My favorite Fighter of WW2... Bigger then the stubby F4F Wildcat and vastly more manueverable, faster as well....

The Grumman F6F Hellcat..... I have planes I love but this one screams....



History: After early US Navy experience in the Pacific in the early months of WWII, and after consultation with Allied air forces in the European theater, Grumman began to develop a successor to their Wildcat fighter, to be called the Hellcat. Major design changes from the Wildcat included a low-mounted wing, wider landing gear which retracted into the wings, more powerful engine, improved cockpit armor plating, and increased ammunition capacity.
The Navy ordered four prototypes of the new airplane, each with a different engine for test and evaluation purposes. Less than a year later, on 26 June 1942, the first prototype (the XF6F-1, with a Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine) flew for the first time. Before much meaningful evaluation of the various engines could be made, however, the Navy decided to press the Hellcat into production by fitting the XF6F-1 prototype with the most powerful engine available, the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. (This turned it into an XF6F-3. The XF6F-2 and XF6F-4 were never evaluated.)
The first production model, the F6F-3, first flew in October 1942, and deliveries began four months later with squadron VF-9 on the USS Essex in the Pacific. Extremely robust, powerful and maneuverable, the Hellcat was a potent force against the Japanese, and was credited with over three-quarters of the US Navy's air-to-air kills in the war.
The UK's Fleet Air Arm received 252 F6F-3s (designated Gannet Mk I) beginning in 1943. Meanwhile, in the US, over 200 Hellcats were modified as radar-equipped night fighters. During the F6F-3 production run, which lasted until April 1944, Grumman had developed an improved Hellcat, the F6F-5, which utilized a redesigned engine cowl, new ailerons, a strengthened tail, and a water-injection system for the engine, which added 10% to the takeoff performance and increased its armament-carrying capabilities. The F6F-5 was first flown on 4 April 1944, and production continued through November 1945. Over 900 more "Dash-5" Hellcats were delivered to the UK under the Lend-Lease program under the designation Hellcat Mk II.
Nicknames: Ace-Maker
Specifications (F6F-5):
Engine: 2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 9150 lbs., Max Takeoff 15,410 lbs.
Wing Span: 42ft. 10in.
Length: 33ft. 7in.
Height: 13ft. 6in.
Performance:
Maximum Speed at 23,500 ft: 380mph
Cruising Speed at 6,000 ft: 168mph
Ceiling: 37,300 ft
Range: 1,530 miles with 150-gallon drop tank
Armament:
Six 12.7mm (0.5 inch) wing-mounted machine guns
Two 1,000-lb bombs, or six 127mm (5-inch) rockets

Number Built: 12,275
Number Still Airworthy: 7

I admit to having a double strength mocha yesterday. Might have influenced my choice.

Black Rider
Uses
Mocha
Profusely

I give up.

I give up.

Twice now I have had a nicely developed, and lengthy, *Seven Point* post nearly completely written out. Both times, as I neared completion of the lengthy *Seven Point* post, my home computer vomited smoke and flames, shot out electricity, and up and......died.

I give up.

This is my last post until I can get the thing serviced and cleaned up. I must now do that.

I will probably be off the CMR until Sunday night......i'll see.

So now.....you can all wonder about who is right and who is wrong.

Until later.



BTW dudes......I also enjoy this thread IMMENSELY.

Dude you're KILLING ME !!!!!

I know Nimitz didn't give the order, because he would've been at Pearl Harbor not off shore at Tarawa giving the order...

I had a few other reasons for my choice...... SUNDAY NIGHT ...... ok fine....


................

















..... I think you're holding out........


jk......

sunday night....

I'm gonna' look it up......can't wait till then.

Alright, leak the answer.

Crap, look at my first post, about this quote......should have gone with my instincts, AND, ignored the fact that I can't remember dates, I can't even remember my mom's B-day.....why would I, at this juncture in my life, go against my hunch to ignore my attempts at reason.

Oh look.


Look over there.


Sunday night.


Sunday night

you don't play nice....!

Sunday is only 2 hours away (on Christmas Island)

^

Oh the suspense, oh the agony.......look, cookies.

In this post I make the "Seven point post" I was unable to do the other night.

I have the time and opportunity to do so.....I was not counting on this happening until earlier this morning.


