The Wildcat’s Belly Windows

YouTube / AirZoo

Phased Out Later On

Euan from Air Zoo takes us through the Wildcat’s often-forgotten belly windows. 

The FM-2 Wildcats were essentially an improved version of the iconic Grumman Wildcat, only differentiated by their taller fins and powerful engine.

Like other Wildcats, the museum’s FM-2 has two windows located underneath the fuselage on both sides – most of the time, these would be covered by a single piece of metal. 

However, that’s not always the case for all the Wildcats. In some variants, these would be functional belly windows covered with glass. These windows would then give the pilots better visibility underneath them during missions.

By the time the FM-2 was introduced, the Wildcat’s designers had already decided to board these windows up since they weren’t that important.