O'Hare F6F-3 decals

Gee, I spent a bit of time searching for this, as the subject interests m too.

I got nuttin'. It's almost as though the whole thing got revisionist history treatment. One history site confirmed the "00" marking, but another had him flying an F4F, so it's not easy to find what you are looking for. I suppose most of it would be standard Hellcat stuff, circa 11/26/43.

There are some sets for Flatley's F6F-3 04872.

Suspect a typo on the F4F, since he flew a -3 Wildcat off Lady Lex on the MOH flight, and the last flight was in a -3 Hellcat.

Suppose could cobble up something from spare decals for the Bu. # and the "00" markings.

Little off track, but I found where they built 2  F6F-6's using Corsair powerplant and a 4 blade prop.  Was the fastest "cat of the time, but the war ended before mass production began...kind of makes you wonder if they were test beds for the Bearcat.

You could probably easily cobble those “double nuts” from a generic US Navy white numbers decal set. Microscale and Yellow Wings Decals both make such types of sets. The Bu.No. would be harder to make that way from black USN number decals. The Bu.No. could more easily be printed up on custom decal paper if you can find the correct font. Do you know if his F6F was carrying any squadron markings? Some squadrons did, and some did not.

No idea if it carried VF-6 markings or not, or if it had any "kill" flags on it.  Have to do some more digging.  Just sent an email to the Butch O'Hare chapter of IPMS to see what they might have or know of. 

Fingers crossed.

That is a good idea.

Heard back from the gentleman I contacted....their show/contest is next w/e and he's going to ask around and see if anyone has anything or references.

As far as I can tell, O'Hare ended up with 7 victories, but not sure if the plane had those markings or not.  Suspect it might have, as it was his personal mount.

Excuse me for reviving this thread....

For some reason I decided I want to build a Hellcat in honor of Butch O'Hare, having stopped to respect the display at ORD many times. I saw an nice looking F6f in 1/48 from Eduard and started looking for some facts, confused becuase the restored aircraft at ORD is an F4F (with the "skinny" landing gear) and according to what I read Lt Commander O'Hare final flight was in a F6F.

I am not a good student of aviation/wartime history as are so many of you. After a couple hours of nosing about, it seems O'Hare was flying an F4F when he flew his medal of honor flight, and perhaps the newer F6F some time later during his final flight.

I was surprised to find this thread.

I am curious if you or anyone confirm if I'm more or less right, Goldhammer, or if you were ever successful in locating a decal set or a kit which includes a Butch O'Hare decal set?

Thanks in advance for any info. One way or another, it is nice to know I'm not alone in my interest in this.

You are very much right. O'Hare was flying an F4F along with Jimmy Thach in February 1942 when he shot down or otherwise caused the destruction of five aircraft.

Following that, he returned to the States to do publicity and eventually run flight training.

When he did eventually return to the War zone in late 1943, he was flying F6F's.

His final mission involved a new night fighting tactic. A group of fighters would fly behind a TBF Avenger bomber. The bomber had a three man crew and onboard radar, which was used to identify targets that the fighters could engage.

Night fighting was a tricky business because the pilots had to resort to shooting at exhaust flames in the dark. It's probable that O'Hare was shot down by the gunner in the TBF.

One key reason that the USN aviation effort prevailed in the Pacific was because the US cycled experienced pilots out of combat to train newer ones, while Japan threw their Naval aviators into combat until they were killed.

O'Hare wasn't from Illinois either, but that was quite an honor as it turns out. Yes, I've run past that aircraft more than a few times.

I've read that the kit is one of the best plastic models ever sold. Do show it off, Greg.

I haven't seen any photos of O'Hares Hellcat, or if it had the Felix marking, but otherwise the markings would be really straightforward.

Bill

Bill, thank you for the information. Very interesting and useful and glad to hear I was on the right track.

Also kind of cool that we have both stood around the F4F on display at ORD admiring it, albiet at different times.

GMorrison

I've read that the kit is one of the best plastic models ever sold. Do show it off, Greg.

