grummanwildcat

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

Yep, 2537

Great :-) Thanks Stig

A neat picture of Jimmy Thach, a close friend of our family. He was in VP-5F with my father in the late '30s in Panama. W.K. Berner Jr.

Here is film of Thach and Butch O'Hare at Kaneohe, which was likely captured contemporaneously with this photo on April 10, 1942 (note the identical kill markings and smudge marks underneath the canopy sill above and on the Wildcat that Thatch boards in the film). YouTube - Critical Past: US Navy Lt.Edward O'Hare and LCDR John Thach, of VF-3, prepare for flight at Kaneohe www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5sx4wks6vU also: www.criticalpast.com/video/65675061850_United-States-Navy... Further, here is additional film of Thach (in the F4F Wildcat marked "F1", F4F-3, BuNo 3976) and O'Hare (in the aircraft marked "F13", F4F-3, BuNo 3986) flying over Oahu, including Kaneohe (likely filmed as part of the same effort as the photo and footage above): YouTube - CriticalPast: US Navy Lt. Edward Henry "Butch" O'Hare and LCDR John S. Thach, in flight over Hawaii www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKD7i6PgKa8

Grumman XF4F-5 BuNo 1846 (one of two converted from F4F-3) tested with turbosupercharged Wright R-1820-54 engine.