Points, including the answer and a new quote/question:

1. L8T said:

Quote:

Black Rider Uses Mocha Profusely

And I did




2. I want to thank Mr.Electric for providing that interesting and informative post about the F6F Hellcat at the start of this page. It was cool.

You know what opens the door to?? I now get to tell you all what some of my top favorites in the fighter world are.

Favorite WW I fighter = German Pfalz DXII

Favorite U.S.A. fighter of WW II = Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, all models and sub--variants. This includes the 'razorback' B, the bubble--canopied D, and the late--war N.

Favorite French fighter of WW II = Bloch MB.152.

Favorite Russian fighter of WW II = Yakovlev Yak-3.

Favorite British fighter of WW II = DeHavilland Mosquito, I specifically refer to the solid--nosed, eight--gunned, long--range day--fighter, ground--attack, and fighter--bomber versions. Closely followed by the Hawker Tempest. BTW the Mosquito is my favorite plane of all time. Love that puppy.

Favorite Italian fighter of WW II = Macchi MC.205 Veltro (Greyhound).

Favorite Japanese fighter of WW II = Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-Kai (Modified Violet Lightning).

Favorite German fighter of WW II = Messerschmitt Me-109, all models and sub--variants. My absolute favorite is the K-4 Kurfurst version, moving back through the G version Gustav, the F version Friedrich, the E version Emil, and the D version Dora.

The Me-109 can be closely followed by the Focke-Wulf Fw-190 Wurger (Butcher Bird). I love this puppy , the A versions, long--nosed D, and the Kurt Tank Ta-152 C Hohenjager (High--altitiude Fighter) that came from the D. Also, the Messerschmitt dual--engined jet fighter the Me-262 Schwalbe (Swallow).




3. The old question:

"You may fire when ready, Gridley."

A--This was the signal to open fire on the beaches at Tarawa Atoll given by U.S.A. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to his Executive Officer George Gridley; the bombardment started was intended to soften up--and make the Marines' job assaulting the atoll easier--the Japanese held Tarawa before assault in 1943 during WW II.

B--This was the command given by U.S.A. Rear Admiral David G. Farragut to his Executive Officer Ranald Gridley to open the bombardment by the Union Fleet as it sailed by the Confederate forts and the Confederate ironclad C.S.S. Tennessee. This happened at the Battle Of Mobile Bay in 1864 during the American Civil War.

C--This was the command given by U.S.A. Naval Commodore George Dewey as he started the Battle Of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish--American War; this was the order Dewey gave his Executive Officer Charles Gridley to fire the main battery of guns aboard the U.S.A. flagship Olympia, and thus signal the other ships to open fire too, on the Spanish fleet riding at harbor.

D--This was the order given by British Admiral James Somerville to his Second John Gridley as he opened broadside fire from his battleship King George V on the German pocket--battleship Bismarck in 1941 during WW II.

E--This was the command given by Richardus Burtonus to Janus Gridleyus at the Battle Of Actium in 31 B.C. At this order Gridleyus opened fire with the flaming ballista arrows on board the rebel's ship named The Beard Of Zeus.




4. The guesses.

Intrigued1 said Chester Nimitz to his Executive Officer George Gridley.

Alldat said Shartacus.

L8T said British Admiral James Somerville to his Second John Gridley.

Black Rider also said Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to his Executive Officer George Gridley.

Mr.Electric said U.S.A. Naval Commodore George Dewey to his Executive Officer Charles Gridley.




5. The correct answer is.......(Insert drumroll here).......option C--This was the command given by U.S.A. Naval Commodore George Dewey as he started the Battle Of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish--American War; this was the order Dewey gave his Executive Officer Charles Gridley to fire the main battery of guns aboard the U.S.A. flagship Olympia, and thus signal the other ships to open fire too, on the Spanish fleet riding at harbor.




6. The new question/quote:

"Woe to the vanquished."

Who said it?

A--Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgi K. Zhukov. Zhukov said this to German Field-Marshal Friedrich Von Paulus on February 2, 1943. Paulus was beginning negotiations with the Marshal as to the surrender terms of the German Sixth Army under his command at Stalingrad. Of course, Paulus hoped to achieve some terms that were, in some way, favorable to his troops--who were devastated and at the end of their ropes, so to speak. Paulus' hopes were dashed when he was informed by Zhukov that, "Woe to the vanquished." and the German surrender at Stalingrad was to be without terms, and unconditional.