I didn't know that about the Eduard kit, and I must say hearing that piques my interest in it even more. For some reason I like the odd main gear configuration on the F4F, but now that I'm assured that the Lt Colonel was flying an F6F on the night of the attempted night attack, I think you're right about not worrying about if the markings are exact. Maybe a fun goal might be to build both an F4F and F6F........sooner or later.

Thanks again, Bill.

Greg-

Never did hear back from anyone on his F6F-3.  The kit I have to do it is Hase's 1/48 "Essex" version.

Kind of put it on the back burner for now, and will have to do more digging at a later date.

goldhammer

Greg-

Never did hear back from anyone on his F6F-3.  The kit I have to do it is Hase's 1/48 "Essex" version.

Kind of put it on the back burner for now, and will have to do more digging at a later date.

 

Thank you for your follow-up.

Again, it seems we have a common goal.

The wiki page abt O'Hare includes a picture of a Ens. named Pahl, sitting in a VF-6 Hellcat. The Felix insignia is on it so it would be a reasonable assumption that Butch's 'Cat had it as well. I would also think he had his five victory markings as well.

I just emailed the O'Hare chapter contact person, hope to hear something back.

GMorrison

The wiki page abt O'Hare includes a picture of a Ens. named Pahl, sitting in a VF-6 Hellcat. The Felix insignia is on it so it would be a reasonable assumption that Butch's 'Cat had it as well. I would also think he had his five victory markings as well.

 

Both ideas sound good to me.

goldhammer

I just emailed the O'Hare chapter contact person, hope to hear something back.

 

Great idea. Look forward to hearing of their response.

He was flying his CAG aircraft that night.  BuNo 66168, was marked with "00" on both sides as per normal for CAG's bird at the time.

Don't know about the Felix emblem, as that was VF3, not VF6, nor if it carried victory flags, or the number.  Suspect it did, probably 7 of them, his total.  Being a CAG bird I would think it would be kept up to date on kills, as well as very tenderly cared for.

As a side note, the F4F he flew at Coral Sea had the side marking "F-15", between the national insignia and the cockpit.

VF-3 had just been redesignated VF-6, I read somewhere.

That would explain it, since they still numbered the squadrons with the hull number of the carrier they were assigned to.

By 1943 Lexington, Yorktown, Hornet and Wasp had all been sunk. So Navy squadrons were spread all over, including land based on Guadalcanal.

Bill

goldhammer

He was flying his CAG aircraft that night.  BuNo 66168, was marked with "00" on both sides as per normal for CAG's bird at the time.

Don't know about the Felix emblem, as that was VF3, not VF6, nor if it carried victory flags, or the number.  Suspect it did, probably 7 of them, his total.  Being a CAG bird I would think it would be kept up to date on kills, as well as very tenderly cared for.

As a side note, the F4F he flew at Coral Sea had the side marking "F-15", between the national insignia and the cockpit.

 

Im pretty sure that O’Hare missed Coral Sea and that he was stateside doing a morale tour after being awarded the MOH at that time. 

Stik.. You are correct, the MOH flight was in Feb and the award ceremony was in Apr.  I was just going to make that correction and you caught me

I also just found the BuNo of his F4F during that flight.....4031.

GMorrison

By 1943 Lexington, Yorktown, Hornet and Wasp had all been sunk. So Navy squadrons were spread all over, including land based on Guadalcanal.

 

Bill

 

The rotation of air groups to different carriers started at Midway. Hornet and Enterprise had their original air groups, 8 and 6 respectively. But Yorktown, after her Air Group losses at Coral Sea, had a mix of old and new. VF-3, VB-3, and VT-3 from the USS Saratoga, which was stateside undergoing repairs for a submarine torpedo hit received in January. VB-5 and VS-5 were combined into a redesignated VS-5. After Midway, due to heavy losses, and having been in continuous action since shortly after Pearl Harbor, the survivors of Air Groups 3 (Yorktown) and 6 (Enterprise) were rotated stateside and replaced by Air Group 10 before the Guadalcanal campaign. 

Great info, you guys are awesome.