Bob M. wrote:
I recently visited the Udvar-Hazy facility and received the usual
story about how the Corsair got its inverted gull wings, i.e. to
accomodate the 13 ft. prop which, in turn, was necesitated by the
engines power. However, the Hellcat used essentially the same engine,
and IIRC also used a 13 ft. prop. Yet it did not need those wings.
In fact it was mid winged, not low winged. So what is the true story?
Were the gull wings just one solution. How did the Hellcat
accomodate the prop? Longer landing gear? Or am I wrong? Was the
Hellcat prop 13 ft.?

I'm not sure if it is the answer - but fitting gull wings (whether
inverted or not) means that the wing root joins the fuselage at approx
90 deg - therebye eliminating the need for a large, drag-producing
wing-to-fuselage fillet.

Having said that, the F4F Wildcat had mid-wings without any fillets.

You only need fillets on high or low-winged a/c

Is the Hellcat mid-winged - I can't remember ?

ken