The story
Grumman built the Hellcat to beat the Zero and it did exactly that: bigger, heavier, armoured and far more powerful, it could dive away from a Zero and out-climb it. Hellcats were credited with more than 5,000 enemy aircraft, three quarters of the US Navy's aerial victories in the Pacific. It flew from the summer of 1943 to the end of the war, and it was so easy to fly that it made aces out of average pilots. About ten fly today.
In a single day at the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944, the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, Hellcats shot down hundreds of Japanese aircraft for the loss of a few dozen of their own.
Quick answers
How do you identify a F6F Hellcat?
A big, slab-sided fighter with a wide-track undercarriage that folds backward, a tall canopy and a wing that is noticeably low on the fuselage. Navy blue, almost always.
What does a F6F Hellcat sound like?
The R-2800's heavy, rolling thunder, the same engine note as a Corsair or a Thunderbolt.
How fast is the F6F Hellcat?
Top speed is 340 kts.
How many people does the F6F Hellcat carry?
Typical configuration: Single pilot.
How far can the F6F Hellcat fly?
Range is about 820 nmi.
How big is the F6F Hellcat?
It is 33 ft 7 in long and 42 ft 10 in across the wings.
When did the F6F Hellcat first fly?
Its first flight was in 1942.
How many F6F Hellcats have been built?
12,275 built.
How rare is a F6F Hellcat in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first F6F Hellcat catch is worth 250 points.
