F6F-5 Hellcat

F6F-5 Hellcat

The carrier based Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat fighter-bomber was one of the most successful and most feared of the Allied aircraft.

Hellcat pilots were responsible for more than 76% of the confirmed U.S. carrier-based victories. In two years, Hellcats achieved 5,156 victories; an outstanding 19:1 kill-to-loss ratio.

The single-seat Hellcat was a follow-up to the F4F-3 Wildcat after early US Navy combat experience. It incorporated major design changes including a low-mounted wing, wider retractable landing gear, a more powerful engine, improved cockpit armor plating and increased ammunition capacity.

The F6F-5 variant had a redesigned engine cowl, new ailerons, a strengthened tail and a water-injection system for the engine, which added 10% to the takeoff performance and increased its armament-carrying capabilities. The F6F-5 was first flown in April 1944, and production continued through November 1945. It was credited with over three-quarters of the US Navy's air-to-air kills in the war.

Specifications