[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

Click on pic for past Navair pings.

Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.

[alfa6]

A couple of Grumman pics from the Duxford airshow a few years back

F4F Wildcat on left and F6F Hellcat on right

Hellcat on top

A trio of Grummans, F8F on Top then the Hellcat and the Wildcat

How about 4 Grumman's in this pic. Left to right the Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, Bearcat and Wildcat.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[19th LA Inf]

Flight Journal magazine has carried a series of articles by Corky Meyer about testing the Grumman airplanes during WW II. One interesting experience he mentions was high altitude testing of the F6F. At first there were frequent engine failures up past 30,000 feet or so. He knew that Republic P-47s, which used the same Pratt & Whitney R-2800, had no trouble getting up around 40,000 feet. Turned out that the P-47 was fitted with a better ignition harness that prevented high voltage ignition breakdown up in the thin air. Grumman, once they found out, demanded and got the better harnesses and were then able to meet the Navy's altitude requirements.

Corky Meyer is one of the few test pilots from that era who started on prop planes, went through most of the jet era and lived to be 80.