Grumman Wildcat - Part 2 - Kermie Cam

You Are There! Come fly the Grumman Wildcat with me. Parts one and two are preflight, and part three we will take flight. It will be fun. - Kermit Weeks (20121120)
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[@ioanniszorgianos5299]

These videos are priceless. Every owner of restaured airplane should make one.

[@sultros]

My god that motor sounds amazing. I admit, I still run outside when I hear a radial. I often see Texans flying over and an occasional B17 housed at an airfield near my house. Kermit is the luckiest man on earth to be able to fly these amazing machines.

[@Bunczu]

+Sultros Drunknsage Flying is one thing, being able to pilot it - the other ;) Check the one with P51D Mustang.

[@davidsmart8594]

I'm glad I'm not alone... I run outside every time I hear Merlin engines (and I'm in my '50s) and am not disappointed when I see a Spitfire fly over (I live in the SE England).

[@fishsquishguy1833]

Escape Velocity He is lucky I agree, but we are lucky that he’s able to, and actually does, share his incredible adventures with us!

[@joseantoniomartin3155]

not luck but MONEY...

[@AirGuitar]

Agreed. A big, loud radial engine is one of the best sounds!

[@shannonwittman950]

My gosh, its not hard to imagine sitting in one of these on a carrier deck with dozens of other radials rumbling all together ... trying to remember instructions at the briefing ... going through my checklist ... scanning the instruments ... various teams running around the deck preparing everything for launch ... nerves about getting my plane successfully off deck, then winding up the gear and forming up the squadron ... and out there somewhere is a welcoming committee of Japanese fighters ... no time to think about the folks at home and maybe I won't return ...

[@KermitWeeks444]

That is a trip to think about . . . and most of them were really just kids - 21 to 22 was the average!

[@CARSON441]

@@KermitWeeks444 I had a friend whose hanger was next to mine that flew one of the F4U's in the Pacific. He's no longer with us RIP. he had several planes but whatever he flew it was a pleasure to watch his circular slipping carrier type landings that he'd learned from his Navy instructors 50 years before when he was just a kid.

[@soggymarshmallow]

He blew through those run-ups so quickly - testimony to his familiarity with the aircraft. Impressive.

[@jsfbr]

Very impressive fighter! Very small, turbo charger, very thin wings, auto flaps... I had no idea it was that sophisticated. Fantastic!

[@williamkeith8944]

It has always amazed me how aircraft design advanced so rapidly after the Wright brothers first flight. This aircraft and all its systems were developed less than 40 years after Orville Wright first took flight.

[@srcreeper02550]

yes, and just 3 years after the first flight, planes have already started to fly on their own engine. 6 years later and they have already started to be used as a military weapon.

[@blairguinea6811]

Found Kermit and his planes last week, now I am hooked !!!!! I love it , his articulate knowledge, his attitude , and of course his ability to fly impeccably makes it Christmas every day ! Thanks Kermit for your style

[@KermitWeeks444]

Thanks for the compliment. Keep following. More cool clips to come.

[@blairguinea6811]

Lookin forward to it

[@MrTheedge8]

the engine sound is incredible, i love this

[@rconger24]

Thank-you, Kermit Weeks! This was fantastic to see all of this happening in front of me. Always wondered what it would be like to fly one of these. I have a special interest in the Wildcat and other Navy planes of the era , because my father was a carrier aircraft mechanic at that very time. I just wish that I could sit with him and watch all three reels of your video together, but unfortunately he passed at the age of 83 at the end of the year 2004 , before KZbin was a thing and certainly before you had your Channel. But Thanks all the same Kermit, I can just imagine that he is with me and I am very grateful to you for this production. Warm regards, Ray Conger PS I still have his classroom notes for the courses that he took to learn how to work on these incredible birds!

[@doctpmt]

Mr Weeks, thank you so much for showing use your collection. Keeping history alive. Salute!

[@johngolding4229]

Thanks for an in-depth startup. Always wondered what it was like. 👍🏼😊. Amazing machine!!

[@EnterpriseXI]

The Wildcat I think doesn't get a lot of credit. It held the front lines in the Pacific and bore the brunt of Japanese attacks. Good bird.

[@roberthickerty390]

Myfavourite USN/Marine WW2 fighter. The Corsair was a close second but there is just something cool about the Wildcat. It ooks tough and belligerent.

[@steveb6103]

By the time the United States entered the war, the Japanese pilots were the best in the world. The Wildcat pilots not only took on the best, but it overcame them.

