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Hellcat Night Fighters

Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:49 pm

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F6F-3N VMF(N)-534 Guam Aug 1944
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F5F-5N on Alalops Island, Ulithi Atoll 1945
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F6F-5N VMF(N)-511 USS Block Island 1945

Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:58 pm

Real nice Jack! :D
Robbie

Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:16 pm

Airplane from VMF(N)-534 have interesting insignia on cowling- unit or personal markings?

Sun Oct 12, 2008 12:32 am

I think a good question is how did the night fighter guys get away with so much nose art?

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F6F-5N VF-83(N) USS Essex

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Pope, Haft, Parker, Posh and Owings, VF-83 USS Essex.
Last edited by Curtis Block on Sun Oct 12, 2008 2:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:23 am

Beautifull details Curtis!! :P :P

Sun Oct 12, 2008 9:04 am

Just wondered if anyone knows how the radar pod affected handling and performance? Was it heavy, did they need to put ballast in the opposite wing? Sorry if it is a silly question, these kind of things go through my head! Thanks.

Sun Oct 12, 2008 1:48 pm

Many thanks for the upload of these pictures, and for all you other great photos that you have posted. According to my records here is some information of the Squadron ID's of the latest post.

1. The group shop at Alalops Island is from VMF(N)-541. I have included a rather poor shot of the last aircraft in the line (copied from a Cruise Book many years ago).

2. Blue in the Night is from VF(N)-78

Jack, thanks again for all the great information and photos you post.

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Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:57 am

lestweforget wrote:Just wondered if anyone knows how the radar pod affected handling and performance? Was it heavy, did they need to put ballast in the opposite wing? Sorry if it is a silly question, these kind of things go through my head! Thanks.


I've actually been wondering the same thing. :shock:

Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:28 am

Only thing I could find out was that it reduced top speed by about 20 mph. Due to the fact that Corsairs and Avengers also had assymetrical radar pods, there must be some info out there. Found it here http://www.vectorsite.net/avf6f.html

Mon Oct 13, 2008 2:11 pm

Curtis Block wrote:I think a good question is how did the night fighter guys get away with so much nose art?
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F6F-5N VF-83(N) USS Essex


Love how you can see the "ghosting' of the original factory number on the cowl! I have not seen this before in photos, very cool.

greg v.

Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:21 pm

Does the radome alway's signify Nightfighter?

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Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:24 pm

Does the radome alway's signify Nightfighter?


As far as I can find out , yes. The nightfighter versions also had a flat anti-glare windscreen.
Found this picture while digging about. I had heard that Avengers used radar in conjunction with non radar equipt fighters to guide them on to enemy aircraft , but had no idea they used it for night bombing. Every day is a school day as they say.

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