
Caption | F6F-3K Hellcat fighter painted bright orange while being in service as a target drone, post-WW2 ww2dbase | ||||
Photographer | Unknown | ||||
Source | ww2dbaseUnited States Navy via Wikipedia | ||||
Link to Source | Link | ||||
More on... |
| ||||
Photo Size | 421 x 257 pixels | ||||
Added By | C. Peter Chen | ||||
Licensing | Public Domain. According to the United States copyright law (United States Code, Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105), in part, "[c]opyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government". Please contact us regarding any inaccuracies with the above information. Thank you. |
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Please help us spread the word: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Visitor Submitted Comments
2.
Bill says:
9 Jan 2016 08:30:39 PM
POST-WAR SERVICE:
In the post-war years the F6F Hellcat continued
to serve aboard carrier air groups, naval air stations and reserve units, until replaced by the AD Skyraider and early jet fighters.
TARGET DRONE: F6F-K's (DRONES)
Drone Hellcats were also used as targets for Navy and Marine pilots in air-to-air gunnery practice. Less fortunate F6F-3's and F6F-5's were converted into target drone aircraft as F6F-3K's and F6F-5K's. These aircraft were used as an early form of surface to surface missile that was radio controlled and carried a 2,00lbs / 907kg, warhead to bomb bridges in North Korea, some were equipped with a TV camera, for strike results. Controlling aircraft were Douglas AD-4Q Skyraiders.
ATOMIC HELLCATS:
Special drone Hellcats were used to fly through radioactive cloud to collect air samples during Operation Crossroads testing Atomic Weapons, Bikini Island in the Pacific.

9 Jan 2016 08:30:39 PM
POST-WAR SERVICE:
In the post-war years the F6F Hellcat continued
to serve aboard carrier air groups, naval air stations and reserve units, until replaced by the AD Skyraider and early jet fighters.
TARGET DRONE: F6F-K's (DRONES)
Drone Hellcats were also used as targets for Navy and Marine pilots in air-to-air gunnery practice. Less fortunate F6F-3's and F6F-5's were converted into target drone aircraft as F6F-3K's and F6F-5K's. These aircraft were used as an early form of surface to surface missile that was radio controlled and carried a 2,00lbs / 907kg, warhead to bomb bridges in North Korea, some were equipped with a TV camera, for strike results. Controlling aircraft were Douglas AD-4Q Skyraiders.
ATOMIC HELLCATS:
Special drone Hellcats were used to fly through radioactive cloud to collect air samples during Operation Crossroads testing Atomic Weapons, Bikini Island in the Pacific.
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
Search WW2DB
News
- » US Government Plans to Purge WW2 Information (17 Mar 2025)
- » WW2DB's 20th Anniversary (29 Dec 2024)
- » Wreck of USS Edsall Found (14 Nov 2024)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Chinese students caring for a victim of Japanese bombing, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, Oct 1938Current Site Statistics
- » 1,164 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 44,601 timeline entries
- » 1,243 ships
- » 350 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 376 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 261 facilities
- » 470 book reviews
- » 28,623 photos
- » 429 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"Winston Churchill, 1935
Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!
14 Aug 2010 10:24:23 PM
F6F-3K Hellcats were converted into target drone aircraft.
Other F6F-3K Hellcats were used as drone
aircraft in Operation Crossroads, the Atomic
bomb tests, Bikini Atoll, July 1946