[@mac22011964]

A wonderful series of films. Now, imagine doing all that north of the Arctic circle as you head to Murmansk on an convoy to Russia where you are taking off into 8/10ths cloud and your airfield is pitching and yawing and won’t be in the same place when you come back! This was the situation my Farther in Law and many like him found themselves in. He loved the Wildcat, it was much, much tougher than the Seafire (maritime version of the Spitfire), very forgiving and you could actually see the deck when landing!

[@TheDisabledGamersChannel]

Good lord that plane sounds amazing, i've seen allot of them at air shows throughout my life and in my opinion it one of the best sounding engines of it time.

[@homunculous007]

Your fabulous videos help us model builders tremendously. Copious thanks. 🛩

[@ron5935]

About 30 years ago my family was at the Kalamazoo air zoo and they did a photo shoot of their Wildcat, Hellcat, Tiger cat, and bearcat. A B25 was used with the tail glass removed to hold a camera. The F4 pilot came out and fired up the engine. He was 60 years old, grey crewcut and actually was a Wildcat pilot in WW2. I saw them all take off and leave for photo location.

[@Patrick_B687-3]

Gosh, Thank you so much for sharing all these great videos with us. How else would we see this? Wonderful stuff.

[@grandsportcorvette]

Mr. K were so glad we have you to do this for us.

[@rbnhood39]

Thanks Kermit , I really appreciate and enjoy all of your videos.

[@Treetop64]

Lol! Love how the engine noise totally overwhelms the commentary! Still, don't let that stop you from making these videos. These are great!

[@craigpennington1251]

When this aircraft is at idle speed, it reminds me of that old 68 Dodge Super Bee I used to have. It idled just like this . Scared the crap out of a lot people on the road. I took out the original engine and put in a 413 solid lifter and was running 60" x 2 3/4" straights. It was a beast.

[@KermitWeeks444]

Sounds pretty boss!

[@craigpennington1251]

Thanks for the reply. If one could've foreseen the huge price increase in those old muscle cars, I'd be a rich fellow. But who knew? Great videos Kermit, really enjoy them.

[@martentrudeau6948]

F4F is a WW2 hero, I knew navy pilots who flew it during the war and said it was a good fighter. Navy pilots were trained to fight using tactics that enabled the F4F to hold it's own against the Zero, and have some success. This plane is a beautiful example, thanks.

[@billbright1755]

The Thatch Weave was a technical maneuver to try to keep the Zeros from shooting your Wildcat down. A wingman’s guns would come to bear if Zero was too focused on lead. They basically weren’t as capable as the Zero but had a tougher build to absorb more damage. The Zero was strictly offensive with little or no armor plate which is very heavy. Trade offs in the game of for keeps. A top Zero ace was very formidable, never enter turning fight with him, cut and run, as his ship doesn’t like maneuvers above 300 mph. Below that it was basically a aerobatic dream with potent guns.

[@Franky46Boy]

Today I started my Opel Kapitan of 1939 up after standing idle for 3 years. The engine just sounded like this Wildcat radial after start-up and before warming-up: First running on 4 cylinders, than on 5 and finally running smoothly on all 6 cylinders. :-)

[@garynew9637]

Can't hear a thing when that engine starts lol. Beautiful.

[@qibble455]

Awesome video. Thanks for making these vids KWH. It's neat to get a first hand look at this aircraft.

[@TheClassicalSauce]

So awesome. Thanks for sharing this with us!

[@hanziwatdan5373]

Great reporting. Thanks Kevin share with us .classic plane lovers .

[@MarcvanExel]

Fantastic!!! The real thing, this is some very interesting footage. Looking forward to the next episode!

[@bobbreit5244]

That thing sounded like my shovel head startin up. What a beautiful sound.

[@kayakbrent]

Perfectly safe outrageous video! Gnarly without telling you how.

[@flyingwolves5966]

such a beautiful old plane

[@greenjeansmjr]

When you were about to hit the starter, my left foot pushed an imaginary clutch pedal!

[@MrWarneet]

Mine pushed an imaginary rudder pedal... lol

[@scmacklin1]

Good God, now I know why my Dad and his friends were so macho, they flew Corsairs in the Marine Corps.

[@pR1mal.]

That Wildcat sounded SO good when it came to life.

[@YTRFStinger]

Lucky man! Thanks for this one more ride. What a rush, hem?! Nice.

[@Giovanniram22]

Wow! Thank you for "take us" with you.

