New images added Hobby Master HA0310 F6F-5P Hellcat 135P, VF-84 ‘ Wolf Gang ‘, USS Bunker Hill, August 1945
In August 1945, VF-84 operated the F6F-5 Hellcat from USS Bunker Hill during the final days of World War Two in the Pacific. White 135 was part of the squadron’s air group, flying combat air patrol, fighter escort, and ground attack missions against remaining Japanese targets. The F6F-5 was a durable and heavily armed fighter, capable of dominating both air and surface engagements. VF-84 supported strikes against the Japanese home islands and nearby territories. As the war neared its end, the squadron maintained readiness and continued operations until Japan’s surrender later that month.
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
Developed by Grumman to combat the Japanese Zero, the carrier-based F6F Hellcat was first flown on June 26, 1942. The Hellcat was a far more potent force than its predecessor, the Wildcat. It had increased fuel capacity, a low-mounted wing, wide landing gear, strengthened cockpit armor plating, and increased ammunition capacity. The big Double Wasp engine was set three degrees off the center axis, giving the aircraft a tail-down attitude in flight. Pilots’ stories of “mostly holes where the airplane used to be” underscore the Hellcat’s ability absorb unbelievable punishment and still return to the ship.
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