F6F-5P “P3” of VF-75 1945
When it came to long-range reconnaissance missions for the navy, the Hellcat wasn’t initially the go-to aircraft. Bombers like the Avenger often handled these duties, with a camera-equipped crewman snapping photos from the rear of the aircraft as the pilot flew just out of range of enemy fire. However, for situations requiring closer, more dangerous runs, the Hellcat was eventually tasked with photographic reconnaissance, especially when speed was crucial to survival.
Hellcat Modifications for Photo Reconnaissance
As the war intensified, some Hellcats – mainly the F6F-3 and later the F6F-5 – were modified to become photographic reconnaissance aircraft. These planes were designated F6F-3P or F6F-5P. The modifications involved installing a K-14 camera into the rear fuselage, which faced out the port side of the aircraft. This required cutting a small porthole into the plane’s skin just above the trailing edge of the left wing. The Hellcat’s rear fuselage, normally a void, allowed space for the bulky camera and its large film magazine.
The camera weighed about 300 pounds, which altered the plane’s center of gravity. This weight shift made takeoffs more challenging, especially when launching without a catapult. Pilots of these photo-recon Hellcats had to be particularly careful, often needing to hold steady or even dive slightly after takeoff instead of following the standard climbing right turn.
High-Risk Missions
These missions required Hellcats to fly low and fast over enemy targets, such as bunkers, airfields, and defensive positions, where slower bombers like the Avenger wouldn’t survive. The Hellcat, being much faster and better armed, could withstand these dangerous runs, albeit at great personal risk to the pilot.
To capture images, the Hellcat pilot aimed the camera by maneuvering the aircraft, aligning the port wingtip with the target, and firing the camera shutter from the cockpit. Despite being a reconnaissance plane, the F6F-P models retained their .50-caliber machine guns, which reassured many pilots who were sent on these perilous flights. While tasked with gathering photos, they could still defend themselves and even engage enemy fighters like the Zero if necessary. In some cases, photo Hellcat pilots turned defense into offense, using their speed and guns to surprise and shoot down enemy aircraft.
The Dangers of Photographic Reconnaissance
Despite the Hellcat’s robustness and firepower, these “camera-cats” faced immense danger. Flying at high speeds and low altitudes, pilots had little time to react if something went wrong. Many were lost during these missions, including notable Hellcat flyer Charles Crommelin, who died near Okinawa in 1945 when his photo Hellcat collided with another plane during a reconnaissance run. His death underscored the extreme risk that pilots took to gather intelligence for upcoming invasions and airstrikes.
In summary, the Hellcat’s role as a photo reconnaissance plane combined speed, firepower, and the ability to capture critical imagery under intense combat conditions. Despite the risks, the fighter’s versatility in this role played an important part in naval operations.