F6F-3 Hellcat Log Book

[JGC]

I wanted to post this fantastic Aircraft Log Book for a F6F-3 Hellcat. These books were kept with the plane from the time they left the factory until they were destroyed or scrapped as junk. This Hellcat was delivered new to Navy fighter squadron VF-9, "Cat o'Nines" aboard the USS Essex, on Feb. 27, 1943. It survived the Essex first tour in the Pacific, and was later removed from combat duty in April of 1944. It saw action over Marcus Island, Wake Island, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Rabaul, Truk Logoon, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. During its 14 months aboard the Essex 55 different pilots of VF-9 logged time in the cockpit, 8 of them were aces. The aces included: LT Mayo Hadden (8), LT Albert Martin (5), LT Mathew Byrnes (6), LCDR Reuben Denoff (5), LT Edward McGowan (6.5), LT Marvin Franger (9), LT Howard Hudson (5), and LCDR William Bonneau (8). The pilot that logged the most time in this Hellcat was LCDR Reuben Denoff, which is of interest to me because I have in my collection his flight jacket. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Thanks Jon

[Cobrahistorian]

 

WOW! What an incredible piece of history!

[Steindaddie]

Wow, what great stuff! Question: did the log book and jacket come together or were they picked up seperate? If so, it was either a great coincidence or fate. :thumbsup:

 

~Will

[JGC]

Wow, what great stuff! Question: did the log book and jacket come together or were they picked up seperate? If so, it was either a great coincidence or fate. :thumbsup:

 

~Will

Hi Will, believe it or not they were from different sources. Denoff lived in the Chicago area after the war, and the last log in the book indicates the plane actually ended up at the Naval Air Technical Training Center located in Chicago. I wonder if he had any idea that the plane he flew was so close to him after the war was over. Jon

[R Leonard]

Also see that it shows Philip H Torrey as a pilot. Torrey was XO VF-9, and moved up to CO when Jack Raby was reassigned. He became CAG-9 on 22 Dec ’43 and was KIA on 15 Feb ‘45 over Manzaki, Habu-cho, near Tokyo while in F6F-5 bn 71445. Torrey’s final score was 2 -1- 0.333.

[Squad leader]

Wow !!! Very interesting document.

[JGC]

I thought I'd add a couple photos I have of CDR Denoff, and some additional pages of the Log Book. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas what the abbreviations are that are being used in the Character of Flight column. I'm seeing the letters J, N, K, Y, YCLP, CAP, E, R, F, CC, KICL, RICL, any help would be appreciated. Thanks Jon

[KASTAUFFER]

I have the list of codes at home, but here are a couple I know offhand:

 

J = scouting , N, K= tactics, Y = Night Flight , YCLP, CAP= Combat Air Patrol , E, R, F, CC, KICL = Tactics - 1 Carrier Landing , RICL = Code R - 1 Carrier Landing.

 

Entries in red are normally night flights

 

NICE LOG!

 

I remember seeing that Jacket before too. Very nice.

 

Kurt

[JGC]

I have the list of codes at home, but here are a couple I know offhand:

 

J = scouting , N, K= tactics, Y = Night Flight , YCLP, CAP= Combat Air Patrol , E, R, F, CC, KICL = Tactics - 1 Carrier Landing , RICL = Code R - 1 Carrier Landing.

 

Entries in red are normally night flights

 

NICE LOG!

 

I remember seeing that Jacket before too. Very nice.

 

Kurt

Thanks Kurt, if you get a chance, I'd love to know the other codes. There are also a number of entries written in Green, would that mean anything? Thanks Jon

[R Leonard]

Copied this right out of one of my father's log books:

 

CHARACTER OF FLIGHT SYMBOLS

(To be used in log entries)

 

A. Training and instruction (students).

B-2. Combat mission resulting in engagement with the enemy.

C. Training and instruction (qualified pilots).

D. All flying performed by reserve personnel not on extended active duty.

E. Familiarization and practice.

F. Gunnery

G. Bombing

H. Torpedo

I. Observation

J. Scouting. Flights required for scouting, search, reconnaissance, convoy or coastal patrol, or in training for such purpose.

K. Tactical

L. Navigation. Flights conducted for training personnel in aerial navigation.

M. Transportation of personnel.

N. Ferrying of aircraft.

O. Utility. Towing targets, chasing torpedoes, etc.

P. Photography and mapping.

Q. Aerological.

R. Tests of aircraft, engines, radio, etc.

S. Experimental.

T. Administration

U. Extended flight training.

V. Instrument flying.

W. Emergency or relief work.

X. Communications training.

Y. Night flying.

Z. Special. Flights not falling within any of the above classes, but which are required by the exigencies of the occasion.

 

I suspect the multiple letter entries are combination's of the above.

[Brandon]

Wow, I cant believe you found a logbook!!! The flight brevity codes are still in use today when logging flights. For the army inventory they are listed on the DA 2408. I tried to find one but no luck in PDF. My favorite "C" Combat!!

 

Brandon

[Cobrahistorian]

Out of curiosity, are there any B's listed? Would be interesting to know if any kills were scored in this particular Hellcat.

 

Jon

Still fairly speechless about this find... now if I could only find a 36th FG P-47 logbook....

[JGC]

Cobra, Brandon, and Ral, thank you all for your information and positive comments. I did not see any B's listed, but I did see other notes such as "attack" 3 times, and strafe used. There was the notation Truk used that corresponded to the times of the attack on Truk Lagoon. The letters CAP were used at the time the Essex was involved in the Tarawa landings, I think it must mean something other than just the combination of the 3 letters, possibly "cover above position". I've attached a few more photos. Its interesting to see all the maintanance notes in the log. It would be hard to determine if this plane was involved any any combat kills. you would have to cross reference the dates in the log to the pilots and the dates that they scored a kill. I imagine that the details of the combat flights are better noted in the pilots own log books. Jon

[6armyAS]

Back in the late 70's and early 80's I worked at Grumman Aerospace in Bethpage, Long Island, NY. The building I worked in was Plant 3 where they did the final assembly of the Hellcat. If you looked up in the rafters you could still see all the old rails and pulley system from back from those Hellcat days. They just left them up there. I have an old Grumman Hellcat ad I'll try to find and post it here.

[Brandon]

I really like the maintenance completed in the logbook. People forget the more you fly equals the more the maintainers have to work. It also helps to show the life blood of the aircraft. If you notice alot of the maintenance was routine time/flight hr work. I didnt notice to much unscheduled stuff. Unscheduled is just what it says the "Oh SHI*" I cant beieve that broke stuff, lol. Or the pilot coming back with a list of stuff for the Crewchief that didnt want to work that day

 

Brandon

[R Leonard]

FCLP = Field Carrier Landing Practice

 

and CAP does, as mentioned above, have a specific meaning, Combat Air Patrol, it simply is not what would be noted in a pilot's log book for a character of flight notation, more likely something to appear in the remarks column. Pilot's logs were usually kept by a yeoman in the squadron admin section. A specific airplane's log would be maintained by the plane captain; can't think of any particular reason why he could not note a CAP flight as opposed to one of the more typical characterization letters if he wanted to do so.

 

Also different types of CAPs - DADCAP, JACKCAP, RESCAP, SUBCAP, COMCAP and so on.

[JGC]

Thanks Ral, great information.Jon

[jacobk]

This is amazing! Ruben was my great uncle, it is so amazing to see these photographs and read about his story. Thank you for sharing and for remembering!

[JDK]

Jon,

 

I missed this one. Great set!! Love the flight jacket and the plane log makes a great addition. I love items from ww2 fighter aces. Congrats on a great set!!

 

JD