[@jfit771]

Holy crap, aviation has come a LONG way since 1940s!!

[@franciscoleonardo151]

Those Wild Cats with the bigger Pratt and Whitney Engines installed on them were hell on the Zeros, but still could not turn as those Zeros. The Japanese were never able to develop the zeros further during the war

[@TK421-53]

Francisco Leonardo actually the Zero was developed until the end of the war, however the general design itself had only limited room for development - engine, protection etc. The real problem was not Zero development, but lack of a replacement (although there were some advanced Navy types in the late war period). Losing most of their carriers made that a mute point.

[@fight2flyphoto]

Your videos are the best! Thanks for posting these! :-)

[@secondthought2320]

Man, amazing to watch history!!

[@deorasta]

BEST VIDEOS ON KZbin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@VideoRanger]

Thank you for these unique and informative videos.

[@Adam-xd4sb]

Yes, its the earliest implementation of the HUD, with optical gunsights. It also allowed the pilots to adjust the convergence of their weapons (Convergence is where the bullet of each gun will meet, and theoretically should hit in the same spot, HAH), on the fly! Something unheard of, not 5 years before!

[@ZoomerEtc1]

I love the sound of the engine!! I can feel the vibration. Now if I just had the smell- LOL

[@pontiacfan76]

Always loved fighter jets. But there is something damn sexy about a piston fighter.

[@lukasikmarcin]

I' ve been looking for such videos for ages. Fantasitc!

[@jasonharrop98]

Would love to see you do the same run through with a Corsair and hell cat , maybe a bear cat to .

[@maxyakov273]

Thanks for these videos, Kermit.

[@joseantoniomartin3155]

Thank you so muich for the videos... You are a blessed man.

[@r1l2b31]

Seems like a Lotta work for landing gear actuation!

[@bryanhallman8183]

Try doing all of that, and then landing on a postage stamp that's pitching all over the place in the Pacific Ocean... Escort carriers were even smaller.

[@oldcremona]

Later warbirds are faster and more glamorous but I love the old Wildcat the best. It held the line at a crucial part of the war.

[@couden]

The most beautiful sound in the world.

[@timwhitfield5877]

Flying the Wildcat sounds difficult. Those pilots had to learn a lot in a short amount of time. You have to admire them.

[@SCtbf4]

Love the Cat in the background prior to take off. PBY power lol

[@Nathan-pw7do]

Hellcats and Corsairs get all the glory but the wildcats are dauntlesses did the heavy lifting.

[@willvila8104]

excelente gracias por mostrar lo que muchos como yo lograremos algún día volar . como lo hacen ustedes .bien hecho

[@DFX2KX]

I noticed you leave the reflector sights in your aircraft. Do they still work (showing the crosshairs)? Obviously the guns don't, though.

[@HoundDogMech]

Kermit: Next time they do an Annual where they need to cycle the GEAR on the Wild Cat would it be Possible to see the complete Mechanism the Gear uses to Retract and extend. Love to see the REAL thing and Compare it to some of the Model gear made for Giant Scale R/C F4F's. Thanks.

[@falconeaterf15]

Thank you very much!

[@seansky2721]

Airplane Nut food for the Soul! Are you gonna teach me to fly the old P-Boat next! When I grow up.............

[@SSGRockFury]

I don't think Wildcat drivers could change the convergence of the guns in-flight, Adam... That happens on the ground... Generally the guns were harmonized for a convergence of 300 yards, but some pilots had them sighted to hit at two hundred, with others, it was a mix, say 200 with four guns, the two outboard guns at 300. It was personal preference, however that was only if a pilot had an airplane assigned to him. In Marine VFs, the pilots flew whatever A/C was available. So the guns were sighted the same in each aircraft...

[@servicarrider]

If it's round it's sound.

[@bradsparks6008]

How the hell do you get to do all of these awesome videos in so much of a verity of aircraft

[@KermitWeeks444]

Pretty darn lucky. I happen to own the largest private collection of vintage aircraft in the world, and have flown most of them. Here's a little clip on my background. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYrVgnlreMuWhaM

[@bradsparks6008]

@@KermitWeeks444 Mega lucky could I have your p51 free of charge!!

[@GTOAviator]

Meanwhile the 109's babied their pilots with automatic prop pitch and fuel mixture systems. Love the Wildcat, so raw :)

[@Livedracersteve]

I have been to that airport and that pby didn't look so good the last time I was there

[@tobeytobey9613]

Kermie's brain must be in overload with all the planes he flies, lol

[@brentfoto]

Is that big contraption with a slip indicator directly above the instrument panel in the middle with the plastic hood a magnetic compass or ...?

