KITS 04/2022
F6F-5, Lt. Fred Prinz, VBF-17, USS Hornet (CV-12), March 1945
Before the planned landing of the American units on
Okinawa (Operation Iceberg, April 1, 1945) on March 19,
1945 the USN airplanes attacked the enemy air bases
located on the islands of Kyūshū, Shikoku and southern
Honshū and the naval bases Kure and Kobe. The mission
was to destroy the Japanese ships and aircraft and prevent them from any action against the invasion forces.
One of the units that were to participate in this strike
was VBF-17 based on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet
(CV-12). In the formation of twenty Hellcats, with which
VBF-17 was equipped, flew Lt. Prinz and Lt. Karr. Kōkūtai
343 equipped with N1K2-J fighters was launched against the approaching enemy. The dogfight took place over
the ocean. During the surprise attack on two American
pilots Lt. Karr was shot down while Lt. Prinz’s Hellcat
was damaged and the unit’s commander was destroyed
after the collision with one of the attackers, Kiku-ichi
Ishikawa. Prinz managed to nurse the damaged aircraft
back to Hornet where he landed. Hellcats participating
in these missions were marked by white-painted noses
for the better recognition of the friendly aircraft.
F6F-5, Lt. Daniel A. Carmichael, VBF-12, USS Randolph (CV-15), April 1945
Washington D.C. native, Daniel Archibald Carmichael
finished his Bachelor’s studies in the architecture at
Princeton University in 1941. He commenced his pilot’s
training with the US Navy in the spring of the following
year finishing it in March 1943. After completing the
advanced training he was assigned to VF-2 from June
1943 to October 1944 flying from USS Enterprise (CV-6)
and USS Hornet (CV-12). During his VF-2 deployment Lt.
Carmichael shot down nine enemy aircraft. His next
assignment was the USS Randolph (CV-15) air carrier
flight deck from which he flew from January to May
1945 within the ranks of VBF-12 achieving another 4
victories over the Japanese aircraft.
During his VBF-12 deployment Lt. Carmichael flew
overal blue Hellcat nr.59 which carried the white markings of the aircraft belonging to USS Randolph, on the
vertical tail surface, rudder and the ailerons, his scoreboard was marked under the windshield.
F6F-5K, BuNo 80173, Detroit Air Races, 1951
After WWII all Hellcats were replaced by the more
modern type made by Grumman, F8F Bearcat fighters. Hellcats were gradually transferred to the
second line units and reserve squadrons. During
1949-1957 the significant number was converted
60
INFO Eduard
to radio-controlled drones. The flight instruments
were retained for flights between the bases however
the aircraft were stripped of the armaments and
arrestor hooks for aircraft carrier landings. One of
the Hellcats rebuilt to the drone standard was the
airframe BuNo 80173 which in 1951 appeared at the
Detroit Air Races. It did not participate in the racing
however its unusual coloration attracted the interest
of the aviation fans.
April 2022