Grumman Hellcat
F6F-5 VOF-1
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.
F6F-5 Hellcat
VOF-1 - ATLANTIC
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 #8 based on photos provided by John B. "SHIELDSY" Shields taken by his Dad, Lt. Wm Shields, jr. USNR while he was aboard USS Tulagi and the command ship Catoctin.
Rene 'Greycap' of Steve's "O-1 Driver" effects team installed the lights & exhaust flames.
F6F-5 Hellcat #8 of VOF-1 flew from the decks of the USS Tulagi while supporting Operation Dragoon the invasion of Southern France in August 1944.
Observation-Fighter Squadron VOF-1 was the first USN air unit to be specially trained for spotting naval gunfire and for close support of ground forces. Its major contribution to Dragoon, though, was armed reconnaissance. Loaded with bombs and rockets, the Hellcats penetrated deep into the Rhone valley, laying waste to the retreating German columns and whacking the occasional Luftwaffe aircraft that got in the way.
F6F-5 Hellcat #8 was credited with 4 Luftwaffe kills by two different pilots before it was lost in combat in the ETO.
On August 21, 1944, Strafing Flight #63 took off at 13:15 from the deck of the USS Tulagi. Eight planes under flight leader Lt. Cmdr. William F. Bringle, consisted of pilots Ensign William C. McKeever, Ensign John M. Denison, Ensign Charles P. Skelly, Lt. Charles s. Longino, Ensign Lawrence W. Thompson, Lt. John H. COYNE, Ensign Thomas S. Ryan headed on their mission over Southern France.
The eight F6F-5s Hellcats led by Lt. Cmdr. Bringle were assigned to attack barges on the Rhone River. Four were found below Aries tied up at position S-9340. They were first strafed then were bombed with 1000 lb. bombs, which were near misses and a depth bomb exploded on the bow of the largest barge which was 200 feet long. The bow was shattered but did not burn.
After the attack, two planes were detached by the control ship for a special mission. The remaining six headed toward Nimes. On the way they strafed several small groups of motor trucks which were found on the roads. They turned north in the direction of Sainte-Anastasie and strafed and attacked with rockets, 100 motor trucks found in 5 groups along the road.
They went as far north as Uzes, but the weather started to close in and they turned south. Northwest of Nimes they strafed a train and left its locomotive disabled with clouds of steam escaping. In all these attacks, 50 trucks were considered certainly destroyed and 50 more damaged.
After the attack on the barges, Longino and Thompson were ordered by the control ship to investigate the area)-9179 near Grenoble, (Alpes Mountain). They got to 0-7565 but were stopped by bad weather and had to turn back to the ship. At about 14:20, B plane, nose #8, #58263 was seen to disintegrate in the air while pulling out of a rocker run on a large motor trucks convoy at S-6683 near Sainte-Anatasie. The convoy contained many troops who were shooting back with small arms and light guns. The pilot, Lt. JG Coyne was observed leaving the cockpit about 600 feet above the ground. His parachute opened only a few seconds before he reached the ground and it is probable he sustained some injury in landing. His landing point was only a few hundred yards from the enemy troops who had just been strafed by our planes. Ensign Denison in plane Nose # 12, arrived back at the ship at 15:14 H escorted by Ensign Skelly. He was found to have an unexploded 20 millimeter shell in his engine which had caused damage to two cylinders. The shell had entered the engine almost horizontally from the port side.
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).
F6F-5 VOF-1
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.
F6F-5 Hellcat
VOF-1 - ATLANTIC
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 #8 based on photos provided by John B. "SHIELDSY" Shields taken by his Dad, Lt. Wm Shields, jr. USNR while he was aboard USS Tulagi and the command ship Catoctin.
Rene 'Greycap' of Steve's "O-1 Driver" effects team installed the lights & exhaust flames.
F6F-5 Hellcat #8 of VOF-1 flew from the decks of the USS Tulagi while supporting Operation Dragoon the invasion of Southern France in August 1944.
Observation-Fighter Squadron VOF-1 was the first USN air unit to be specially trained for spotting naval gunfire and for close support of ground forces. Its major contribution to Dragoon, though, was armed reconnaissance. Loaded with bombs and rockets, the Hellcats penetrated deep into the Rhone valley, laying waste to the retreating German columns and whacking the occasional Luftwaffe aircraft that got in the way.
F6F-5 Hellcat #8 was credited with 4 Luftwaffe kills by two different pilots before it was lost in combat in the ETO.
On August 21, 1944, Strafing Flight #63 took off at 13:15 from the deck of the USS Tulagi. Eight planes under flight leader Lt. Cmdr. William F. Bringle, consisted of pilots Ensign William C. McKeever, Ensign John M. Denison, Ensign Charles P. Skelly, Lt. Charles s. Longino, Ensign Lawrence W. Thompson, Lt. John H. COYNE, Ensign Thomas S. Ryan headed on their mission over Southern France.
The eight F6F-5s Hellcats led by Lt. Cmdr. Bringle were assigned to attack barges on the Rhone River. Four were found below Aries tied up at position S-9340. They were first strafed then were bombed with 1000 lb. bombs, which were near misses and a depth bomb exploded on the bow of the largest barge which was 200 feet long. The bow was shattered but did not burn.
After the attack, two planes were detached by the control ship for a special mission. The remaining six headed toward Nimes. On the way they strafed several small groups of motor trucks which were found on the roads. They turned north in the direction of Sainte-Anastasie and strafed and attacked with rockets, 100 motor trucks found in 5 groups along the road.
They went as far north as Uzes, but the weather started to close in and they turned south. Northwest of Nimes they strafed a train and left its locomotive disabled with clouds of steam escaping. In all these attacks, 50 trucks were considered certainly destroyed and 50 more damaged.
After the attack on the barges, Longino and Thompson were ordered by the control ship to investigate the area)-9179 near Grenoble, (Alpes Mountain). They got to 0-7565 but were stopped by bad weather and had to turn back to the ship. At about 14:20, B plane, nose #8, #58263 was seen to disintegrate in the air while pulling out of a rocker run on a large motor trucks convoy at S-6683 near Sainte-Anatasie. The convoy contained many troops who were shooting back with small arms and light guns. The pilot, Lt. JG Coyne was observed leaving the cockpit about 600 feet above the ground. His parachute opened only a few seconds before he reached the ground and it is probable he sustained some injury in landing. His landing point was only a few hundred yards from the enemy troops who had just been strafed by our planes. Ensign Denison in plane Nose # 12, arrived back at the ship at 15:14 H escorted by Ensign Skelly. He was found to have an unexploded 20 millimeter shell in his engine which had caused damage to two cylinders. The shell had entered the engine almost horizontally from the port side.
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).
