Grumman F6F Hellcat

Crew:		one
Length:		33 ft 7 in	(10.24 m)
Height:		13 ft 1 in	(3.99 m)
Wing span:	open: folded:	42 ft 10 in 16 ft 2 in	(13.06 m) (4.93 m)
Wing area:		334 sq ft	(31.029 m2)
Weights:	empty: combat:	9,109 lbs 15,509 lbs	(4 140.45 kg) (7 049.55 kg)
Engine:		Pratt & Whitney R280010
Performance:	range:	1,335 statute miles	(2 149 km)
Ordnance:	guns: bombs:	six .50 cal. 2,000 lbs
Used from:	F-6F-3 F-6F-5	August 1943 July 1944

The F-6F, introduced in the summer of 1943, quickly proved to be superior to its main rival, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, and become the Navy's front-line fighter across the the Pacific theatre to Japan and the end of World War II.

During the Second World War, the Hellcat accounted for 75% of all aerial victories recorded by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, earning it a reputation of being an ace-maker.

The Hellcat was first reported in use by VF-19 on 07 August 1943, with just seven F6F-3, though by the end of the month, this figure rose to 36. The -5 joined the squadron in July 1944, as VF-19 boarded the Lexington. Half way through its war service, VF-19 reported 56 aircraft: 29 x F6F-3, 2 x F6F-3N, a F6F-3P, 21 x F6F-5and one F6F-5P.

The Hellcat F6F-5 was last reported squadron with VF-19 on 28 July 1945. By the next report, on 04 August 1945, it had been fully replaced with the Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat.

>