August 1999

This is a completely re-worked .air file and re-paint of Chris Lampard's F6F-3 Hellcat for FS98. Chris' original readme.txt follows.

This aircraft models that of Lt (jg) Robert W. Duncan of VF-5 which was attached to USS Yorktown in late 1943. Duncan was the first Hellcat pilot to shoot down a Japanese Zero fighter. Duncan had seven victories (see the list of fighter aces and their total victories from all countries at: http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/aces.html).

The flight model has been tuned to fly like the pilot reports for this airplane as closely as FS98 allows. Fly the carrier landing pattern at 80 knots. Stall is about 68 knots with flaps and gear down. Top speed at low altitude is about 280 knots.


Happy landings,

Steve Baugh
smbaugh@adnc.com


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Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat

This is a representation of Alexander Vraciu's aircraft from VF-6 on USS Intrepid in early 1944. The model was originally put together in July 1997 and has now been
updated. Unfortunately I have not been able to replicate the correct shades of blue for this period on the airframe which is why greys have been used, let's just say the colours have faded a bit. If anyone has succeeded with the blue shades I should be pleased to hear from them.

An attempt has been made to replicate all the data from the real plane in the AIR file so Grummans must have got it right because the model flies pretty well too !

The flaps operate normally, (F5-F8), the lights (l) key toggles the nav. lights and drop tank, the spoiler (/) key toggles the arrestor hook. When taxying, input left to turn right and vice versa and allow yourself plenty of room ! The prop. blades become visible on engine shut down.

Thanks as usual to Al Goguen (algoguen@aol.com) for his evaluation and uploading.

Chris Lampard, Didcot, England, 30th November 1998 (cmdl1650@aol.com).