Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat VF-12
Unit: VF-12 USS Randolph (CV-15) February 1945
Pilot: Lt. Hamilton McWhorter III
The F6F-5 Hellcat was a further refinement of the successful F6F-3. It had a strengthened airframe, a closer cowl that eliminate the cheek bulges, added permanent rocket pylons under wings, a flat bullet proof front windscreen simplified the front canopy giving a better undistorted image through the gun sight especially at night, and the small rear windows were deleted with a rear view mirror installed as these windows added nothing to the rear view. (Some early dash 5 aircraft still had the rear windows before they were eliminated during production.) The camouflage for all of the F6F-5’s was changed to overall sea blue. It was built in the largest number of Hellcats, some 7,870 being produced.
Simple, rugged, and deadly, yet easy to fly, the Hellcat was another product of the Grumman Iron Works. It was larger, heavier, faster, and more powerful than Grumman's F4F Wildcat, and the first American fighter to exceed the performance of the Mitsubishi Zero. Its immense 18-cylinder, 2,000 horsepower radial engine gave it the power to dictate the terms of engagement. Its speed, maneuverability, high-altitude capability, and typical Grumman toughness made it a winner against all comers.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, drop tank, bomb racks, VC, paint textures, panel, aircraft.cfg and .dp.
Shessi: Pilot figure.
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture.
Microsoft: Gauges and .air file.
Bombs and rockets used are from Dbolt's db_us_wep_v2.0a package available at Sim-Outhouse.com: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=281&id=6270
Submitted by Captain Kurt
Unit: VF-12 USS Randolph (CV-15) February 1945
Pilot: Lt. Hamilton McWhorter III
The F6F-5 Hellcat was a further refinement of the successful F6F-3. It had a strengthened airframe, a closer cowl that eliminate the cheek bulges, added permanent rocket pylons under wings, a flat bullet proof front windscreen simplified the front canopy giving a better undistorted image through the gun sight especially at night, and the small rear windows were deleted with a rear view mirror installed as these windows added nothing to the rear view. (Some early dash 5 aircraft still had the rear windows before they were eliminated during production.) The camouflage for all of the F6F-5’s was changed to overall sea blue. It was built in the largest number of Hellcats, some 7,870 being produced.
Simple, rugged, and deadly, yet easy to fly, the Hellcat was another product of the Grumman Iron Works. It was larger, heavier, faster, and more powerful than Grumman's F4F Wildcat, and the first American fighter to exceed the performance of the Mitsubishi Zero. Its immense 18-cylinder, 2,000 horsepower radial engine gave it the power to dictate the terms of engagement. Its speed, maneuverability, high-altitude capability, and typical Grumman toughness made it a winner against all comers.
Credits
Captain Kurt: Aircraft model, drop tank, bomb racks, VC, paint textures, panel, aircraft.cfg and .dp.
Shessi: Pilot figure.
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture.
Microsoft: Gauges and .air file.
Bombs and rockets used are from Dbolt's db_us_wep_v2.0a package available at Sim-Outhouse.com: http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...id=281&id=6270
Submitted by Captain Kurt