[@BluecollarBeck]

Where are you guys located at? Spectacular video.. thank you for describing every little part. Very informative, very cool. Let me know if I can wash the planes or help around. You guys are a true inspiration, thank you.

[@KermitWeeks444]

Located at Fantasy of Flight, Kermit Weeks aviation facility and attraction in Polk City, Florida.

[@Bolivar2012able]

Kermit! You need to go to subtitles once you start the engine. Can't hear what you're saying, but I respect your knowledge of these Old Lady's.

[@mqbitsko25]

You have to manually crank the gear? I've got a strong right arm too but for an entirely different reason.

[@russellnelius]

I wish you would do some kermie cams on the larger airplanes, bombers, etc.

[@cha0ticmnkeys]

Did the Wildcat use a shotgun style coffman starter? Is it common to change that out for an electric starter when restoring these planes? Spectacular channel by the way!

[@demef758]

LOL. "Let's see if I can talk louder than my 1200 HP engine.... Nope, I guess not!"

[@MrJp990]

I love these old smoky birds. Oorah!

[@dwtees]

I have noticed that large high performance radial aircraft engines, and v12 Allison and Rolls Royce Merlin for that matter, have a rough lope to their idle like an automotive v-8 with a high overlap camshaft. I saw a cutaway of a Wright single row engine once and was surprised to find the cam is actually a disc with cam bumps around the circumference. If you think about it how else could it be done! My question: Did the engine manufacturers during WWII put a lot of overlap into these engines for increased performance? I've noticed that some smaller single row civilian vintage aircraft radial engines have a smooth idle.

[@spectre2025]

great video Kermit, please get a proper mic so we can hear you once you fire the engine i find your videos very informative just wish i could hear you in flight thank you sir

[@izzynutz2000]

we are really enjoying your Kerrmi cam videos..... but where is part 3...? we want to see it fly... is it titled differently and we missing it?

[@KermitWeeks444]

See you found it. Great!

[@crotaflyingsolo4759]

LOL Sounds like a 47 Harley Davidson Knuckle Head

[@daveroberts9921]

Can you imagine the balls it would take to fly that bucket of bolts off a carrier deck.

[@emmetwright5495]

I saw the Catalina in the background! Is there a video of that?

[@Deputybull]

Were all Wildcats hand cranked landing gear or did later models have hydraulic actuated gear?

[@boboala1]

About propeller pitch...what's the strategy? Coarse for low/fast flying and flat for higher/thin air cruising? Seems like the coarsest angle, in general, is best all around...in my novice mind?

[@garyjohns4711]

so many things to do and go wrong amazing we can even fly

[@richgg2]

Is that a PBY on your 10 o'clock?????

[@tplus3017]

Yes that is a Catalina PBY.

[@Daan_29]

Is this from his private collection?

[@looneytunes47]

Ive always have herd that the landing gear practically drops down on its own when lowering them for landings? So this is not true Kermit?

[@bradleycampbell5933]

so you think a Harley is loud and shakes? love this plane !!

[@Pfsif]

Shaking gets rid of any loose nuts and bolts.

[@bradleycampbell5933]

lmao shakes loose nuts and bolts

[@judgingmorty7371]

Kermit: so...the...eng...sta.... All I hear: ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ

[@P51]

Ok, I'm gonna go hurl, be back in a few for part III...

[@P51]

Anthony Smith Guess not.

[@gameseeker6307]

5:15 Why did the steering stick (?) move after the engine started?

[@KlausEnser]

thanks for the video!

[@dibaldgyfm9933]

What is that thing at head-level - a shooting sight? bomb-sight? Looks as if it may incur a head injury! From another comment I gather it is a gun-sight. Is it?

[@billfitzmaurice3837]

Gun sight, it's a fighter, not a bomber.

[@spitfireOverton]

why... why does this engine sound so good

[@timwhitfield5877]

Forgive me for sounding stupid but what is that right in your face when you look straight ahead, gun sight maybe? I love your videos. Just a little jealous lol !

[@kennethcohagen9037]

Ouch! I know they used P63's as pinballs. It's too bad, I've never either one fly in person.

[@NK-dl2nc]

Pardon! I cant hear you! Fantastic stuff👍

[@fox2102]

The old girl still purs

[@alexpushkin85]

Awesome!

[@dyer2cycle]

May already have been said and I missed it, but is this an F4F or FM-2?