View Full Version : Hellcat
Pjmac35
July 26th 07, 11:42 AM
The Hellcat was originally to have been named Gannet in Royal Navy service, 
this one lingered on in storage at Lossiemouth until the CO had it brought 
to flying condition for use as a hack.  Strictly speaking, it should have 
been returned to the USA under the terms of Lend-Lease, but the paperwork 
must have got mislaid!  When this photo was taken, in the 60s, it shared 
gate-guardian duties with the Fulmar in the background, both of them, I 
believe, now in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.  I understand the only reason 
this Fulmar survived was because it was in fact the prototype and never 
entered sercice with the Navy, being used as a runabout by the Fairey 
company.  Another fortuitous accident!
Bruce R
July 26th 07, 08:12 PM
"Pjmac35" > wrote in message 
...
> The Hellcat was originally to have been named Gannet in Royal Navy 
> service, this one lingered on in storage at Lossiemouth until the CO had 
> it brought to flying condition for use as a hack.  Strictly speaking, it 
> should have been returned to the USA under the terms of Lend-Lease, but 
> the paperwork must have got mislaid!  When this photo was taken, in the 
> 60s, it shared gate-guardian duties with the Fulmar in the background, 
> both of them, I believe, now in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.  I understand 
> the only reason this Fulmar survived was because it was in fact the 
> prototype and never entered sercice with the Navy, being used as a 
> runabout by the Fairey company.  Another fortuitous accident!
>
>
Are you sure that's not an F6?  It looks like the wheels retract into the 
wings, that would eliminate the F4.  Maybe it's just the angle, but I 
thought the F4's wheels retracted into the fuse, just ahead of the wing root 
area.........can someone correct me on this??
Bruce
Harriet and John
July 26th 07, 08:22 PM
Hellcat = F6; Wildcat = F4
"Bruce R" > wrote in message 
...
>
> "Pjmac35" > wrote in message 
> ...
>> The Hellcat was originally to have been named Gannet in Royal Navy 
>> service, this one lingered on in storage at Lossiemouth until the CO had 
>> it brought to flying condition for use as a hack.  Strictly speaking, it 
>> should have been returned to the USA under the terms of Lend-Lease, but 
>> the paperwork must have got mislaid!  When this photo was taken, in the 
>> 60s, it shared gate-guardian duties with the Fulmar in the background, 
>> both of them, I believe, now in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.  I 
>> understand the only reason this Fulmar survived was because it was in 
>> fact the prototype and never entered sercice with the Navy, being used as 
>> a runabout by the Fairey company.  Another fortuitous accident!
>>
>>
> Are you sure that's not an F6?  It looks like the wheels retract into the 
> wings, that would eliminate the F4.  Maybe it's just the angle, but I 
> thought the F4's wheels retracted into the fuse, just ahead of the wing 
> root area.........can someone correct me on this??
>
> Bruce
>
Pjmac35
July 26th 07, 08:37 PM
"Harriet and John" > wrote in message 
...
> Hellcat = F6; Wildcat = F4
> "Bruce R" > wrote in message 
> ...
>>
>> "Pjmac35" > wrote in message 
>> ...
>>> The Hellcat was originally to have been named Gannet in Royal Navy 
>>> service, this one lingered on in storage at Lossiemouth until the CO had 
>>> it brought to flying condition for use as a hack.  Strictly speaking, it 
>>> should have been returned to the USA under the terms of Lend-Lease, but 
>>> the paperwork must have got mislaid!  When this photo was taken, in the 
>>> 60s, it shared gate-guardian duties with the Fulmar in the background, 
>>> both of them, I believe, now in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.  I 
>>> understand the only reason this Fulmar survived was because it was in 
>>> fact the prototype and never entered sercice with the Navy, being used 
>>> as a runabout by the Fairey company.  Another fortuitous accident!
>>>
>>>
>> Are you sure that's not an F6?  It looks like the wheels retract into the 
>> wings, that would eliminate the F4.  Maybe it's just the angle, but I 
>> thought the F4's wheels retracted into the fuse, just ahead of the wing 
>> root area.........can someone correct me on this??
