Grumman F6F-5 landing on USS Siboney 1945
The arresting gear on the Grumman F6F Hellcat was essential for carrier landings, allowing the aircraft to stop in the limited space available on an aircraft carrier’s flight deck. This system used a steel tailhook to catch one of several wires stretched across the flight deck, bringing the aircraft to a stop after touchdown.
Design and Operation
- The tailhook was located beneath the vertical stabilizer and remained fully retracted into the tail section during flight.
- It could be deployed or retracted electrically from a control switch on the electrical distribution panel on the right side of the cockpit.
- The hook extended by following a track system, first moving outward and then downward, ready to catch a wire when landing.
Emergency Deployment
- In the event of an electrical failure, the tailhook could still be extended manually using a mechanical system. The pilot would pull an emergency T-handle located on the rear bulkhead behind the left side of the pilot’s seat.
- This handle was connected to a chain and pulley mechanism that forced the tailhook out. Full extension required approximately five pulls of the handle.
- The pilot would know the hook was fully deployed when they could no longer pull the handle through a full stroke.
This dual-system design ensured that the Hellcat could still trap safely on a carrier, even in the event of electrical malfunctions, adding another layer of reliability to the aircraft’s design for naval operations.