Hellcat losses over Yap island

[Sutts]

Another facinating site I've stumbled across today. Wreck pictures and combat reports regarding 2 hellcat's which collided just before diving onto the target. The aircraft were seen to spin in but only one was observed to hit the ground.

I was wondering why one of the wrecks was inverted with the landing gear locked down. Could this have been an attempt to escape from the spin or perhaps a wheels down landing was attempted?? Does the damage to the aircraft shown in the memorial look like it pancaked in upside down or came down more gently and flipped on landing?

http://www.missingaircrew.com/trip/cox1/
http://www.missingaircrew.com/yap/mac/6sept1944.asp

I really feel for those pilots in their last moments. A sad loss indeed.

[Jesse C.]

Odds are that the landing gear where probably opened after the plane had already crashed by folks looking for usable components or locals making wheel barrows out of the wheels.

Thanks for the links!

[Sutts]

Odds are that the landing gear where probably opened after the plane had already crashed by folks looking for usable components or locals making wheel barrows out of the wheels.

Thanks for the links!

That never even occurred to me Jesse! Since both wheels are missing and couldn't have been removed without extending the gear, that's probably the most likely explanation. Do you reckon the damage is consistent with augering in or something less violent?

Edit: From a study of the wing top surface, I think a violent inverted impact must have occurred. Look at the way the skin has been formed around the spars. I guess the fuselage would have been flattened by the impact and perhaps the whole rear section sheared off at the joint behind the cockpit. Can any air accident investigators out there spot any other subtle clues from the crash damage?

http://www.missingaircrew.com/trip/cox1/DSC07400.JPG


Cheers,

Dave