Markings for F6F-3 1/48

Lt. Oscar I. Chenoweth, VF-38, Segi Point airstrip, New Georgia Island, September 1943

Oscar Ivan Chenoweth was born on July 16, 1917, in Salem, Oregon. Having graduated from the High School he continued his studies at the Oregon State University however he interrupted his education and in October of the same year enlisted in the US Navy. Having completed the fighter training Ens. Chenoweth flew as an instructor at a training unit. In the middle of 1943, he was assigned to VF-38 operating in the Pacific. Here he achieved his fist kill on September 15, 1943, when he shot down a Japanese Zero nearby Ballale island. Since January 1944 he flew Corsairs with VF-17 achieving another 7.5 victories over Japanese aircraft. Since June 1944 he was in command of the dive bomber squadron. In 1954 he retired from the US Navy and worked for Chance Vought. He passed away on May 9, 1968, due to a heart attack. Red outline of the national markings was discontinued as of August 14, 1943, because of possible confusion with the Japanese Hinomaru. There is no photographic proof that Chenowethְ’s aircraft carried the red outlines at the time of his first kill. It is possible, that in this time it sported blue-outlined markings.

Ens. Gordon A. Stanley, VF-27, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

Gordon Arthur Stanley, born on July 13, 1921, in Seattle, Washington state, shot down eight enemy airplanes in the course of World War Two. All of them he achieved flying with VF-27. This unit became famous thanks to its unique marking – cat mouth and eyes painted by Robert Burnell on all noses of the Hellcats belonging to this unit. Most of the Hellcats sporting the cat mouth with eyes were lost on October 24, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The aircraft ended up on the ocean bottom together with Light Aircraft Carrier Princeton, which was sunk by the single bomb launched from the D4Y Suisei (Judy) dive-bomber. Afterwards VF-27 operated from the board of CVL-22 Independence, however without the cat-mouth and eyes markings.

VF-8, USS Intrepid (CV-11), Summer 1943

Second unit marked as VF-8 was established on June 1, 1943, under the command of LCdr. William M. Collins Jr. and was dispatched for the operational training aboard USS Intrepid which was sailing in the Caribbean Sea at that time. Tri-color camouflage, introduced as of January 5, 1943, for the application on the aircraft deployed to Pacific, composed of Non-specular Sea Blue, Semi-gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and Non-specular White. Here, it was applied slightly differently than on the other aircraft. National markings featuring the red outline were introduced as of June 28, 1943.

Lt. J. E. Lochridge, VF-34, Nissan Island, 1944

The very unusual marking consisting of a white spine and part of the tail was typical for VF-34 Hellcats. Even more rare were pin-up girls on U.S. Navy fighter aircraft. Registration number was spray-painted on the engine cowling, used obviously during the deliveries from the manufacturer to the units.

OTU VF-2, NAS Melbourne, United States of America, October 1944

Naval Air Station Melbourne was established on October 20, 1942 and the first training course commenced on January 18, 1943 on F4F Wildcat aircraft. Hellcats started to arrive at the unit as of June 1, 1943, fully replaced originally operated Wildcats as of October 1, 1944, and their inventory varied between 75 and 150 machines. During 1944, 546 pilots completed their pilot training at this base, another 916 pilots from January to October 1944. Hellcats belonging to this unit sported a prominent marking carried on the front part of the engine cowling consisting of stripes or other geometrical shapes.