Warbird Information Exchange

Hello to everybody.
In case anyone knows im looking for some Hellcats and anyone might have an info on them please respond, especially id letter or photo!

VF-1 F6F-3 Bu.Nr 08972
VF-1 F6F-3 Bu.Nr 41696

Kind regards
Dimitris

Hi Dimitris,

Jack Hankins from VF-1 loaned me his log book many years ago. I made a handwritten copy of it & checked that copy for you.

He flew BuNo 08972 on 2 Nov 43 for 1/2 hour for field carrier landing practice before the squadron went to Tarawa. In his log book he wrote the side numbers of the planes until he got back from Tarawa & then he stopped writing them. The side number of BuNo 08972 was H27.

The VF-1 Hellcats on Tarawa had either a G side number or an H side number. The squadron was split between the Barnes CVE-20 & the Nassau CVE-16 for their strikes on Tarawa. After the island was secured both halves of the squadron were based there. The planes with the G side numbers had flown off of the Barnes & the planes with the H side numbers had flown off of the Nassau. After they moved to Tarawa the side numbers with the G & H were not changed.

Hope that helps,

Mac

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WWII Naval Aviation Research - Pacific
https://www.ww2nar-pac.com/