grummanwildcat

Grumman XF4F-8 Wildcat BuNo 12229, possibly one of two prototypes, lighter weight version with Wright XR-1820-56 Cyclone 1,350hp engine, tall tail, belly windows deleted. Later possibly fitted with straight radio mast, and possibly became the prototype for the most produced Wildcat variant, the Eastern FM-2, with 4,407 going to the US Navy, plus 370 to the Fleet Air Arm as the "Wildcat VI".

From a George Retelas February, 2022 Facebook post (Found by my Google search for Keith Diz Laird): Dean S. "Diz" Laird (born February 7, 1921) is the only U.S. Navy ace to have combat victories in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II. In this new short film I produced for the USS Hornet Museum, Diz recalls his first combat flight in a F4F Wildcat with VF-4 "The Red Rippers" against the German Luftwaffe (a Junkers Ju-88 and a Heinkel He-115) on October 4, 1943 near Norway. He later added three more strikes against Japanese aircraft in the Pacific theater in a F6F Hellcat to become an "Ace". Diz Laird currently volunteers as a docent aboard the USS Hornet Museum where the ship has restored an FM-2 Wildcat that was recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan. "Two Down, Three to Go" (5min): youtu.be/CtVOnYvv4Uw USS Hornet - Sea, Air and Space Museum American Fighter Aces Association & Friends The Tailhook Association Naval History & Heritage Command U.S. Naval Air Forces The Red Rippers

Is it possible to verify if this is Bu No 2537? Stig

Yep, 2537

Great :-) Thanks Stig