>>
>> Bruce
>>
>
>
No, that's an F-6.  Although the Royal Navy did operate Wildcats (They 
called them Martlets)
Steven P. McNicoll
July 26th 07, 09:01 PM
"Pjmac35" > wrote in message 
...
>
> No, that's an F-6.
No, it's an F6F.
Pjmac35
July 26th 07, 10:01 PM
"Steven P. McNicoll" > wrote in message 
 nk.net...
>
> "Pjmac35" > wrote in message 
> ...
>>
>> No, that's an F-6.
>
> No, it's an F6F.
>
The Royal Navy operated Hellcat Is which were equivalent to the F6F-3, and 
Hellcat IIs, equivalent to the F6F-5, of which this aircraft is one.  The 
Royal Navy never used the US designations. As this A/C was built for the 
Royal Navy contract it never was an F-6 of any stripe.
PJM
Steven P. McNicoll
July 26th 07, 11:30 PM
"Pjmac35" > wrote in message
...
>
> The Royal Navy operated Hellcat Is which were equivalent to the F6F-3, and
> Hellcat IIs, equivalent to the F6F-5, of which this aircraft is one.  The
> Royal Navy never used the US designations. As this A/C was built for the
> Royal Navy contract it never was an F-6 of any stripe.
>
Every Hellcat operated by the Royal Navy was an F6F.  The F-6 was named 
Skyray.
D. St-Sanvain
July 27th 07, 10:03 AM
Hello,
Steven P. McNicoll a écrit :
> "Pjmac35" > wrote in message
>> The Royal Navy operated Hellcat Is which were equivalent to the F6F-3, and
>> Hellcat IIs, equivalent to the F6F-5, of which this aircraft is one.  The
>> Royal Navy never used the US designations. As this A/C was built for the
>> Royal Navy contract it never was an F-6 of any stripe.
> Every Hellcat operated by the Royal Navy was an F6F.  The F-6 was named 
> Skyray.
And the Royal Navy operated the F4, the F4 and the F-4 :)
ie Martlet, Corsair, and Phantom (II)
Bye ;)
-- 
D520
Roundels of the World : http://cocardes.monde.online.fr
Steven P. McNicoll
July 28th 07, 08:49 PM
"D. St-Sanvain" > wrote in message
...
>
> And the Royal Navy operated the F4, the F4 and the F-4 :)
> ie Martlet, Corsair, and Phantom (II)
>
Not all Martlets were F4Fs.  The Martlet I was Grumman Model G-36A, 
originally ordered by the French directly from Grumman.  The Martlet II was 
Grumman Model G-36A, they were ordered by the Royal Navy directly from 
Grumman.
Not all Royal Navy Corsairs were F4Us.  Some were FGs and some were F3As.
Steven P. McNicoll
July 28th 07, 09:28 PM
"Steven P. McNicoll" > wrote in message 
 hlink.net...
>
> Not all Martlets were F4Fs.  The Martlet I was Grumman Model G-36A, 
> originally ordered by the French directly from Grumman.  The Martlet II 
> was Grumman Model G-36A, they were ordered by the Royal Navy directly from 
> Grumman.
>
Oops.  The Martlet II was Grumman Model G-36B.
D. St-Sanvain
July 28th 07, 10:38 PM
Hello,
Steven P. McNicoll a écrit :
> "Steven P. McNicoll" > wrote in message 
>>
>> Not all Martlets were F4Fs.  The Martlet I was Grumman Model G-36A, 
>> originally ordered by the French directly from Grumman.  The Martlet II was 
>> Grumman Model G-36A, they were ordered by the Royal Navy directly from 
>> Grumman.
>>
> Oops.  The Martlet II was Grumman Model G-36B.
Well, yes, you're right. But, not so funny.
I forgive you, anyway :))
A+ ;)
-- 
D520
Roundels of the World : http://cocardes.monde.online.fr
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