BuNo. 1883, VF-72, USS Wasp (CV-7), December 1940

The first production batch of Wildcats, a total of 49 aircraft, was delivered in a pre-war color scheme. This means that the fuselage and lower wing surfaces were painted in aluminum color, while the upper wing surfaces were painted yellow. Insignias on the wings were placed in all four positions, and on the fuselage, they were either painted on the nose or on the engine cowling. The insignia position indicated the neutral status of these aircraft. The affiliation to individual ships was determined by the color of the tail surfaces. Aircraft with black coloring belonged to the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7). Stripes on the wings and the coloring of the front part of the engine cowling identified which section within the unit the aircraft belonged to. In the case of red coloring, it was the first section, and if the machine had the entire front part of the engine cowling and a stripe on the fuselage painted in the section color, it was the leader's machine of that section. This Wildcat served with VF-72 between the years 1940 and 1941. From the deck of USS Wasp (CV-7) and the ground base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, it participated in Neutrality Patrols, which were meant to ensure the neutrality in the coastal waters of the United States and the Caribbean, as declared by President Roosevelt on September 4, 1939. It was lost on May 8, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea, where it operated from the deck of USS Yorktown (CV-5) as part of VF-42 squadron.

BuNo. 3976, Lt. Cdr. John S. Thach, CO of VF-3, USS Lexington (CV-2), April 1942

John Smith Thach was born on April 19, 1905, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1927, he spent two years of service on battleships and began pilot training in February 1929. He earned his pilot wings in 1930. During the 1930s, he served in various units, and in June 1939, he was assigned to VF-3, which he commanded from December 1940. This unit was embarked on the USS Lexington (CV-2) on February 10, 1942, as part of Task Force 11, with the target of Rabaul.

Flying boats Kawanishi H6K Mavis were searching for the task force, and eventually, they succeeded in locating it. The Japanese spotted the convoy and dispatched a total of 17 G4M Betty bombers against it. "Jimmy" Thach, piloting his personal aircraft Fox-1, managed to shoot down one of the reconnaissance seaplanes during the morning patrol, achieving the squadron's first victory. The attack of bombers launched from Rabaul occurred around 16:30, and Thach, now flying Fox-13, led all operational Wildcats of the squadron against the attackers. The result was 15 shot-down Bettys, and he personally claimed two victories. The last combat action Lt. Cdr. Thach participated in was the Battle of Midway, where he, as the squadron leader, shot down four Japanese planes (3 × A6M Zero, 1 × B5N Kate). Later in the war, he served as the operations officer under Vice Admiral John S. McCain, the commander of Task Force 38. After the war, John Thach served as a commanding officer of aircraft carriers, and in the 1960s, he held high staff positions. He retired in May 1967 with the rank of Admiral and passed away on April 25, 1981. His Wildcat was camouflaged with Light Gray FS 36440 on the undersurfaces, and Blue Gray FS 35189 on the upper and side surfaces. The insignia on the rear fuselage and four positions on the wings were accompanied by 13 red and white stripes on the rudder.

BuNo. 3986, Lt. Cdr. Edward H. O’Hare, VF-3, USS Lexington (CV-2), April 1942

Edward Henry O’Hare was born on March 13, 1914, in St. Louis, Missouri. After graduating from the US Naval Academy in 1937, he was commissioned as an Ensign and assigned to the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40). In June 1939, he began flight training, which he successfully completed in May 1940. Then he was transferred to VF-3, based on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3). He became famous for his actions in February 1942 when, during the approach to Rabaul on New Britain, the position of Task Force 11 led by the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), on which VF-3 was stationed at that time, was exposed. The Japanese dispatched two groups of Betty bombers toward the task force. Only "Butch" O’Hare and his wingman confronted the second group. Lt. O’Hare shot down three Bettys and severely damaged two others, disrupting the entire attack. On April 10, 1942, for promotional shots, two Wildcats were prepared: Thach's with the designation F-1 and the aircraft marked F-13, flown by Lt. Noel A. M. Gayler. However, during the filming, newly promoted Lt. Cdr. O’Hare took the place in F-13's cockpit. This Wildcat was camouflaged with Light Gray FS 36440 on the undersurfaces and Blue Gray FS 35189 on the upper and side surfaces. The insignia on the rear fuselage and four positions on the wings were accompanied by 13 red and white stripes on the rudder. Edward O’Hare did not survive till the end of the war. During a night action on November 26, 1943, while flying a Hellcat, he was likely hit and crashed into the sea. His body was never found, although some witnesses claimed to have seen a parachute. Before the war, O’Hare had settled in Chicago, and in 1949, the city named its airport after him.

BuNo. 3991, VMF-111 Samoa, 1942

Since its establishment in September 1925, this unit underwent several designations. It wasn't until July 1, 1941, that the unit was redesignated as VMF-111, a designation it held until its deactivation on November 26, 1945. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the pilots of the unit flew F4F-3 Wildcat aircraft, which the squadron retained in service until the beginning of 1943, when it transitioned to more modern Corsairs. In March 1942, the unit was moved to Tafuna Airfield (now Pago Pago International Airport) on Tutuila Island, part of the American Samoa archipelago. In July of the same year, the unit was relocated to the newly built Faleolo Airfield on Upolu Island in the same archipelago. Here, the unit spent a year as part of the defense of this territory, armed with Wildcats that had seen service with U.S. Navy squadrons operating from aircraft carriers. Wildcat with Bureau Number 3991 initially served on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later, while part of VF-2, participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea. At the beginning of his service with VMF-111, nicknamed Devil Dogs, he carried insignias with red centers on the fuselage and wings and red and white stripes on the rudder.

BuNo. 3991, VMF-111 Samoa, 1942

Since its establishment in September 1925, this unit underwent several designations. It wasn't until July 1, 1941, that the unit was redesignated as VMF-111, a designation it held until its deactivation on November 26, 1945. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, the pilots of the unit flew F4F-3 Wildcat aircraft, which the squadron retained in service until the beginning of 1943, when it transitioned to more modern Corsairs. In March 1942, the unit was moved to Tafuna Airfield (now Pago Pago International Airport) on Tutuila Island, part of the American Samoa archipelago. In July of the same year, the unit was relocated to the newly built Faleolo Airfield on Upolu Island in the same archipelago. Here, the unit spent a year as part of the defense of this territory, armed with Wildcats that had seen service with U.S. Navy squadrons operating from aircraft carriers. Wildcat with Bureau Number 3991 initially served on the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later, while part of VF-2, participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea. During its service with VMF-111, nicknamed Devil Dogs, it initially bore markings with red centers and red and white stripes on the rudder. In photographs taken during its emergency landing on the sea's surface in January 1943, the red centers on the markings are already painted over, and the rudder has been repainted with the camouflage color Blue Gray.