Here is our F6F-5 Hellcat in flight. It has been painted in the colors of Cmdr. David McCampbell, USN, Air Group Commander of VF-19 on the USS Essex during WWII. It is sponsored by David Price.
Crew Chief: Chris Rushing
Hellcat Pilots: Chris Rushing, Ken Gottschall, Jason Somes, Steve Barber, Gary Barber, Terry Cedar.
Video of Hellcats in actual combat during WWII
Here is Thomas reacquainted with his former steed, the infamous F6F Hellcat.
Reacquainted
I was fortunate enough to be chosen to fly the Hellcat in the El Centro Airshow on March 14, 2009. Jason Somes flew the Japanese Zero and we performed the dogfight routine showing the crowd how the Zero and Hellcat went at it over the Pacific during World War II. While at the show, I had the great pleasure of meeting an actual World War II Hellcat Pilot. Thomas McCue flew the F6F Hellcat off the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise VF20 starting in August of 1944. It is always great to meet any of the people that were actually there and listening to the amazing stories. Well I couldn’t get enough of Tom’s stories about flying the Hellcat. One of my favorites was the one about the water ditching and being rescued by a submarine. But then again, I didn’t hear the one about when Tom looped the Hellcat from 37,000 feet!
Ken Gottschall
A GREAT video thanks to www.pozefilm.de of our Hellcat and Zero for the Midland CAF Airsho 2006
Hellcat Update April 18, 2009
Well its good to have Chris Rushing back turning wrenches. He and the Hellcat crew did an amazing job of finishing up on the annual - gear swings, engine work, behind panel inspections. A special thanks to Mike Perrenoud and all the workers who pitched in so the Hellcat would be ready for the Half Moon Bay Show. Chris took to the air shortly before nightflall on his post maintenace flight. It was a great flight with no squawks to be had. Good Job Chris!!
Watsonville 2008
A few photos of the Hellcat during the Watsonville Airshow 2008. Photo credits go to Mike Shreeve, check out more of his amazing shots by clicking here. Pilot - Jason Somes
Specifications (F6F-5 Hellcat)
Origin: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Type: Single-seat shipborne fighter - also fighter-bomber and night fighter
Weight (F6F-3):
Empty: 9,042 lb (4,101 kg)
Loaded: (clean) 12,186 lb (5,528 kg)
Loaded (maximum) 14,250 lb (6,443 kg)
Engine:
Early production: one 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10
Double Wasp two-row radial
From Jan 1944: (final batch of F6F-3s) two-thirds had a 2,200 hp R-2800-10W
(water-injection rating).
Armament:
6 x 0.5 inch Browning machine-guns
with 400 rounds per gun. (Some F6F-5 and F6F-5N Hellcats had 2 x 20 mm cannon plus 4 x 0.5 inch machine-guns) Underwing attachments for six rockets Centre-section pylons for up to 2,000 lb of bombs
Performance:
Maximum speed (clean) 376 mph
Initial climb (typical) 3,240 feet per minute
Service ceiling 37,500 feet
Range 1,090 miles
