About Revisions F4F (F6F) Hellcat Fighter Kihei, Maui, HI More Info Max Depth: 31-35ft/9-11m Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Coral Aquatic Life: Might See Something 9/23/2014 1:05 PM LatitudeAdjustment

For starters the F4F fighter was a Wildcat, the Hellcat is a bomber, bomb bay and all.

20.74623, 156.46385 Which is 712 yards from the shoreline if you are thinking of doing this as a shore dive. This would be a good scooter dive.

Maui held a very active role in supporting the military during WWII. One of the most notable facilities on Maui during this time was the air strip located in the central valley between Kahului and Kihei. During the war it was used to train pilots that were to fly from the deck of an aircraft carrier. One of the planes these pilots trained in was the single engine F4F Hellcat Fighter.

Little is known about the Hellcat that is sitting in thirty feet of water just a few hundred yards off the South Maui coastline except it didn’t return home safely.

The main wreck sits upside down with the landing wheels still retracted. (Wheels would be retracted for ditching) The tail is missing and the engine sits about 100’ from the wings.

The plane is too small to offer as a primary dive, however we sometimes offer this as a novelty snorkel or dive for divers that still have 1000psi or so in their scuba tank after a previous dive. Some marine life is found in and around the wreck. The most picturesque part is the engine and propeller. There are usually damselfish and butterflyfish as well as a few resident cleaner shrimp that make this part of the wreckage interesting.

YouTube; youtube.com/watch?v=LLxCuO9D-Ac