Historic Plane

When I was just a kid, I had a model that I loved. It was a twin-prop type, and it had 'hell' in its name. (maybe 'hellfire' Anyway, I don't really recall too much about it except that the family pet destroyed it. I'd like to research this plane, but I don't even know the name of it. Thanks in advance to any replies, MAJ

It seems to me that you have a slight problem.

I can only think of two airplanes with 'Hell' in the name, the 'Hellcat', the Grumman F6F fighter, and the various 'Helldivers' by Curtiss.

Both were single engine, single prop.

The most popular type for kids models was probably the Lockheed P-38 'Lightning.'

Those are the ones I would start with.

Henry Hillbrath

Sounds like a US Navy Helldiver. It was an early ddive bomber used on carriers.

Arthur Kramer 344th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force England France Belgium Holland Germany

Actually the Helldiver replaced the Dauntless after 1942, and was used to the end of the war. The pilots hated it; the Helldiver was bigger and carried a bigger bomb load than the Dauntless, but it was also harder to fly and not nearly as maneuverable.

John Lansford

The unofficial I-26 Construction Webpage:

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That is true.

However, 'Helldiver' was a recycled name, and there were earlier planes named that. I don't know if any earlier Helldivers were used in the early stages of the war, or not.

Henry Hillbrath

Curtiss used the name HELLDIVER for all f its scout/divebomber types.

SBC Helldiver = biplane (Scout Bomber Curtiss) 1937-1942. SB2C Helldiver = monoplane (Scout Bomber 2nd from Curtiss), replaced SBD starting 1944. Early models were overweight and underpowered SB2C-4 and -5 did quite well.

The SB2C like the F4U spent a long time in development.

Ben Schapiro

Maybe the 'Hell' was just part of the personal nickname of the plane, like 'Memphis Belle' was for a B17 bomber.

I think there was an Airfix B-26 Marauder or BlackWidow aircraft kit that was called 'Hellfire' by its pilot.

I suggest you look at a WWII illustrated aircraft encylopedia, you'll probably recognize it there.

Regards,