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  F4F-4 Wildcat Bureau Number 12068  
USMC
VMF-214
"Black Sheep"


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Richard Rudd 1971

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Earl Hinz 1980

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David Paulley 1982

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Richard Rudd 1982

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Chris Cowx 1998
Pilot  Lt. James "Jim" G. G. Taylor (survived)
Force Landed  March 14, 1943

Aircraft History
Built by Grumman Corporation in Bethpage, New York as a model G-36 with manually operated folding wings. On December 6, 1942 delivered to the U.S. Navy (USN) as F4F-4 Wildcat bureau number 12068 at NAS New York. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Pearl Harbor then to the South Pacific (SOPAC) to Espiritu Santo and reassembled.

Wartime History
Assigned to U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). On January 21, 1943 assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 214 (VMF-214) "Black Sheep" on Espiritu Santo. No known nickname or nose art.

Mission History
On March 14, 1943 took off from Espiritu Santo piloted by Lt. James "Jim" G. G. Taylor on a ferry flight bound for Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. This Wildcat force landed in kunai grass thirty miles east of Henderson Field, about a half mile from the north coast of Guadalcanal.

Wreckage
This Wildcat remained in situ until 1973.

Richard Rudd recalls the crash site before it was recovered:
"Looked like it had been ground-looped, one U/C leg buckled and a wrinkled in the top skin of the wing on the ground on that side. But in those days around Henderson Field there were wings, props and all manner of bits and pieces lying around."

Display
During 1973, recovered using a tractor and loaded onto a barge and transported to Honiara. Later, moved to Vilu War Museum where it is displayed outdoors to this day.

References
Navy Serial Number Search Results - F4F-4 Wildcat 12068
USN Overseas Aircraft Loss List March 1943 - F4F-4 Wildcat 12068
The Black Sheep (2000) page 79, 488, 526 (index)
Bruce Gamble adds: "I think Taylor is now deceased, but I interviewed him for the book more than 10 years ago and got the story."
Pacific Aircraft Wrecks page 45 (upper)
Thanks to Richard Rudd and Bruce Gamble for additional information

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Last Updated
December 12, 2023

Tech Info
Wildcat

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