| HOBBY MASTER COLLECTOR |
| Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series (Propeller Powered) HA1102 - Grumman Hellcat Mk. II, Fleet Air Arm, No. 804 Squadron, 1945 |
History of the 804 squadron.
After spending time in North Africa and the Mediterranean the 804 squadron was stationed in Northern Ireland and in
the summer of 1943 received a new CO Lt. Cdr. Orr ( who was an ace ) as well as the all new Grumman Hellcat I’s to
replace their Sea Hurricanes. The British referred to the new planes as “Gannets” until March 1944 and then they too
called them Hellcats.
Oct. 1943 saw 804 being assigned to the #7 Naval Fighter Wing where they practiced flying the Hellcats on shore as
well as at sea. All this was so they could gain experience with their new planes and would be read to take part in
“Operation Tungsten”, the early 1944 air strike on the German ship Tirpitz that had been nestled in a Norwegian
fjord. The British were so worried that Tirpitz would head for open water and devastate shipping that was so vital to
the island nation, Tirpitz had to be destroyed. 804 was assigned to escort the second wave of bombers, 19
Barracudas that would depart one hour behind the first group. The attack did little more than kill a couple of hundred
sailors and caused minor damage that took about two months to repair. On November 12, 1944 the third attack to
destroy Tirpitz the British finally succeeded. Lancaster bombers carrying “Tall Boy” bombs managed to get two direct
hits that pierced the hull on the port side creating a 200 foot hole and causing internal fires. The magazine exploded
and blew “C” turret off and the ship capsized within minutes killing 1,700 German sailors.
The 804 took part in Normandy action and after D-Day 804 was absorbed into the 800 and then 804 was disbanded
only to be reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield, South Africa with 24 new Hellcat IIs. In January 1945 the
squadron embarked on HMS Ameer to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island. In April of the same year
they were assigned to HMS Empress and took part in attacks on the Andaman Islands and along the coast of Burma.
June 1945 the 804 was on the move again but it was back to HMS Ameer in time to participate in strikes on Sumatran
airfields and Phuket Island. Their next move was after VJ-Day in November 1945 when the squadron returned home
to Great Britain.
After spending time in North Africa and the Mediterranean the 804 squadron was stationed in Northern Ireland and in
the summer of 1943 received a new CO Lt. Cdr. Orr ( who was an ace ) as well as the all new Grumman Hellcat I’s to
replace their Sea Hurricanes. The British referred to the new planes as “Gannets” until March 1944 and then they too
called them Hellcats.
Oct. 1943 saw 804 being assigned to the #7 Naval Fighter Wing where they practiced flying the Hellcats on shore as
well as at sea. All this was so they could gain experience with their new planes and would be read to take part in
“Operation Tungsten”, the early 1944 air strike on the German ship Tirpitz that had been nestled in a Norwegian
fjord. The British were so worried that Tirpitz would head for open water and devastate shipping that was so vital to
the island nation, Tirpitz had to be destroyed. 804 was assigned to escort the second wave of bombers, 19
Barracudas that would depart one hour behind the first group. The attack did little more than kill a couple of hundred
sailors and caused minor damage that took about two months to repair. On November 12, 1944 the third attack to
destroy Tirpitz the British finally succeeded. Lancaster bombers carrying “Tall Boy” bombs managed to get two direct
hits that pierced the hull on the port side creating a 200 foot hole and causing internal fires. The magazine exploded
and blew “C” turret off and the ship capsized within minutes killing 1,700 German sailors.
The 804 took part in Normandy action and after D-Day 804 was absorbed into the 800 and then 804 was disbanded
only to be reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield, South Africa with 24 new Hellcat IIs. In January 1945 the
squadron embarked on HMS Ameer to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island. In April of the same year
they were assigned to HMS Empress and took part in attacks on the Andaman Islands and along the coast of Burma.
June 1945 the 804 was on the move again but it was back to HMS Ameer in time to participate in strikes on Sumatran
airfields and Phuket Island. Their next move was after VJ-Day in November 1945 when the squadron returned home
to Great Britain.
Hobby Master HA1102 Hellcat
The realism of this Hellcat is so
amazing that you will be able to
imagine yourself as the pilot who is
glued to the tail of a bobbing and
weaving Zero as he tries in vain to
escape. Hobby Master has included
many extras such as an array of
weapons and add-ons and other great
features to bring you the best possible
model. Painted in a camo scheme this
FAA ( Fleet Air Arm ) 804 squadron
model has the fin flash and roundels of
the SEAC ( South East Asia Command
). The British who had refused such
aircraft as the P-38 in any numbers
chose the Hellcat, so this is quite a
statement of confidence in the Hellcat.
One of the best ever aircraft of WW II
can be yours with this stunning
reproduction Hobby Master has made
possible.
The realism of this Hellcat is so
amazing that you will be able to
imagine yourself as the pilot who is
glued to the tail of a bobbing and
weaving Zero as he tries in vain to
escape. Hobby Master has included
many extras such as an array of
weapons and add-ons and other great
features to bring you the best possible
model. Painted in a camo scheme this
FAA ( Fleet Air Arm ) 804 squadron
model has the fin flash and roundels of
the SEAC ( South East Asia Command
). The British who had refused such
aircraft as the P-38 in any numbers
chose the Hellcat, so this is quite a
statement of confidence in the Hellcat.
