Hellcat sources

[Reflected]

If anyone has any good resources on mission procedures used by Hellcat (or other WWII USN) pilots, such as callsigns, radio procedures, formations, etc... I'd appreciate if they could post here. I've been researching the subject for over a year now and I still have a few missing pieces of the jigsaw.

Also, please recommend some Hellcat pilot memoirs, those are usually the best source of info. Sadly, the ones I've read so far don't talk about the above too much.

Thanks!

[MADLOU1]

Doses this mean there is a Hellcat campaign in the works?

[Reflected]

1 hour ago, MADLOU1 said:

Doses this mean there is a Hellcat campaign in the works?

It will be once we get the Hellcat

[R. Winters]

12 hours ago, Reflected said:

If anyone has any good resources on mission procedures used by Hellcat (or other WWII USN) pilots, such as callsigns, radio procedures, formations, etc... I'd appreciate if they could post here. I've been researching the subject for over a year now and I still have a few missing pieces of the jigsaw.

Also, please recommend some Hellcat pilot memoirs, those are usually the best source of info. Sadly, the ones I've read so far don't talk about the above too much.

Thanks!

Robert A. Winstons 'Fighting Squadron'. CO of VF-31 aboard U.S.S. Cabot. Became a Ace during the war. Mariana turkey shoot.

[JD Swann]

The only thing I've been able to find online it this: https://www.admiraltytrilogy.com/read/USF-74_Tact&Doct-Acft_V1-CV-Acft_194103.pdf.

it's from 1941 but it might be relevant to later war operations.

There is also this: http://www.battleofsaipan.com/Nstark000101.htm which is a short narrative from a late war Hellcat pilot. It doesn't have much operational information but does give a feel for what kinds of missions they were flying in the pacific in early 1945.

[Reflected]

On 3/1/2025 at 1:33 AM, R. Winters said:

Robert A. Winstons 'Fighting Squadron'. CO of VF-31 aboard U.S.S. Cabot. Became a Ace during the war. Mariana turkey shoot.

This book was great, really helpful, thanks!

[Bozon]

One of the coolest ideas I heard about, was a way for naval aviators to easily find their carrier using their wristwatch. I don’t remember where I read about this, and I can’t find it now with google. I’d appreciate if someone had info about this. If this can be verified it would make a cool little feature in a mission.

The idea was that the carrier had a narrow beam antenna rotating at exactly 1 rotation per minute in absolute direction (i.e, relative to north, not the bow of the ship). During briefing the pilots would sync their watches so the seconds hand started rotating when the antenna pointed to north.

The antenna transmitted a chirp that was very brief as the narrow beam swiped over the aircraft - while it was impossible to find the direction to the transmitter with contemporary DF, it gave a little audible sound over the radio. If the aviator looked at his wristwatch when the chirp was heard, the seconds hand would show the radial from the boat to the aircraft (12 oc. being  north).

The enemy could not use it, to loacte the boat because their watches were not synced to the antenna, and the chirp was too short for the equipment of the age to locate.

[Reflected]

Perhaps that’s true but they also had YE/ZB