Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat USN

At the beginning of World War II, the F4F Wildcat was the US Navy's main fighter aircraft operating from aircraft carriers. This aircraft, characterized by its bulkier appearance, was developed on the basis of Grunman's successful series of pre-war biplanes and entered service with the US Navy a year before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Before the battles of Midway and Guadalcanal, the F4F-4 became the most numerous variant and, together with the new combat tactics, allowed American naval pilots to gain the upper hand over the hitherto invincible Mitsubishi Zero.