One of the best ever aircraft of WW II
can be yours with this stunning
reproduction Hobby Master has made
possible.
Hellcat history
1942 saw the design of the prototype of the Hellcat and to make the take-off and landing speeds reasonable
Grumman made the wings exceptionally large in all proportions. They were even larger than the P-47 in an effort to
reduce wing loading and in the process they became the largest wing area of any single fighter of WW II, 334
square feet.
The Grumman Hellcat started out as a variation and replacement for the F4F Wildcat but soon became a much
larger and more powerful plane. Designed as a carrier borne fighter to be counter the Japanese Zero the U.S. got a
lucky break when a Zero was found completely intact. The plane was transported to the Grumman factory in
California where it was flown and test results analyzed. It found the Hellcat to be slightly slower than the Zero so a
bigger engine was installed which now gave the plane a top speed of 375 mph, 29 mph faster than the Zero.
The Hellcat was so impressive that it soon became the main shipboard fighter of the US Navy for the last two years
of the Pacific War. With well over 5,000 victories in the air the Hellcat was the most successful Allied fighter of WW II
credited with 76% of all USN carrier fighter wins. The plane became known as “the Ace Maker”.
Grumman had developed an improved Hellcat, the F6F-5, which utilized a redesigned engine cowl, new ailerons, a
strengthened tail, and a water-injection system for the engine, which added 10% to the takeoff performance and
increased its armament-carrying capabilities. The F6F-5 was first flown on 4 April 1944, and production continued
through November 1945. 930 "Dash-5" Hellcats were delivered to the UK Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease
program under the designation Hellcat Mk II and outfitting 14 FAA front-line squadrons.
By November 1945 7,870 F6F-5s were built.
1942 saw the design of the prototype of the Hellcat and to make the take-off and landing speeds reasonable
Grumman made the wings exceptionally large in all proportions. They were even larger than the P-47 in an effort to
reduce wing loading and in the process they became the largest wing area of any single fighter of WW II, 334
square feet.
The Grumman Hellcat started out as a variation and replacement for the F4F Wildcat but soon became a much
larger and more powerful plane. Designed as a carrier borne fighter to be counter the Japanese Zero the U.S. got a
lucky break when a Zero was found completely intact. The plane was transported to the Grumman factory in
California where it was flown and test results analyzed. It found the Hellcat to be slightly slower than the Zero so a
bigger engine was installed which now gave the plane a top speed of 375 mph, 29 mph faster than the Zero.
The Hellcat was so impressive that it soon became the main shipboard fighter of the US Navy for the last two years
of the Pacific War. With well over 5,000 victories in the air the Hellcat was the most successful Allied fighter of WW II
credited with 76% of all USN carrier fighter wins. The plane became known as “the Ace Maker”.
Grumman had developed an improved Hellcat, the F6F-5, which utilized a redesigned engine cowl, new ailerons, a
strengthened tail, and a water-injection system for the engine, which added 10% to the takeoff performance and
increased its armament-carrying capabilities. The F6F-5 was first flown on 4 April 1944, and production continued
through November 1945. 930 "Dash-5" Hellcats were delivered to the UK Royal Navy under the Lend-Lease
program under the designation Hellcat Mk II and outfitting 14 FAA front-line squadrons.
By November 1945 7,870 F6F-5s were built.
Specifications (F6F-5):
Engine:
2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial
piston engine
Weight:
Empty 9150 lbs.,
Max Takeoff 15,410 lbs.
Dimensions:
Wing Span: 42ft. 10in.
Length: 33ft. 7in.
Height: 13ft. 6in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed at 23,500 ft: 380mph
Cruising Speed at 6,000 ft: 168mph
Ceiling: 37,300 ft
Range: 1,530 miles with 150-gallon drop tank
Armament:
Six 12.7mm (0.5 inch) wing-mounted machine guns
Two 1,000-lb bombs, or six 127mm (5-inch) rockets
Engine:
2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial
piston engine
Weight:
Empty 9150 lbs.,
Max Takeoff 15,410 lbs.
Dimensions:
Wing Span: 42ft. 10in.
Length: 33ft. 7in.
Height: 13ft. 6in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed at 23,500 ft: 380mph
Cruising Speed at 6,000 ft: 168mph
Ceiling: 37,300 ft
Range: 1,530 miles with 150-gallon drop tank
Armament:
Six 12.7mm (0.5 inch) wing-mounted machine guns
Two 1,000-lb bombs, or six 127mm (5-inch) rockets
ammo bay panel in left wing
(picture above and to the left)
will not be on the production
version, it will be a solid wing.
(picture above and to the left)
will not be on the production
version, it will be a solid wing.
| THESE ARE PRE-PRODUCTION PICTURES THE RETAIL VERSION WILL BE MORE REFINED |
