Hardly a week seems to pass these days, without news hitting the web and enthusiast forums regarding historic aeroplanes, both home and abroad and their immediate futures. Without doubt, one of the highlights of 2014 so far has been the return to the air of The Fighter Collection’s magnificent Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat, which has to be described as one of the rarest historic aircraft still flying in the world. On 23rd of May this year, TFC Chief Pilot Pete Kynsey took the Hellcat for a test flight, which was the first time the aircraft had flown for almost five long years – the flight made the TFC Hellcat the only flying example of this aircraft in Europe and marked the welcome return of one of the best loved Warbirds on the UK Airshow circuit. Unfortunately, rumours have started to circulate recently that this magnificent Warbird may have been sold to an overseas collector and although these rumours have not yet been definitively confirmed by anyone at TFC, these things have a nasty habit of having some truth behind them. This really would be sad news for the UK enthusiast, as the Hellcat is such a rare and exciting performer at Duxford Airshows, although it is difficult to question TFC, as they have been instrumental in bringing us all an embarrassing array of Warbird riches for us to all ogle over the years.
Let us take a short look at the potted history of the TFC Hellcat – Built at the Grumman production facility at Baldwin, Long Island in 1943, she was delivered to the US Navy with Bureau Number 80141. Assigned to VF-6 ‘Felix’ squadron, on board USS Intrepid, the aircraft was the mount of Lieutenant Alex Vraciu, who was to achieve the status of the US Navy’s fourth most successful ‘air ace’ of the war, with 19 aerial victories. Indeed, Vraciu used this very aircraft for nine of those victories, including no less than six Japanese Yokosuka D4Y dive-bombers in just eight frantic minutes, during the ‘Great Mariana’s Turkey Shoot’ of June 1944 (otherwise known as the Battle of the Philippine Sea).
Our Hellcat was then transferred to VF-18, where she would continue to be flown operationally and interestingly by several pilots who were also to go on and become US Navy ace pilots, before being transferred to the Naval Air Technical Training College, in Chicago, where she served as a War Bond tour aircraft and for many years following this, as a training and instructional airframe. She passed through the hands of a number of high profile US Warbird collectors, before a restoration programme began to return this mighty fighter to the air once more. Before this programme could be completed, the Hellcat was purchased by The Fighter Collection and sent to Fighter Re-builders at Chino, who were commissioned to continue the rebuild of the aircraft. In August 1990, the TFC Hellcat arrived at Southampton docks, for onward transportation to Duxford, where she was to instantly become one of the most important historic aircraft in Europe. The Fighter Collection contacted Alex Vraciu regarding their new fighter and he confirmed its war record and provided details of the colour scheme of the aircraft when he flew it. He also lent new owner Stephen Grey his original flying gloves for his first flight in the Hellcat and travelled to Duxford, with his family, to be re-acquainted with his former steed – I am sure that this will have been an emotional occasion for everyone present. Unfortunately, it now seems that this magnificent aircraft may be heading back to the States, although they will surely claim that this is her true home – at least we have managed to feast our eyes on her for the past few years, even if this was mainly in the TFC hangar.
Large Scale TFC Hellcat model
A recent 1/32nd scale die-cast release from Hobbymaster has provided us with the ultimate way in which to mark the potential passing of this magnificent Warbird in some style. I would have to describe HA0302 as perhaps the most accomplished die-cast aviation model of the past three, or four years and certainly one of the finest models our hobby has ever seen. Many of us will have one of the Corgi 1/32nd scale Spitfires, or Mustangs in our collections and hold them in extremely high regard – it has to be said that the Hobbymaster Hellcat takes these models to a new level of detail and authenticity. It is a magnificent piece of engineering and absolutely does the Hellcat justice in die-cast. Featuring many moving parts, including the option to have the wings in the distinctive folded back position, perhaps the most striking aspect of this impressive model is the massive metal propeller and highly detailed Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine, which really does help to convey something of the power and majesty of this brute of a fighter aircraft. Hobbymaster certainly have to be commended for their efforts in producing this beautiful model. Obviously, this particular release marks Alex Vraciu’s ‘White 19’, in which he scored his six victories in a sortie, during the Battle of the Philippine Sea and is the same aircraft which is currently operated by The Fighter Collection at Duxford.
