F6F-5 ID

[John Kerr]

Don't even know where I got this photo from. Does anyone have ID of it, believed to have been taken at Winter Park, FL, date unk. Note the damage to it. Could it have been left at Winer Park at the end of WWII as a display, aboandoned by the USN, or being used as a warbird. I don't know.

[gilt]

Showalter Aviation is the major FBO at Orlando Muni (KORL), they've been in business in the ORL area since the late 30's.

Tom-

[Dan K]

Like Tom said, if it's the Showalters of Winter Park, there's a certain amount of history on-line:

http://www.wppl.org/wphistory/Showalter ... index.html


Kalamazoo, MI has traditionally been known as "Celery City", so I'm not quite sure how the Hellcat's nose art fits in.

[kenlyco]

John, email the picture to them and see if they give you any info.

[airnutz]

Kalamazoo, MI has traditionally been known as "Celery City", so I'm not quite sure how the Hellcat's nose art fits in.

Apparently they grew alot of celery in the central region until it moved south in later years avoiding
the frost line.

[airnutz]

John, email the picture to them and see if they give you any info.

Good idea Ken, www.showalter.com

[John Kerr]

Thanks for the leads. Inquiry has been sent. John

[Larry Kraus]

Just for the record,Sanford,Florida,which is just north of Orlando,was once nicknamed "Celery City".NAS Sanford was,among other things,a fighter training base during World War II,although it was better known in later days as a base for Heavy Attack Squadrons with AJ's,A3D's and finally RA-5C's.

[John Kerr]

Here is the reply that I have received from Mr. Showalter. Posted with his permission.

John,


I can be of some help. I was about 3 when this picture was taken. While I’m not absolutely 100%- this is what I’ll tell you.

The Sanford Naval Air Station was de-commissioned after WWII. Showalter was asked to put a small office there to fuel any transient aircraft and to offer flight training on the GI bill. Our “office” was a building no more than 350 square feet in the back of a huge old ramp. The F6F, I’m sure, was one that was damaged and left when they closed the field. My Dad probably got it and painted the sign on it with the directional arrow so folks could find our tiny little building on the big old field. Sanford was indeed known as “the celery city” back in the day.



We were there a couple of years when, according to the story my Dad and Uncles related to me years ago, at the beginning of the Korean War we were given 2 weeks to get off the field as they re-activated the base. Thereafter, NAS Sanford stayed active until well into the late 60’s, if not the very early ‘70’s.



I have no other idea what could have happened to it, but I am grateful to have the picture, I’ve never seen it and now we have a copy of it in our archives.



Hope this helps!



Bob Showalter

Bob Showalter, Chairman

Showalter Flying Service, Inc. &

Showalter Aircraft Management, Inc.

400 Herndon Avenue

Orlando, FL 32803

PH- 407-894-7331

FAX 407-894-5094