06.02.2009, 20:22
What about the cannon carrying versions of the Hellcat? 
From acepilots.com:
"Its armament, power, and range gave the Hellcat great versatility. The basic weaponry consisted of six wing-mounted .50 caliber machine guns, each with 400 rounds of ammunition. Many, including all F6F-5N and F6F-5P variants substituted a 20mm cannon with 200 rounds for the innermost machine gun in each wing."
From wiki:
"Another improvement in the F6F-5 was the availability of more potent armament than the standard six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns. Trials with cannon-armed Hellcats were not followed up by a production version; although all F6F-5s could carry an armament mix of a pair of Hispano 20mm (0.79 in.) cannon, one mounted in each of the inboard gun bays, with a minimum of 220 rounds per gun, along with two pairs of .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns, with 400 rounds per gun, this configuration was only used on many later F6F-5N night fighters. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat
I'm getting a mixed thought on if it was built in any numbers or not from that.
Thinking all that would really have to change is two of the guns. And some 3D model? (has radar in the case of the "N")
FM is proly the same.
Also the F6F-6, which used the F4U's variant of the R-2800 and had a four blade prop.
Though it did not make it into production in time before the end of the war.
And I believe only two were made. So it would proly go into the "what if" category. But I thought I'd mention it here with the other F6F's.
Having a hard time finding a good pic of it.
From acepilots.com:
"Its armament, power, and range gave the Hellcat great versatility. The basic weaponry consisted of six wing-mounted .50 caliber machine guns, each with 400 rounds of ammunition. Many, including all F6F-5N and F6F-5P variants substituted a 20mm cannon with 200 rounds for the innermost machine gun in each wing."
From wiki:
"Another improvement in the F6F-5 was the availability of more potent armament than the standard six .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns. Trials with cannon-armed Hellcats were not followed up by a production version; although all F6F-5s could carry an armament mix of a pair of Hispano 20mm (0.79 in.) cannon, one mounted in each of the inboard gun bays, with a minimum of 220 rounds per gun, along with two pairs of .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns, with 400 rounds per gun, this configuration was only used on many later F6F-5N night fighters. "
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F6F_Hellcat
I'm getting a mixed thought on if it was built in any numbers or not from that.
Thinking all that would really have to change is two of the guns. And some 3D model? (has radar in the case of the "N")
FM is proly the same.
Also the F6F-6, which used the F4U's variant of the R-2800 and had a four blade prop.
Though it did not make it into production in time before the end of the war.
And I believe only two were made. So it would proly go into the "what if" category. But I thought I'd mention it here with the other F6F's.
Having a hard time finding a good pic of it.