Grumman Hellcat
MkII ET
CFS3 - V4.00.168
AvHistory 1% Aircraft General Statement and Installation Instructions
Gregory Pierson's Version 4.0 first released in August 2006 represents a complete update of the AvHistory 1% Assembly Line Process (1%ALP). Compared to our previous efforts, 4.0 is an order of magnitude improvement and a closer step towards our goal of producing aircraft that perform within 1% of the real aircraft. For additional info on Version-4 flight packages see the included AvHistory - Version-4 1%ALP text file.
No AvHistory 1% aircraft maybe provided for download from any site without express written consent of AvHistory. No skins for AvHistory aircraft, other then those based on stock MS CFS3 visuals, maybe offered for download with our written permission.
Additionally, direct linking to our download site is forbidden.
HELLCAT - MkII
This aircraft was built by GregoryP using version 4.00.168 of the AvHistory 1% Assembly Line process. It is based on the outstanding F6F-5 visual created by Anthony GRAMPS Sullenger.
WildBat aka Tomas Oszlar did the historically correct repaint of the FAA Hellcat MkII "ET"
The Royal Navy received 252 F6F-3s as Hellcat I under Lend-Lease. Production continued until November 1945 by which time 7870 F6F-5s had been built, of which some 930 had been supplied to the Royal Navy as Hellcat II and 1434 of the total had been completed as F6F-5N night-fighters. Ultimately, the Hellcat equiped 14 FAA front-line squadrons.
The first Hellcat Mark Is started to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm on 13 March 1943, FN321 and FN323 arriving three months later, in June 1943 to the A and C Flights of A&AEE, Boscombe Down for service trials by RN pilots, and in July 1943 FN330 was tested by 778 squadron at Crail.
Very soon afterwards the Hellcat was distributed to operational squadrons, 800 squadron receiving its first Hellcat in batches in July, August and October 1943 (eg FN337, FN334, FN332, FN334, FN332), and 1839 squadron from December 1943 (FN328). Not long after this, on 31 August, 1943 the first combat sorties were being flown by the USN VF9 and VF-5 squadrons aboard USS Yorktown against Japanese targets on Marcus Island (Minami-tori Island) some 700 miles southeast of Japan.
The first batch and second batches of 188 F6F-5 Hellcat Mark IIs started to be delivered to the Royal Navy from May 1944, primarily to 1840 squadron. By this time many Hellcats were being shipped to overseas FAA squadrons directly from Norfolk, Virginia, USA to HMS Thane 14 August 1944 and on to RNARY Wingfield, thence to 804 squadron in September 1944.
The subsequent batch of 295 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Mk F.II was also shipped directly to RNARY Wingfield (eg JX670 to JX720) in HMS Ranee in September 1944, and on to RNARY Coimbatore. Many of these Hellcat were still in service in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) after the end of the war and into1946. However, quite a number were surplus to requirement after VJ-Day and dumped in the sea off Australia by HMS Colossus in 1945 (eg JX821).
The final 293 Hellcat II to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm arrived between January and May 1945, the very last aircraft, KE265 being delivered on 11 May 1945.
The Hellcat served post war and some of the earlier batches managed to remain in RN service, for example JV247 in 709 squadron. After this aircraft was paid off it went to Fairey Aviation at Hayes in 1946. Whilst Grumman F.II KE209 remained as the personal aircraft of the Lossiemouth Station Flight Commanding Officer Caspar John until 1952, and the Aircraft Holding Unit in 1954 (this aircraft is extant in the Fleet Air arm Museum).
Much has been made of the Corsair's 20 mph speed advantage over the Hellcat, thing is late in the war, Grumman was given an F4U to test, and Chance Vought an F6F. Grumman discovered that, in side by side flight, although their airspeeds were identical, the F4U was reading 20 mph faster! The reason? The airspeed sensors were placed differently on the two aircraft.
Grumman came up with an F6F-6 late in the war, which outperformed the Corsair, but it was never put into production because the great F8F "Bearcat" was nearly ready, and it was decided not to change the production line for what would be a very brief run.
Few variants because the standard version was so successful. Grumman produced 7,868 units beginning in April 1944. Credited with 5,156 air-to-air kills (over 75% of all USN).