The first release in this impressive new series was ‘MINSI III’, which was the mount of the US Navy’s Ace of Aces David McCampbell, of VF-15, whilst assigned to USS Essex. McCambell was the scourge of the Japanese Naval Air Force and accounted for 34 confirmed aerial victories in the Pacific Theatre which was unequalled by any other US Navy pilot in WWII. This magnificent model is now completely sold out around the world and our last three models are some of the last available in Europe – with just 800 models being produced worldwide and the vast majority ending up in the US, this may well be the last opportunity to add one of these stunning models to your collection. For this weekend only and only whilst our existing stocks remain, we are offering a free, purpose built metal stand for these magnificent models worth £15.00 with every purchase of either HA0301 McCambell, or HA0302 Vraciu – as I have already stated, we have low numbers of each model available and as usual, I am afraid that we must allocate our remaining stock to the first collectors to order them. If you have already added one of these models to your collection, you will know exactly what you are getting – if you have yet to sample their delights, you are in for a very pleasant surprise!
Northrop P-61 Black Widow proving to be a massive hit with collectors
Some weeks ago, you will recall that we told you all about an exciting new tooling release in 1/72nd scale from Air Force One Models, which will present the collector with one of the most requested aircraft toolings of recent years – the distinctive Northrop P-61 Black Widow. The P-61 was the first operational US aircraft designed from the outset to be a night-fighter and was the first aircraft designed specifically to use radar as its primary means of detecting its prey. When you consider these facts, it is little wonder that these sinister, dark aeroplanes operating almost exclusively in the dark of night should be called the ‘Black Widow’ – if you were unfortunate to be its prey aircraft, you were in grave danger. The crew of three consisted of pilot, air gunner and radar operator and should they spot some enemy aircraft, they had a savage array of guns to bring to bear. Armed with four 20mm Hispano cannon firing forward in the lower fuselage and a ventral turret housing a further four .50 inch M2 browning machine guns, the Black Widow could decimate an enemy aircraft with just a short, well aimed burst and it gained itself a fearsome reputation in the short time it was to see active service during WWII. In a future Newsletter, we look more closely at the P-61 and its introduction into service in both the European and Pacific theatres of operation, but for now, if you would like to have a Black Widow in your collection, you really do need to pre-order one now. We have seen huge pre-ordering activity for this model and as we know how many models will be coming to the UK, it is imperative that you reserve your example before they arrive – these beauties are going to be in very short supply. Please click on this P-61 Black Widow link and reserve your model.
Finally for this week, we have another spectacular OFFER OF THE WEEK model for you and this time, we have selected one of the most successful modern jet aircraft the world has ever seen. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon has been in service for 36 years now and I am sure that many Airshow goers will agree with me that it is still an impressive performer to this day. As a young man, I used to marvel at the speed and agility of the F-16 and dream of how fantastic it must be to fly one of these spectacular aircraft. With excellent visibility from its raised cockpit and panoramic canopy, this fly-by-wire beast seemed to be the ultimate pilots aeroplane and with many European air forces using the type, it is thankfully still a regular visitor to our shores. Our offer model is HA3814, an F-16C (Block 40G) ‘Fighting Falcon’ of the US Air Force 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, in Italy. This extremely famous aircraft has a ‘Triple kill on the same mission’ to its name, as it claimed three Bosnian Sako Jastreb jets on 28th February 1994. Hobbymaster really are the king of the modern jet and this model is absolutely superb and beautifully captures the awesome Fighting Falcon for the die-cast aviation collector. Again offering a huge saving against the RRP of £59.99, we are making our last few models available at just £39.99 each, which is a fantastic price for this beautiful model. Please click on this OFFER FALCON link to be taken straight to the relevent section of our website – we are again finishing with a large picture of the model, so you can see for yourself how good it is. Allocated on a first to order basis, please do not delay ordering this awesome model at a great sale price.