine with 1,350 horsepower. It featured a taller vertical tail than the FM-1. Over 4,700 FM-2s were built before the Wildcat was eclipsed by the more capable fighters which appeared later in the war.

Specifications:
Primary Function: Naval Fighter
Contractor: Grumman
Crew: One
Unit Cost: N/A
Powerplant: One 1,200 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine

Dimensions:
Length: 28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
Height: 9 ft 2.5 in (2.81 m)
Weights: - Empty: 5,758 lbs (2,612 kg) - Maximum Takeoff: 7,952 lbs (3,607 kg)

Performance:
Speed: 320 mph (512 km/h) at 19,800 ft & weight of 7975 pounds
Ceiling: 39,400 ft (12,010 m)
Range: 770 miles (1,239 km)

Armaments:
Six .50 caliber Browning machine guns;
Two 100-pound bombs

All photos Copyright of Global Aircraft.Com

[SAMWolf]

Interesting story but now I have to find out more. :)

That's part of our insideous plot. Get people to want to know more. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning HardHead.

Once again thank for the link.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Jen. Thanks for the compliments. You back at school yet?

[SAMWolf]

DD sent me the info on Butch and his Dad quite a while ago. Sometimes it takes us a while to get around to suggestions, but we eventually do. The thread was done shortly after DD sent us the info, just didn't get it scheduled. Sorry it took so long DD.

[snippy_about_it]

That's part of our insideous plot.

You mean I've fallen for our own plot? Egads.

LOL.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Snippy. It's weird reading about street names I('m so familiar with. I grew up on Rockwell street only a lot farther North tha Ogden.

[SAMWolf]

Hi Feather.

[SAMWolf]

1938 Chester Carlson invents the photocopier. He tries to sell the machine to IBM, RCA, Kodak and others, but they see no use for a gadget that makes nothing but copies.

LOL! Great foresight by some of America's largest Corporations.

[SAMWolf]

1955 The prototype of the F-105 Thunder Chief makes its maiden flight

[Jen]

You back at school yet?

Wellllll.... Ummmmmmmm.... Supposed to be......

[SAMWolf]

Morning Skeeter.

Good to hear you enjoy visiting the Foxhole. Just watch out for the Foxholes with the cans and rocks. ;-)