Need help ID'ing F6F-3 photo

[Hoggardhigh]

Hi all,

The above image is supposedly of an F6F-3 with the BuNo of 40198. However...this Hellcat features the original slanted antenna mast which, according to page 21 of Barrett Tillman's Hellcat: The F6F in World War II, was discontinued in Hellcat production after the first 909 F6F-3's.

Does anyone here know if the Hellcat in the photo really is BuNo 40198? (I very much doubt it.)

Thanks

 

[newst]

I don't know if this helps but apparently the original photographer has identified the aircraft to that Bu No.
Naval Outlying Field, Concord

 

[Hoggardhigh]

I don't know if this helps but apparently the original photographer has identified the aircraft to that Bu No.
Naval Outlying Field, Concord

Really? Then why does the F6F in the shot have the slanted antenna mast which, according to Tillman's book, was discontinued in production after the first 909 F6F-3's (BuNos 04775 to 26195)?

 

[Capt. Vick]

A replacement laying around?

 

[newst]

My best guess would be that according to the contract the change was officially cut in on 26195, but there were either a. a lot of slanted antennae at the Grumman plant and they were used until exhausted, b. Grumman ran out of straight antennae at one point and utilized some leftover slanted antennae to prevent a slow down in production or c. as suggested Capt. Vick, a slanted antenna was mounted during some maintenance.

 

[Hoggardhigh]

My best guess would be that according to the contract the change was officially cut in on 26195, but there were either a. a lot of slanted antennae at the Grumman plant and they were used until exhausted, b. Grumman ran out of straight antennae at one point and utilized some leftover slanted antennae to prevent a slow down in production or c. as suggested Capt. Vick, a slanted antenna was mounted during some maintenance.

I actually kind of agree with the second possibility because the one-off XF6F-2 was a conversion of the 1264th F6F-3 (BuNo 66244), and it apparently had the slanted antenna from the outset:

 

[DarrenW]

I agree with all of you. If you look closely this particular Hellcat is missing the lower cowl flap, which was present on the F6F-3 right up to the final production batch delivered between September '43 - April '44 (BuNo. 39999 - 43137). The photographer said that the picture was taken in October '43 so a serial number of 40198 is not out of the question. Besides, automobile manufactures have been known to use parts still on hand from an earlier model year after changes have been made and I see no reason to not believe that aircraft manufactures did likewise (especially due to the necessities of wartime production quotas).

 

[Wurger]

Humm.. the kind of engine cowling without the bottom cooling flaps , was used for the F6F-3 copies 1265-1500.. It indicates the bulge above the exhaust pipes. The copies 1501-1899 and later ones got the cowl without the bottom cooling tabs and the bulges there.

 

[DarrenW]

Humm.. the kind of engine cowling without the bottom cooling flaps , was used for the F6F-3 copies 1265-1500.. It indicates the bulge above the exhaust pipes. The copies 1501-1899 and later ones got the cowl without the bottom cooling tabs and the bulges there.

Yes very true, and being quoted as BuNo. 40198 it would have been the 1464th Hellcat manufactured. This is why the bulged fairings over the exhaust stacks are present on this aircraft. The first Hellcat to be manufactured without these bulged fairings was BuNo. 40235.

 

[Peter Gunn]

So in post #6, I see a four bladed prop, but what else is going on with the XF6F-2 there? Bigger engine? I admit, my knowledge of the Hellcat is not very good.

 

[Hoggardhigh]

So in post #6, I see a four bladed prop, but what else is going on with the XF6F-2 there? Bigger engine? I admit, my knowledge of the Hellcat is not very good.

The XF6F-2 had a turbosupercharged R-2600 engine (later replaced with an R-2800); the reason for the enlarged cowling was to house the turbosupercharger.