Martlet Mk.II: Extra bracing bars. British GM-1 sight.
Martlet Mk.IV: No extra bars. GM-1 sight (which in pics from a distance looks very similar to the USN Mk.8.
Martlet Mk.V: No extra bars. Generally GM-1 sight; one pic showed a GM-2 (presumably installed later in the war).
Martlet Mk.VI: No extra bars. GM-1 sight. (And GM-2, I would assume, installed later.)
In short:
I, II and III all have extra bars. I would suggest the panel/instrument package from F4F-3.
IV, V and VI have no extra bars. I would suggest the panel/instrument package from F4F-4.Totally agree
I and III have N-2 sight; II, IV, V and VI have GM-1 sight. (Would the UK have used the USN Mk.8 sight and its different reticle? The Mk.8 is basically a copy of the GM-1, the latter having gone into production earlier.)
We enter fiction, restored Martlets are for Instrumentation, not Gunsights, a bad representative.
But all we have. What is known is lil that helps, just so much, the British Purchasing Commission
did grew Grumman grey hairs over reluctantly wanting newest inventions, but at Equipment please Imperial.
Even contracted equipment, reversed French Throttles didn't made Brits happy.
At one report they got the Mk.Is stripped off again, after being delivered in contracted state. How Silly is that?
Who should know what modifications they did, they didn't recorded. Maybe had pillows stuffed for the pilots ass. Joke.
Contracts were sometimes changed weekly.
Documentation is thin. At Radios alone for Mk.I 3 major changes, you can literally not
find clear subject at what setup they popped up after Maintenance overhaul at FAA Stations, Depots.
Some Mk.V had different Radio arrays than usual Mk.V? That is FAA and Martlets.
Squadron Modifications?
What we know is US delivery Sources, not matching Service, Service pictures, not many good,
mostly delivery state Aircraft in HD, actual Service Martlets in HD are rare.
restored state, is post war state, not matching Service.
Pilots, Veterans Bla-Bla, "Nice Plane, messed up Instruments, not british, but flies" Not more.
That's all a mashed up Salad, nothing real written in stone.
To answer your question, if you want that Mk.8, do it, give it Reticle you like, I have no source claiming different.
You need to use the enclosed pdf to allocate the Batches properly? Did that in accordance with checking FAA Serial???
Martlet Mk.I:
Extra bracing bars. US N-2 sight.Martlet Mk.III:
Some have no bars, other have them; I would stay with the extra bars. Generally the US N-2 sight.Green is OKRed is a Nope
Strutts on Mk.I? Not here, not in Future...not in the Past
Mk.III with Strutts is nothing else than F4F-3A, look up down a few Posts, as Mk.III that's this ex Greek Batch here
not the same is this
From what I know, look at Serial (enclosed pdf), see Strutts...
AX725 and picture Nairobi_05_edited is what I see at large repros a GM-1. From Serial it's not F4F-3A origin, but French, hence GM-1.
Similar to the Greek Batch a former G-36A Batch which is registered and used up in the Desert, only difference to
former was the Wright Engine instead Twin Wasp, and now comes confusing, no cowling changes there.
Hence it is literally unable to make out differences. But that is not that unusual at early Wildcat Production.
The same as for some F4F-3s of US production.
If from the French Batch, GM-1 was used, that shows pictures of East African Mk.IIIs ranging this Block,
not N-2 as the Greek Batch. Most pictures at Mackinnon road were from this 2nd French divert Block.
At the strutts we can discuss, but not at GM-1.
Our MK.I can go literally as the pure G-36A derived Mk.III, it serves a two fold purpose. Here see why...
Now to strutts-less Mk.III, a different Breed, literally diverted ex French (Baguette) Batch, we know as Mk.I, no Strutts...
why they were called Mk.III, ask British purchasing Commission, it's the same G-36A, not F4F-3A.
They had regular F4F-3 used up on Anacostia NAS for FAA Training, also Mk.III.
Confused? Mk.III Batch meant, grabbing as much or what you get.
A donkey Bridge is Simple F4F-3A strutts, G-36A no strutts, Mk.I or Mk.III.
Hope you understand, Mk.I is Hybrid, Mk.III seems to be as Hybrid of a Hybrid as a Wildcat can be.
It took me Months to understand, collect all stuff and come near a puzzle to recollect.
Still a lot of unsure things, but you can't understand Martlets fully, if you're ignoring US Production.
I think both played at hand at outcome, literally.
Best wishes
Tobias
Author
Topic: Wildcats -- Martlets US/GB Revision... 2023 v.1.6.6 (Read 8170 times)
