With March upon us perhaps a new desktop is in order. This month we feature a last hurrah for the Hellcat – pictured as Nick Grey is about to taxi out for the Joker slot at Legends last year.
Category: Grumman Hellcat
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New Month, New Desktop!
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A “tearful” farewell
Today we waved a tearful farewell to a true friend as Grumman Hellcat F6F left Duxford en-route Southampton to its new home in the USA. As friends may remember the Hellcat arrived in the UK in 1990 in a less than auspicious colour scheme before its true history was known and finally recognised.
Ready to roll on a frosty Friday morning
…and we are off. With an update from Friend Chris Gritt who reports this evening: “Have I just seen your Hellcat on the back of a lorry, heading down the M27?”
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Legends – the true meaning
On Thursday we had a visitor to the hangar. John Cronin was a Fleet Air Arm pilot in 1945, completed his flying training on the Cornell and Harvard before going on to the Martlet (Wildcat) He managed eight deck landings on an aircraft carrier with a collapsed oleo “on the wrong side” which made the take-off swing even worse than normal.
He then was posted to Tambaran near Madras (now Chennai) to fly the Hellcat, in preparation for the invasion of Japan. Whilst there, however, the hostilities came to an end and John gratefully returned to the UK and his life as an insurance salesman. Now 89 years young, he is still active, driving himself and brother Tom to Duxford today and although not able to get into the Hellcat this time it was a great pleasure to welcome him again.
You can see our aircraft Legends such as John flew below as the aircraft are nearly as active as John (including the Hellcat). Video as caught at the Duxford September show.
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TFC at Duxford September Airshow
Our photo report on TFC at the show on Saturday and Sunday, others will have pictures on the internet of Lancasters, a 727 and other assorted goodies. A much busier day for us on the stand and VEAO in the hangar. Video of our planes in action will be along later:
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Where to find us this weekend
OK, The DCS guys are in the hangar with P40, P-51, Fw190 demos and more. Friends of TFC are out by hangar 3 in a marquee thingy with merchandise, goodys , membership renewals and people who like to talk about old aeroplanes. The Fighter Collection have a few aeroplanes in the display, you can check out some of the practice the displays from today below:
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Fleet Has Berthed
Shoreham Tonight
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Fleet ready to sail
Well you know what we mean. Line up on the ramp this morning ready for Shoreham
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Hellcat Flights
Today the Hellcat was up and about twice in the hands of Alan Wade, who put on a display on return to Duxford – Chance to show off the Hellcats new windows!
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Another Hellcat Update
The Hellcat had an engine test earlier this week and a few people noticed a discrete change, Martin Espin explains:
“It’s been a long time coming but with Legends 2014 firmly behind us we have finally made time to fix the ‘missing’ windows on the Hellcat. Armed with Grumman drawing 24538 and illustrated diagram J27 the side windows and rear view panels were fabricated and reinstated into the aft fuselage. ”