B--Muslim commander Saladin at the aftermath of the Battle Of The Horns Of Hattin. Salah ed-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub said this to the Crusader commander Guy Of Lusignan on July 4, 1187 A.D. Saladin's army had just badly defeated Guy's Christian army at Hattin and Guy was negotiating the terms of surrender with Saladin. As part of the terms Saladin was actually quite generous to the defeated Christians. However, Saladin emphatically insisted on executing all of the captured Templars (Knights Of The Temple Of Solomon In Jerusalem) and Hospitallers (Knights Of The Hospital Of Saint John In Jerusalem) as being the Christian holy warriors they were, and not deserving of life, unless they converted to Islam. Only a handful did; the rest were beheaded in the Islamic fashion. Guy protested these executions, but was told by Saladin, "Woe to the vanquished." and they would get, and deserved, no mercy.

C--The Celtic war--chieftain Brennus. Brennus had invested (besieged) Rome and conducted it so successfully that his Celtic forces broke into the city and tore it to pieces. This happened in about 386 B.C. The Celtic army of Brennus had assaulted Rome, broken into it, and had been ravaging it for several days. The Roman Tribune Sulpicius was given safe passage to Brennus. When Sulpicius arrived at the headquarters of Brennus he negotiated a stop to the razing (destruction) of Rome. The Celts asked for 1,000 pounds of gold. They got it, in the end. However, when negotiating this Sulpicius complained that this was too harsh. In reply Brennus drew his sword, tossed it onto the scale to be used for measuring out the gold, and said to Sulpicius, "Woe to the vanquished." The Roman translator was told this in Celtic, and translated it into Latin, "Vae victus."

D--The Japanese General Yamashita. Yamashita said this at the end of the Battle Of Singapore on February 15, 1942. The British bastion of Malaysia, and Singapore, had been under Japanese attack since December 8, 1941. The British Lt. General Arthur Percival had entered into surrender negotiations with Yamashita as Yamashita's troops had broken into the--last stand--British defences at Singapore. Percival gave up and wished to procure favorable surrender terms from the Japanese. The Japanese were in no mood to be nice, however. Yamashita said to the British, "Woe to the vanquished." and there would be no mercy given to the Brits and their Indian allied troops. None was shown and thousands died before the Brits and Indians even reached the P.O.W. camps.

E--Richardus Burtonus said this to his aide Tiberius Cassius Clay as Clay was beaten at checkers by Burtonus. Burtonus said Clay must drink water for one week. Clay protested and this was when Burtonus said, "Woe to the vanquished."



Decide. Don't cheat.

BTW in my original post last Wednesday I had another point. I can't remember what it was. So I shall stick in something else.

7. I love Islam.



EDIT: I forgot to place one word in italics.

I fixed it!!

_________________
"The 'farce' is strong with Sith Lord Obama-Wan." words of Scourge.

"Uh....You can believe me....Uh....because I never lie, and....Uh....Uh....I am always right." words of Sith Lord Obama-Wan.

Daddy likes it all, the DraíodóirDé likes it all

Man, everything in me says Saladin, so that's what i'll say.

Now I see why your computer blew up!

Quote:

"Seven point post"

I got that,.....but, .....where is the poem?? You know, Seven Points and a Poem.



I should have gone with my gut......I had it, right off the bat......

(I pause here for some performance-enhancing induced Rage... )

Okay, for the new quote:

I think that it is C. It sounds like Roman-era language to me....(but, I also thought the last one sounded "British"...so, you know....) Anyway, it doesn't sound like the language that A, B and D would say.....

As for E, I, once again, can not be fooled....I read Tiberius Cassius Clay's memoirs, as translated by his cousin, Lewis Alcindor Maximus,...and, Clay claims that he was never beaten in chekers "or any other manly pursuit" by Burtonus.

As for the planes. Planes are Cool!

_________________
I'm not going to taste you to verify if you have bad taste or not, but let's just say I strongly suspect that you do.

Tall Ty

Going with my first thought which was Saladin, but I really have no idea.