Grumman F6F Hellcat

The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an extrapolation of F4F Wildcat. It is, like its predecessor, a hunter embarked on board Porte-avions.

Design

June 30th, 1941, Grumman signed the contract envisaging the replacement of Wildcat by a new embarked hunter, the prototype which stole on June 26th, 1942 profited from the experiment of the first engagements in the Pacific and was characterized by a weight much higher than the F4F and by a more powerful engine.

In September 1943 the first operational F6F-3 took part in the attack of the island Marcus

Engagements

The F6F Hellcat was used on all the theaters of operation of the Second world war by the US Navy. However, from his design, one primarily finds it in the Pacifique where it is distinguished: the F6F only gains with him 75% of the victories of American embarked aviation.

In Europe, the F6F intervenes in particular on the Mediterranean theater (MTO). It thus takes part in the unloading of Provence within the Task force 88. Grumman F6F Hellcat was a hunter " rustique" rather than a racing car, easy to control, equipped with enormous fuel reserves, for the time, him which hardly found adversaries with its measurement. It rendered also proud services throughout the war and was one of the essential planes for the allied victory.

Alternatives

F6F-3
F6F-3N (hunter of night)
F6F-3E
F6F-5N (hunter of night)
F6F-5P (recognition)

Other characteristics

The F6F Hellcat was a great success and one finds it in embarked aviation British, but also in the Marine (139 planes between 1950 and 1953 were reinforced in 1960) and in the French Air force which used it in the Guerre of Indo-China.

Hellcat was the first plane used by the lifting patrol of the Blue Angels of the American marine .

Total production of the F6F Hellcat: 12.275 specimens.

See too

List of the military aircrafts

Simple: F6F Hellcat

Random links: