F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

Found this nice picture of a F6F Hellcat going over the side on a carrier. Any ideas as to the identity?

Re: F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

Kaki,

Something to do with this photo? See http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...EssexPlane.jpg

18 April 1945. Replacement F-6F delivered to USS Admiralty Islands (CVE-99) but went overboard.

Ensign Roy E. Jones, USNR, was KIA.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

Thanks Leendert, it looks like we have a possible match.

Found this online
Sirs, I have been researching the death of my Uncle Ensign Roy Edward Jones USNR for about three years now. I first discovered he was on the Escort Carrier USS Windham Bay. Then when there was no mention of his death in the deck log of that aircraft, I researched more to find he had been transfered to the USS Admiralty Islands. The deck log of that ship states on April 18th, 1945 that at "1449 - F6F from USS Essex crashed into catwalk on port side after a wave-off and went over the side admidships. Plane guard reported no survivor. Pilot was Ensign Roy E. Jones 395853, A1, USNR" I am wondering if he was assigned to the Essex as a replacement pilot while the Essex was supporting the Okinawa Campaign, but find no mention of him on the USS Essex website as a Pilot. Or, might he have been returning a damaged aircraft to the Admiralty Islands for repair, and unable to successfully land the crippled aircraft? I hope that one of the Veterans that read this may have some additional information. Your assistance would mean the world to me. Thank you, Keith Anderson

Re: F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

I checked the book "Clear the deack. Aircraft carrier accidents of WWII" and this picture is NOt in the book.

There is one fighter losing its tail on landing in AUgust 1943 but he fell from the carrier on the other side of the bridge.

Re: F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

THere are a number of F6F photos showing the tail pulled completely off. Usually, it was a result of battle damage to the tail with the arresting system pulling the tail completely off.

Re: F6F Hellcat lost it Tail _Identity?
 

More information:
On 18 April 1945, Admiralty Islands suffered her first operational casualty near Okinawa. After sounding flight quarters at 1217, she began launching new replacement aircraft at 1352. The pilots delivered one F6F Hellcat, two TBM Avengers and two SB2C Helldivers to Essex. At 1406, Admiralty Islands began recovering the pilots and ten combat-fatigued Essex aircraft (commonly known as "Flyable Duds") for repair or disposal.
Ensign Roy Edward Jones, piloting Grumman Hellcat F6F-5 #71332, was the first to return for landing. He was not able to respond well to "low" and "opposite slant" flag signals, received a late "wave off" from the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) and applied full throttle for another go-around. The aircraft continued to settle and the tailhook caught the No. 5 arresting wire. The accelerating Hellcat impacted the ship's gun mount with terrific force, breaking in two. The forward part of the plane went over the port side with the trapped pilot. The tail of the aircraft remained hooked to the No. 5 wire, resting on the ship's catwalk. The LSO was forced to jump into the safety net, breaking his leg.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...EssexPlane.jpg http://bits.wikimedia.org/static-1.2...gnify-clip.png
Tail section of Ensign Jones's Hellcat. Crew look at sinking plane


Ensign Jones was lost at sea and his name is inscribed at the Courts of the Missing in Honolulu, Hawaii

Link to "Admiralty Bay" Site :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Adm...slands_(CVE-99)