With the Grumman F4F Wildcat as its principle frontline carrier-based fighter, the United States Navy entered the war with Japan using a warplane that, at least on paper, was much outclassed by Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The real figures show another picture.
Though less maneuverable than its Japanese counterpart and unable to match the Zero's top speed of 330 mph, the stubby, ungainly Wildcat prevailed against the better enemy fighters it encountered in the first months of the war.
Think back on the Coral Sea Battle. U.S. Navy Wildcats shot down 14 A6Ms for a loss of just 10 aircraft during the May 4 to 8, 1942 clash off the Solomons.
Later that year, between Aug. 7 and Nov. 15, Wildcats lost 70 but scored 72 zero kills. And during the same period, 43 Zeros were bagged at a cost of 31 Wildcats in the carrier against carrier conflicts.
The figures kept getting better for the Grumman fighter. Records show that Navy and Marine Corps aviators flying F4Fs shot down 5.9 Zeros for every one Wildcat lost by the end of the Battle of Guadalcanal – Feb. 3, 1943. That ratio finally would rise to 6.9:1.
Why then did the F4F Wildcat enjoy such success if it lagged behind the Zero in performance? Born out of 1936 U.S. Navy need for a new monoplane fighter, the Wildcat was Grumman entered the race flying the F4F-2, an aircraft designed originally as a biplane with retractable landing gear.