Miami and the Grumman F4F-3S "Wild CatFish" Project

MMAG Research: Due to the successful use of fighter seaplanes by Japanese forces in the Pacific, in 1942 Grumman experimented with a new development of its F4F-3 Wildcat, in the creation of a floatplane version of this fighter. The conversion of a standard production aircraft was undertaken by Edo Corporation in the space of three months from the Navy request being made; the floats themselves were specially designed for the "Wild Catfish", as this prototype became known, and the entire airframe was subjected to stress analysis and some strengthening.

To compensate for the decreased yaw stability resulting from the extra side area of the floats forward of the aircraft center of gravity, additional rudder area was required, and this was provided by fitting small additional surfaces at the tips of the tailplane, with an interconnection with the main rudder. The F4F-3 floatplane, sometimes referred to as the F4F-3S, first flew on February 28, 1943. With the Grumman Factory being located in Long Island, New York and subjected to the winter month conditions of the Northeast, the U.S. Navy sent the sole F4F-3S prototype to Miami, Florida for continued year around water testing.

The F4F-3S arrived into the Watson Island Sea Plane base in March of 1943, were numerous test flights were undertaken and waterborne operational techniques were established, but the changing nature of the war in the Pacific made it unnecessary to proceed with further floatplane conversions, and the project was canceled. Subsequently, the aircraft was trucked from the Watson Island Sea Plane base to Naval Air Station "Miami", present day Opa Locka Airport, were it was stored for a short while and then dismantled and trucked back to Long Island, New York.