Grumman Martlet

history

Desperate for modern Naval fighter aircraft, the Royal Navy turned to a batch of 91 Grumman G-36A aircraft which had been stranded without an owner after the fall of France. Named Martlet in RN service, the F-4F went on to serve throughout the war. The Martlet was the first American built fighter aircraft to score a victory when two from No, 804 Squadron forced down a Ju 88 which had been attempting to bomb the fleet at Scappa Flow in October of 1940.

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The Museum's Martlet is the only survivor of the original French order, and the sole remaining Martlet I in the world. It is presented partially restored, wearing a pristine finish on the fuselage. Everywhere else, the paint is worn and chipped from 70 years of harsh existence. Sharp-eyed viewers will note that the camouflage colours are not standard for RN fighters. This is the result of painstaking investigation by the museum's conservation staff during the ongoing restoration.