Question about FM-2 belly windows

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MIflyer said:
The lower fuselage area behind the cockpit on the F4F was huge, easily big enough to take a full grown man through that big hatch on the side, I've even read where they did carry a person in there for short trips.
Click to expand...
I remember fueling an FM2 at MPV that came from someplace in eastern Connecticut which had a passenger compartment in the lower fuselage with insulated, soundproofed interior, two soft comfortable seats facing each other, sound system, intercom, and blue tinted windows that formed the blue bars in the US insignia on the fuselage side. This whole assembly was shock mounted on rubber donuts for vibration isolation. (It WAS a Wright engine, after all.) I asked him if this effected CG, and he said "No problem, I hold the STC on this and it involves shifting some other stuff forward."
BTW, those pix of the belly from Wurger and MiFlyer look like the panel/window is held in with pan head Dzus fasteners, not screws. Do you suppose they were interchangeable?
Cheers,
Wes
 
I heard that too, about being able to check the landing gear. However, looking at the pictures, I very much doubt the pilot could see forward enough through those windows to see the gears. Anyone know?
 
Hi Skyediamonds,

You're right - the landing gear could not be seen through those windows. They were called bombing windows and designed to help fighters against shipboard antiaircraft guns while dive bombers and torpedo planes did their jobs. It sounded like a good idea at the time...

Cheers,


Dana
 
Dana,

Thank you for your reply. It's much appreciated. Grau and fellow members, just on the subject of these small windows, I've never seen such an incredible amount of detailed information presented on this (or any other) forum. It's truly amazing the wealth of information that is available through this site.

Wurger, was very instrumental in helping me secure detailed information on the various stenciling of the P-51D Mustang. I'm in the process of super-detailing this Guillow's Mustang very similar to my previous detailing of Guillow's S.E.5 and Wright Bros' Flyer, both build threads can be viewed on this site on the modeling thread section. The Mustang is truly a challenge for me as I'm pushing my own boundaries to areas never attempted before and doing lots of experiments along the way.

Thank you all.

Skye
 
I found this: a cover access panel instead the plexiglas or plain skin on FM2 , airplanes 16152 to 16791 and 46838 & up, the inside receive one coat interior green over zinc chromat primer
 
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Now that I've come to think of it, does anyone have any photos of FM-2's with the belly windows installed? (I know that sounds rather unlikely, but I'd still like to see for myself.)
 
I've got several hundred FM-2 photos, but this is the only one that shows the bombing windows. (All the others that were labeled as FM-2s and showed the windows turned out to be FM-1s).

Cheers,



Dana
 

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  • FM-2 - Anzio - Typhoon damage - 18 Dec 1944 - 80-G-298056.jpg
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Don't forget that the FAA had about 340 FM-2s, named "Wildcat Mk.IV" which should not be confused with the Martlet IV.

Here's the deck of HMS Illustrious loaded with Wildcat Mk.IVs and if you closely at the one in the foreground, you can see the belly window.

 
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