USS hancock F6F hellcat's

[drc]

Hello all, i am trying to do a little research that might be a very long shot but I have a one man raft container property marked to fighting squadron 6 (VF-6) dated in august of 1945 which would place this squadron aboard the Hancock during this time frame and is marked number 15.Typically planes are marked with a large number near cockpit and assuming the 15 on raft container is mated with like numbered aircraft,I would like to know who flew this aircraft or obtain a picture of that aircraft or did a hellcat with number 15 exist.
Also what does this number on aircraft represent.

any help greatly appreciated
Dustin

[diddyriddick]

VF-6 would have been on USS Enterprise, so I'm not sure where you are coming up w/ Hancock.

[drc]

air group six was transferred to USS hancock in 1945.they were indeed on the enterprise earlier in the war

[Tinplate58]

Dustin.......carrier pilots were not normally assigned their own planes; it would be very difficult to spot a particular plane on the flight deck in the position the pilot was to be flying on that day.
"Hancock"'s air group from 10 July to 15 Aug. ( the strikes on Japanese mainland) was CVG-6, that is VF-6, VT-6 and VB-6. within Task Force 38 and Task Group 38.1.
Until late July the carrier's marking ( symbol) was this white tail bar, repeated on the top right wing sloping back and out; aircraft numbers on tail repeated smaller on the front cowl ring, plus often white prop hubs.
As these symbols (and there were many) were deemed difficult to memorise on 27 July a Dispatch 061121 replaced them with simple letters (single or double eg. Z or RR ) (still used today) ; "Hancock"'s was " U " on the vertical tail with ( normally) the number below .
The letter (s) was repeated above the top right wing and below the left wing (but not the number).
"Enterprise" used "M" and she had a night air group ( CVG(N) 90) with VFN-90 and VS-90.

Regards Nick

[drc]

Thanks Nick, Ifigured it would be a near impossible task but htought I would ask, you never know.It would be neat if a picture surfaced with a hellcat having tail number 15 from the Hancock.
do you know where the Hancock was in late august?
attached is an imgae of the raft container

regards
Dustin

[Tinplate58]

Dustin after the surrender on 15 Aug. , Hancock and her carrier group ( Lexington, Bennington, San Jacinto and Belleau Wood) flew rescue, photo and observation missions over the mainland. On Sept.10 they entered Tokyo Bay.
Their last combat was on the 15th.
At that time her air group SHOULD have carried her "U" plus number but obviously it would have taken some time to re-mark all planes; there are photos of carrier aircraft in August still with their old geometric symbols.
The "15" on the container may not refer to the Hellcat's number ??
Nick

[drc]

Nick, the number 15 is just a speculation on part as to wether it references a particular hellcat or could be simply a rack/storage number I have seen other raft cases marked with BU NO.'s which correlates to a specific aircraft
thanks for the respones

Dustin