General Motors XF2M-1 : an unbuilt « Wildcat » variant

[hesham]

Hi,

General Motors F2M was single seat monoplane fighter project powered
by one 1350 hp R-1820-70W engine and Loening XFL-1 was single seat
biplane fighter project.

 

[red admiral]

F2M same as General Motors FM-2? F4F-8 produced by GM instead of Grumman.

 

[Tophe]

At http://www.uswarplanes.net/wildcat.html a paragraph "Wildcat variants" mentions "XF2M-1 - 1944, 3 prototypes with engine upgrade, cancelled on VJ Day."
As far as I am concerned, I prefer the twin-boom Japanese fantasy XF2M at http://www.warbirds.jp/kakuki/kyosaku/16ki/xf2m_2.html

 

[hesham]

All thanks to you my dears.

 

[airman]

XF2M-1
The F2M was a design by Eastern Motors for a version of the Wildcat powered by the XR-1820-70 engine. It was never built.
in http://www.vectorsite.net/avwcat.html

@ [7] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY : it speak about "FM-2B / Wildcat VII / Super Wildcat" with armament two cannon of 20 mm and 2 gun of 12,7 mm

any other pics about this ?

 

[Hoo-2b-2day]

In the article you quote the words "Revision history" and "speculated improvements" should have signalled this is a fictional redesign. The F4F/FM-2 was never further upgraded to any large degree as the F8F was designed and manufactured to fill the "small carrier" niche that kept the FM-2 in production so long.

Greg Dobell is a good history writer, but at times does include an element of imagination.

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

As stated, it wasn't built, or at least flown. There's a SAC for it, courtesy of Ryan:

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/XF2M-1_Wildcat_ACP_-_1_May_1944.pdf

 

[Tophe]

A bubble-canopy Hellcat is at http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,6024.0.html
This view above and another one of the bubble-canopy Wildcat are at
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,15619.0.html
But this is what-if plainly (there)…

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Wow Tommy, that is more than just a redesign. I rather like the looks of it though!

Thanks! Mark

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

On that whatif web site referred to us by Tophe, Jon (joncarrfarrelly) posted:

The Eastern XF2M-1 project for an improved FM-2 was actually begun in October 1942. The original concept of installing a larger twin-row radial, the R-2000 and R-2600 were both considered, was quickly rejected in favour of higher performance versions of the Cyclone, either the R-1820-62 or the R-1820-70W. Three prototypes were ordered, none were completed when the project was canceled in the Spring of 1945.

 

[Tailspin Turtle]

Elsewhere, it is written that the XF2M contract was cancelled on VJ day. According to Baugher, BuNos were 82855-7. These were subsequently reassigned to three ex-USAF B-17Gs to be operated by the Coast Guard as PB-1Gs.

 

[Pepe Rezende]

As stated, it wasn't built, or at least flown. There's a SAC for it, courtesy of Ryan:

http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/XF2M-1_Wildcat_ACP_-_1_May_1944.pdf

This is not a Grumman design but is a contrafaction built from a Curtiss SC Seahawk... See the similiarities between them!

http://www.daveswarbirds.com/usplanes/american.htm

In an alternate war scenario the Seahawk could be transformed in a nice fighter...

Cheers

Pepe

 

[lark]

There is a marked difference between the XF2M and the Curtiss aircraft.
The Curtiss aircraft was bigger -compare the dimensions- and it got a different wingplanform...
The XF2M is mentioned in 'Aerofiles'

 

[Stargazer]

Topic split.

Does anyone have a picture of what the XF2M-1 would have looked like?

 

[CostasTT]

I ran into contradicting information about the XF2M-1. One source mentions that no prototypes were built, while others, such as the link posted in Tophe's post, mention three.
Anyway, this is what I managed to unveil so far...
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/little-known-grumman-design-efforts-g-33-g-35-xf2m-1-a-34710.html#post954428

http://ebookbrowse.com/xf2m-1-wildcat-acp-1-may-1944-tommy-pdf-d56011836 (note drawings at the end) also http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/XF2M-1_Wildcat_ACP_-_1_May_1944.pdf

http://www.americancombatplanes.com/f4f_2.html

http://www.google.com/search?safe=off&biw=1920&bih=942&q=%22XF2M-1%22&ie=UTF-8&hl=el&sa=N&tab=iw

 

[Stargazer]

Thanks for the links!

Just realized we already had a topic on that subject before, so I've merged the two... There is now a profile view (albeit basic) in the first page.

My understanding (though I'll have to do some more digging on the subject) is that three prototypes were ordered, but only one was built, and even then, that was never completed once the program got cancelled.

 

[CostasTT]

You are most welcome.
The profile mentions retention of the R-1820, while various other sources mention the R-2000 or even the R-2600. While the latter would not be outside the realms of possibility (the F8F had the R-2800 in a smaller airframe), it would definitely make the takeoff and landing handling characteristics much worse, considering the narrow track landing gear of the F4F/FM series. The problem would have been solved with a new landing gear, such as the wide track one shown in the drawings included in the PDF.

 

[Pioneer]

In the article you quote the words "Revision history" and "speculated improvements" should have signalled this is a fictional redesign. The F4F/FM-2 was never further upgraded to any large degree as the F8F was designed and manufactured to fill the "small carrier" niche that kept the FM-2 in production so long.

Greg Dobell is a good history writer, but at times does include an element of imagination.

Thanks for this clarification.When I first saw this forum, it got me questioning whether it would have distracted from what would become the F8F Bearcat! Granted there still appeared to have been a need for a smaller/lighter carrier-based fighter! RegardsPioneer

 

[Stargazer]

It would seem as if the title of this topic may actually not be correct...

Indeed, according to Jos Heyman, the first XF2M-1 was actually completed but never flown. If true (and I don't know where Heyman got that bit of information from) I would be quite curious to know whatever happened to it:

General Motors developed the XF2M-1 single seat fighter based on the FM and three aircraft were ordered in October 1942 with serials 82855/82857. They were, however, cancelled before the first aircraft, which was completed, was flown.

Specifications:
span: 37’6”, 11.43 m
length: 28'6", 8.69 m
engines: 1 Wright XR-1820-70W
max. speed: 320 mph, 515 km/h

Source: https://usmilitaryaircraft.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/navy-m.pdf

Data obtained from a 1/5 scale model of the XF2M-1 is also included in NACA Research Memorandum No. L6116 (May 16. 1947):
www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a801419.pdf

I'm attaching a profile view from Heyman's archives, as well as a coarse three-view based on a 1/5 scale model tested by NACA.

 

[sienar]

What was the purpose? Dedicated escort carrier fighter?

3 view from https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/27712106

 

[Graham1973]

The original link to the Greg Goebel page on the Grumman Wildcat was broken, so here is an updated link.

http://www.airvectors.net/avwcat.html

 

[RyanC]

What was the purpose? Dedicated escort carrier fighter?

Yes. It all comes down to deck weights, an issue for the early CVEs which could not really carry that much of a main battery.