F6F wing cannons

[Hoggardhigh]

A lot of sources state that the F6F-5 was the first Hellcat version with the capability to replace the inboard wing guns with 20mm cannon.

Does anyone here know of the modifications made to the F6F-5 to accommodate the cannon?

Thanks

 

[fubar57]

The XF6F-4 was a prototype that had the cannon mod.

​

An F6F-3 tested one 20mm and two .50 cal MGs but wasn't used. It was used on many F6F-5N night fighters. I thought I saw a photo of an F6F-5 with 20mm but maybe the caption was wrong

 

[Hoggardhigh]

The XF6F-4 was a prototype that had the cannon mod.

View attachment 490076
​

An F6F-3 tested one 20mm and two .50 cal MGs but wasn't used. It was used on many F6F-5N night fighters. I thought I saw a photo of an F6F-5 with 20mm but maybe the caption was wrong

Do you or anyone else here know of the specific modifications made to accommodate the wing cannon?

 

[fubar57]

Barrett Tillman wrote a book about the Hellcat. Perhaps he'll pop in and answer your question. B Barrett

 

[J.A.W.]

Slightly off topic I realize, so forgive me, but on another thread there was period tech memo
that stated a change from 3-to-4 blade props significantly reduced take off distance on another big
2,000+ hp fighter, the Hawker Typhoon.

I know B-26's had 4-blade props from the get-go, for a similar reason, & late F4U's did too,
& both were running the R-2800, like the F6F - so why didn't the F6F make the cut, for a 4-blader?

 

[Hoggardhigh]

Barrett Tillman wrote a book about the Hellcat. Perhaps he'll pop in and answer your question. B Barrett

I read Tillman's book, and it doesn't say anything about the changes made to accommodate the wing cannons.

 

[fubar57]

And I said "perhaps he'll pop in and answer your question"

 

[Wurger]

IMHO , not too much had to be done to accomodate these cannons. Generally, the F-5 got the new wing reinforced structure. Judging by many drawings I would say these changes included the skin panels and a couple of stringers/formers there what resulted in new panel layout. The gun bays seem to stay with the same layout. However the changings there could have included the way the cannons were attached and the cannon feeding system..

 

[fubar57]

Agreed. I've got an over head photo of the -4 and from what I can see, there isn't much difference in the panel lines around the gun area of the upper wing. PM sent Wojtek

 

[Wurger]

Answered to that , my friend.

 

[Wurger]

Here is the standard wing for F6F3 with three MGs and the same area of the wing of the F6F4 with cannons. The difference is the accessing panel behind the main gun bay. F4 had that modified. But the cannons are located at the same places the MGs were. According to these drawings the F4 had reinforced the leading edge of the wing at the areas where cannon barrels protruded.

 

[Wurger]

And here the enlarged shot of the wing of the YF6F4. The modified access panel can be noticed. As far as these reinforcing plates of the wing leading edge are concerned, it seems that all of Hellcats had that there. No matter what kinf of the armament was attached.

 

[Hoggardhigh]

Here is the standard wing for F6F3 with three MGs and the same area of the wing of the F6F4 with cannons. The difference is the accessing panel behind the main gun bay. F4 had that modified. But the cannons are located at the same places the MGs were. According to these drawings the F4 had reinforced the leading edge of the wing at the areas where cannon barrels protruded.

View attachment 490131

View attachment 490132

Here is the standard wing for F6F3 with three MGs and the same area of the wing of the F6F4 with cannons. The difference is the accessing panel behind the main gun bay. F4 had that modified. But the cannons are located at the same places the MGs were. According to these drawings the F4 had reinforced the leading edge of the wing at the areas where cannon barrels protruded.

View attachment 490131

View attachment 490132

Wurger,

After looking at the above drawings, I imagine the F6F-5 series used the cannon-related wing modifications illustrated in those drawings, is that correct?

 

[Hoggardhigh]

Here is the standard wing for F6F3 with three MGs and the same area of the wing of the F6F4 with cannons. The difference is the accessing panel behind the main gun bay. F4 had that modified. But the cannons are located at the same places the MGs were. According to these drawings the F4 had reinforced the leading edge of the wing at the areas where cannon barrels protruded.

View attachment 490131

View attachment 490132

What did those modified access panels have to do with the cannon?

 

[J.A.W.]

Longer gun, & access panel to suit.

 

[Hoggardhigh]

IMHO , not too much had to be done to accomodate these cannons. Generally, the F-5 got the new wing reinforced structure. Judging by many drawings I would say these changes included the skin panels and a couple of stringers/formers there what resulted in new panel layout. The gun bays seem to stay with the same layout. However the changings there could have included the way the cannons were attached and the cannon feeding system..

Can you post some more of those drawings? (Not counting those two that you already posted on this thread.)

 

[Wurger]

Wurger,

After looking at the above drawings, I imagine the F6F-5 series used the cannon-related wing modifications illustrated in those drawings, is that correct?

Nope. The F5 got a wing of reinforced structure. While the F4 had the same that was used for F3. The difference is the way of the wing covering. The wing of the F5 got ( according to diagrams ) less panels what reinforced the wing. But the base was still the same for F3/F4 and F5. Two main stringers and one additional. The same was with the gun bays. Just the bays were a kind of universal and didn't need to be reinforced or modified. So the modifications you are looking for , were for the wing rather than for the gun bays.

 

[Wurger]

Can you post some more of those drawings? (Not counting those two that you already posted on this thread.)

Here are the wing tops and undersides of the F3 and F5

The F3 wing top..

The F5 one..

The F3 undersides ..

The F5 ones ..

 

[Hoggardhigh]

Nope. The F5 got a wing of reinforced structure. While the F4 had the same that was used for F3. The difference is the way of the wing covering. The wing of the F5 got ( according to diagrams ) less panels what reinforced the wing. But the base was still the same for F3/F4 and F5. Two main stringers and one additional. The same was with the gun bays. Just the bays were a kind of universal and didn't need to be reinforced or modified. So the modifications you are looking for , were for the wing rather than for the gun bays.

What do you mean by, "less panels what reinforced the wing"?

 

[Wurger]

Can you see..?

F3

F5