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

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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