Hellcat

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!

"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

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

"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)

"Pjmac35" wrote in message
...

No, that's an F-6.

No, it's an F6F.

"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