MkII ET
CFS3 - V4.00.168
AvHistory 1% Aircraft General Statement and Installation Instructions
Gregory Pierson's Version 4.0 first released in August 2006 represents a complete update of the AvHistory 1% Assembly Line Process (1%ALP). Compared to our previous efforts, 4.0 is an order of magnitude improvement and a closer step towards our goal of producing aircraft that perform within 1% of the real aircraft. For additional info on Version-4 flight packages see the included AvHistory - Version-4 1%ALP text file.
No AvHistory 1% aircraft maybe provided for download from any site without express written consent of AvHistory. No skins for AvHistory aircraft, other then those based on stock MS CFS3 visuals, maybe offered for download with our written permission.
Additionally, direct linking to our download site is forbidden.
HELLCAT - MkII
This aircraft was built by GregoryP using version 4.00.168 of the AvHistory 1% Assembly Line process. It is based on the outstanding F6F-5 visual created by Anthony GRAMPS Sullenger.
WildBat aka Tomas Oszlar did the historically correct repaint of the FAA Hellcat MkII "ET"
The Royal Navy received 252 F6F-3s as Hellcat I under Lend-Lease. Production continued until November 1945 by which time 7870 F6F-5s had been built, of which some 930 had been supplied to the Royal Navy as Hellcat II and 1434 of the total had been completed as F6F-5N night-fighters. Ultimately, the Hellcat equiped 14 FAA front-line squadrons.
The first Hellcat Mark Is started to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm on 13 March 1943, FN321 and FN323 arriving three months later, in June 1943 to the A and C Flights of A&AEE, Boscombe Down for service trials by RN pilots, and in July 1943 FN330 was tested by 778 squadron at Crail.
Very soon afterwards the Hellcat was distributed to operational squadrons, 800 squadron receiving its first Hellcat in batches in July, August and October 1943 (eg FN337, FN334, FN332, FN334, FN332), and 1839 squadron from December 1943 (FN328). Not long after this, on 31 August, 1943 the first combat sorties were being flown by the USN VF9 and VF-5 squadrons aboard USS Yorktown against Japanese targets on Marcus Island (Minami-tori Island) some 700 miles southeast of Japan.
The first batch and second batches of 188 F6F-5 Hellcat Mark IIs started to be delivered to the Royal Navy from May 1944, primarily to 1840 squadron. By this time many Hellcats were being shipped to overseas FAA squadrons directly from Norfolk, Virginia, USA to HMS Thane 14 August 1944 and on to RNARY Wingfield, thence to 804 squadron in September 1944.
The subsequent batch of 295 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Mk F.II was also shipped directly to RNARY Wingfield (eg JX670 to JX720) in HMS Ranee in September 1944, and on to RNARY Coimbatore. Many of these Hellcat were still in service in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) after the end of the war and into1946. However, quite a number were surplus to requirement after VJ-Day and dumped in the sea off Australia by HMS Colossus in 1945 (eg JX821).
The final 293 Hellcat II to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm arrived between January and May 1945, the very last aircraft, KE265 being delivered on 11 May 1945.
The Hellcat served post war and some of the earlier batches managed to remain in RN service, for example JV247 in 709 squadron. After this aircraft was paid off it went to Fairey Aviation at Hayes in 1946. Whilst Grumman F.II KE209 remained as the personal aircraft of the Lossiemouth Station Flight Commanding Officer Caspar John until 1952, and the Aircraft Holding Unit in 1954 (this aircraft is extant in the Fleet Air arm Museum).
Much has been made of the Corsair's 20 mph speed advantage over the Hellcat, thing is late in the war, Grumman was given an F4U to test, and Chance Vought an F6F. Grumman discovered that, in side by side flight, although their airspeeds were identical, the F4U was reading 20 mph faster! The reason? The airspeed sensors were placed differently on the two aircraft.
Grumman came up with an F6F-6 late in the war, which outperformed the Corsair, but it was never put into production because the great F8F "Bearcat" was nearly ready, and it was decided not to change the production line for what would be a very brief run.
Few variants because the standard version was so successful. Grumman produced 7,868 units beginning in April 1944. Credited with 5,156 air-to-air kills (over 75% of all USN).
