Oshkosh, WI – EAA AirVenture 2013 – A Grumman (Eastern Aircraft) FM-2 Wildcat that was raised for Lake Michigan in late 2012 is on display at EAA’s AirVenture Warbird Area. The plane had been sitting at the bottom of the lake off the Chicago shoreline for more than 65 years after crashing during a carrier operations training flight.
The project was initiated by the National Naval Aviation Museum and the Naval History and Heritage Command; the plane’s location, recovery, restoration, and eventual display is being sponsored by the museum foundation.
A crew from A and T Recovery in Chicago performed the recovery operation, with funding from Charles Greenhill, EAA 113991/Warbirds of America 12289, of Mettawa, Illinois.
“This effort will lead to another important World War II aircraft being presented to the American public that shows the significant history of the greatest generation, whose courage and dedication to our country preserved America’s and the world’s freedom,” said Capt. Ed Ellis, JAGC, USN (Ret.), vice president of the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. “The Naval Aviation Museum will work for display of the Wildcat in the Chicago area in a venue, such as the Glenview Hangar One Museum.”
According to the military’s report, the aircraft (FM-2 Wildcat Bureau No. 57039) crashed into the lake in about 200 feet of water at 1151 hours on December 28, 1944. The pilot, Ensign William E. Forbes, was about to make his third takeoff from the USS Sable for his aircraft carrier qualification. Although the engine had checked out okay, it began to “pop” on the takeoff roll and then quit completely. It rolled off the carrier’s bow and sank. Forbes survived the crash and went on to fly escort for Pacific-based ship convoys off the USS Antietam and USS Cabot carriers.
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