FM-2 Wildcat, Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors. This is an aircraft that should have become obsolescent during the war, with its magnificent replacement the F6F Hellcat taking its place with the USN fleet carriers; but the need for handy fighters which could operate from 'jeep' carriers in the Pacific, or off escort carrier decks in the Atlantic meant that General Motors turned out thousands of the FM-1 and the more powerful FM-2 version at the behest of Grumman. Capable of taking on a Zero, or attacking a U-Boat with 6 x 5" underwing rockets, the FM-2 was still useful at war's end. This example is taking off from Barnes Regional Airport, Massachusetts. #USA #USN #RN #Grumman #WW2 #Pacific #Atlantic #Zero #Hellcat #BarnesRegionalAirport #Massachusetts #avgeek #escortcarrier #aircraftcarrier #fleetcarrier #jeepcarrier #FM2 #FM1 #GeneralMotors #EasternAircraftDivision #UBoat #underwingrockets #photography #history #warfare #navalwarfare