Hellcat F6F-5 parts to identify

[Ian03]

Can anyone help to confirm that this is the headset jack socket from the jackbox on the right hand side of the cockpit ? We can't find a picture of it anywhere.

The lettering appears to be the last three letters of the word 'SOUND' or 'GROUND' or something else.

Thanks for your help.

jack.jpg (160.76 KiB) Viewed 2000 times

[StangStung]

What is the backstory on this pilot/aircraft/location?

I've tried to educate myself via google searches, to no avail.

Thanks in advance.

[flypa38]

Looks like a receptacle to electrically ground the aircraft on the ramp.

[Cvairwerks]

The piece of wire gives the answer. Static ground point. The only things that uses 2 or 3 wires wrapped around a core of wire, are static grounds. Notable other places to find them are on control surfaces and hinged doors and panels.

[Ian03]

What is the backstory on this pilot/aircraft/location?

I've tried to educate myself via google searches, to no avail.

Thanks in advance.

After the invasion of Southern France in August 1944 Brink was conducting an armed recco up the Rhone valley from their carrier, The Kasaan Bay, anchored off Toulon. While overflying a small village he saw what he thought to be a German motorcyclist with a sidecar and dived to strafe. It was in all probability a bike comandeered by the French resistance as by then the Germans had retreated north from the area. In those confusing days this kind of thing happened a lot.

His wingman reported that his aircraft went very low, there are reports that he even tore off the reserve tank, then it came up to about 300 ft, looking out of control, wheeled over to port and dived into the woods.

The official report notes that he was killed by ground fire. It may be true, but it seems very unlikely that it was enemy fire. It might have been a case of friendly fire but they would have had to be very lucky to down a Hellcat with small arms fire.

For the moment that's as much as we know.

[Ian03]

Looks like a receptacle to electrically ground the aircraft on the ramp.

That's great, and it makes much more sense. Thanks. Any idea where we could find a picture ?

[Ian03]

The piece of wire gives the answer. Static ground point. The only things that uses 2 or 3 wires wrapped around a core of wire, are static grounds. Notable other places to find them are on control surfaces and hinged doors and panels.

Sounds good but I'll get a photo of the back side so you can see the electrical connections. Can anyone send a picutre of the static grounding of a hellcat ?

[Ian03]

The piece of wire gives the answer. Static ground point. The only things that uses 2 or 3 wires wrapped around a core of wire, are static grounds. Notable other places to find them are on control surfaces and hinged doors and panels.

Sounds good but I'll get a photo of the back side so you can see the electrical connections. Can anyone send a picutre of the static grounding of a hellcat ?

Here is a picture of the back of the connector. Does this confirm the static gounding point and give a clue as to it's location on the aircraft ?

[Cvairwerks]

Wash off all the dirt and you can verify that all three of the small eyelet terminals have continuity with the flex tab and the body. The only thing that uses this type configuration is a static ground point. The labeling on the other side would be consistent with a ground point too.

The pilot's headset would have plugged into a J-22A jack box on the right side of the cockpit. The J-22A would give the pilot a mix of all 5 receivers installed in the aircraft.

[Ian03]

Wash off all the dirt and you can verify that all three of the small eyelet terminals have continuity with the flex tab and the body. The only thing that uses this type configuration is a static ground point. The labeling on the other side would be consistent with a ground point too.

The pilot's headset would have plugged into a J-22A jack box on the right side of the cockpit. The J-22A would give the pilot a mix of all 5 receivers installed in the aircraft.

Thanks, that all makes perfect sense but where was this grounding point on the aircraft ?

[Cutlass]

Definitely a static grounding receptacle. I have the same units all over the F7U.

[Cvairwerks]

Thanks, that all makes perfect sense but where was this grounding point on the aircraft ?

Ian: No idea on the Hellcat. One thing that might help, is that it appears to be mounted on a piece of fiberglass or some sort of composite.

[Ian03]

Thanks, that all makes perfect sense but where was this grounding point on the aircraft ?

Ian: No idea on the Hellcat. One thing that might help, is that it appears to be mounted on a piece of fiberglass or some sort of composite.

Maybe somewhere here ? Behind this cover ?

f6f carrier.JPG (75.89 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

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f6f carrier.JPG (75.89 KiB) Viewed 1302 times

[Archer]

Generally, a grounding point would be installed near a fuel filling cap so that you can easily connect the grounding wire before commencing fuelling. I have no idea about the Hellcat's location for that though.

[Ian03]

Generally, a grounding point would be installed near a fuel filling cap so that you can easily connect the grounding wire before commencing fuelling. I have no idea about the Hellcat's location for that though.

Thanks Archer, we're on the case