page_title: Grumman F4F Wildcat
section_title: Martlet Mk I
hierarchical_section_title: Grumman F4F Wildcat / Variants / Royal Navy Martlets / Martlet Mk I
caption_attribution_description: The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation at Bethpage, Long Island (USA), on 12 October 1940. The aircraft visible is most probably a G-36A. This was the export version of the F4F Wildcat for France. After the defeat of France in June 1940, all contracts were taken over by Britain. The planes were reequipped with British/US equipment and gun by Blackburn and renamed Martlet Mk.I.
context_page_description: The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the United States Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater during the early part of the Second World War. The disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn in favor of the Wildcat and replaced as aircraft became available.
  With a top speed of 318 mph, the Wildcat was outperformed by the faster 331 mph, more maneuverable at lower speed range, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi A6M Zero. However, the F4F's ruggedness is superior to the maneuverable in the high speed range and dive, coupled with tactics such as the Thach Weave and high-side guns pass manoeuvres using altitude advantage, resulted in a claimed air combat kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for the entire war.
  Lessons learned from the Wildcat were later applied to the faster F6F Hellcat.
context_section_description: At the end of 1939, Grumman received a French order for 81 aircraft of model G-36A, to equip their new Joffre-class aircraft carriers: Joffre and Painlevé. The main difference with the basic model G-36 was due to the unavailability for export of the two-stage supercharged engine of F4F-3. The G-36A was powered by the nine-cylinder, single-row Wright R-1820-G205A radial engine, of 1,200 hp (890 kW) and with a single-stage two-speed supercharger.
  The G-36A also had French instruments (with metric calibration), radio and gunsight. The throttle was modified to conform to French pre-war practice: the throttle lever was moved towards the pilot (i.e. backward) to increase engine power. The armament which was to be fitted in France was six 7.5 mm (.296 in) Darne machine guns (two in the fuselage and four in the wings). The first G-36A was flown on 11 May 1940. After France's defeat in the Battle of France, all contracts were taken over by Britain. The throttle was modified again, four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) guns were installed in the wings and most traces of the original ownership removed.
  The Martlets were modified for British use by Blackburn, which continued to do this for all later marks. British gunsights, catapult spools and other items were installed. After attempts to fit British radio sets, it was decided to use the superior American equipment. The first Martlets entered British service in August 1940, with 804 Naval Air Squadron, stationed at Hatston in the Orkney Islands. The Martlet Mk I did not have a wing folding mechanism and was therefore used primarily from land bases, with the notable exception of six aircraft of 882 Sqn aboard Illustrious from March 1942. In April 1942 Illustrious transferred two Martlet I aircraft to HMS Archer while in port at Freetown. One of her four retained Martlet I aircraft were subsequently fitted with folding wings by ship's staff during passage to Durban. In 1940, Belgium also placed an order for at least 10 Martlet Mk 1s. These were to be modified with the removal of the tailhook. Belgium surrendered before any aircraft were delivered and by 10 May 1940, the aircraft order was transferred to the Royal Navy.
caption: A G-36A at Grumman, 1940
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