Warbird Information Exchange

Now that's entertainment!! Loved the music with it too. Great posting.

Our restorations are strictly for display. The engines, for example are complete, but usually built up with non-airworthy parts (and no piston rings) Electrical systems are only restored in the areas where they're visible. We do attempt to rebuild the structure to as close to original as we can such as rivet spacing, internal structure, correct alloys etc., so I suppose, with another million or so bucks, I could be made flyable.

rob

Rob, the Hellcat is looking great! Do you have a anticipated completion date? Once finished will it stay at the NMNA or move onto a different museum?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Have wings been acquired or built yet?

At least one has since it is seen being installed in the video posted by rcarleen on the previous page.

Completion on any of the following dates would be good though 16th Sept 2013 would be ideal - 70 years since here first combat mission in the Solomons.


F6F-3 25910 was accepted on 7 July 1943, delivered two days later and on 14 July she was issued to Pacific Fleet at San Diego, California. On the 15 June, Carrier Air Group 38 (CAG-38) was formed consisting of VC-38 with TBF-1 Avenger and SBD-5 Dauntless aircraft. The Fighter element VF-38 were located at Otay Mesa, CA and were equipped with F4F-4 Wildcats. On 19 July 25910 was issued to VF-38 and by the beginning of August all bar one Wildcat had been replaced by F6F-3 Hellcats. On 24 August VF-38 with a compliment of twelve Hellcats and one wildcat were en route to the South Pacific. First stop in early September was the island of Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides before the now fourteen F6F-3’s of VF-38 arrived at Airfield One at Guadalcanal shortly afterwards. Based at Airfield 1 were the other elements of CAG-38 along with other Hellcats of VF-33 and VF-40. There were also operating with Corsairs of Marine unit VMF-214 later known as the ‘Black Sheep Squadron’.

At 1.15pm on 16 September, thirteen Hellcats of VF-38 were operating as part of a multi unit force consisting with F6F’s of VF-40, P40’s of RNZAF and F4U’s of VMF-214 who were tasked with acting as escort to thirty-one SBD’s and twenty-four TBF’s to attack Ballale Airfield in the Solomons. Over the target the unit met up to fifty Japanese fighters consisting of Zero’s and Tony’s. VMF-214 claimed eleven Zeros and eight probable and VF-38 claimed three destroyed and one damaged. The attacking force also suffered the loss of two TBF’s Avenger, one F4U Corsair and two (or three F6F as the records seem to indicate another but no evidence has been discovered) with another damaged. This turned out to be the first mission for the land based F6F Hellcats in the Pacific.

Hopefully marked up as '2' with the VF-38 squadron emblem. Her 'name' has not been found yet. She would have had one as currently I have located six separate named F6F's with VF-38.

regards

Mark

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'Coups De Foudre'
(511FS, 405FG watering hole), St Dizier, France 1944/45