The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service in 1940 with the United States Navy. The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. | War History Online

The Grumman F4F Wildcat might not have been the fastest or sleekest fighter of WWII, but it earned legendary status through toughness and tactics. With its Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine producing 1,200 hp, it managed around 318 mph and could climb past 30,000 ft. Armed with four to six .50 cal Brownings, it packed enough firepower to shred bombers and fighters alike. Against Japan’s A6M Zero, the Wildcat was heavier, slower and less agile. What it lacked in finesse, it made up for in a