The Pacific Aviation Museum-Pearl Harbor is adding another historic aircraft to its collection as it prepares for a Dec. 7 opening.

The F4F-3 Grumman Wildcat to join the museum is one of less than a dozen early F4F-3 model Wildcats in existence today, the museum said.

The Wildcat saw the brunt of the early Pacific theater action of World War II, from the first attacks at Pearl Harbor through the difficult days up to and including Wake, Midway, Coral Sea and Guadalcanal, museum officials said.

The Wildcat, expected to arrive this week, will be taking its place in the museum along with a Japanese Zero, B-25 Mitchell bomber, the Stearman biplane flown by former President George Bush, the Aeronca that was flying during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack, and other exhibits telling the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor from the "eye of the storm" on Ford Island.

This particular Wildcat was ditched in Lake Michigan in 1943 and recovered in 1991.

Five Grumman F4F-3A Wildcats were stationed at Pearl Harbor-Ford Island Naval Air Station during the 1940s, the museum said.

The first phase of the museum in Hangar 37 is expected to open on Dec. 7.