F6F Grumman Hellcat Fighter

An iconic picture by Life magazine of a Grumman F6F Hellcat flying during WWII.
November 23, 2023  
|  0 Comments
Categories: Learnin'

The F6F Grumman Hellcat fighter was one of the most successful fighter aircraft of WWII. It is known for many things, including not just an extraordinary kill-to-loss ratio against the Imperial Japanese Zero but also a breakneck deployment pace from developmental aircraft to operational employment in the Pacific. 

The Hellcat was designed by Leroy Grumman and his primary engineers, Leon Swirbul and Bill Schwendler, to improve upon the pilot-identified shortcomings of its predecessor, the F4F Wildcat. The U.S. Navy, recognizing the need for a fighter that could match and outperform the Japanese A6M Zero, authorized the construction of a prototype in mid-1941. Production began with the F6F-3 model in late 1942, continuing until late 1945. More than 12,000 F6F fighter aircraft of various models (including a radar-equipped night fighter) were built during those 3 years.

The F6F was the most successful naval fighter of the war. It was credited with the destruction of more than 5,000 enemy aircraft (75% of all naval air-to-air victories) by Navy and Marine Corps pilots against a loss of 270 Hellcats: a kill ratio of 13:1. It was ultimately replaced after the war by the newer F8F Bearcat. 

B&W photo: US Navy. Colorized by Jecinci.Burning F6F-5 Hellcat white 23 from VF-9 USS Lexington (CV-16), 25 February 1945. The fighter pilot Ardon Ives survived the crash,but was killed in a dogfight with Japanese fighters on May 22 of the same year. He was 23.

A burning Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat on the flight deck of USS Lexington (CV-16), Feb. 25, 1945. The aircraft (White 23) and pilot, Ardon Ives, were assigned to fighter squadron VF-9. Ives survived the crash but was later KIA during a dogfight with Japanese fighters on May 22, 1945. He was 23 years old

“Adhering to Grumman’s design philosophy to produce an aircraft in which a pilot could become proficient in a short period of time, and that was easy to operate from a carrier yet could outperform the enemy, the Hellcat was loved by its pilots. Hellcat pilots achieved an amazing 19:1 kill ratio, downing 5,156 enemy aircraft in just two years, accounting for 75 percent of the Navy’s aerial victories during the war. Late in the war the Navy conducted evaluations of Allied and captured Axis fighters. The Hellcat ranked at the top in most categories, making it one of the best fighters in the war, an amazing accomplishment considering the very short design-to-production period. In just 30 months, 12,275 Hellcats were produced by Grumman at its Bethpage Plant Number 3, much of the factory still being constructed as some of the first F6Fs were being built inside.” Naval History and Heritage Command: National Naval Aviation Museum. 

“The Grumman Hellcat outperformed the Zero in nearly every major category. While it wasn’t the fastest aircraft, it was certainly faster than the Zero. The F6F could fly higher and deliver more firepower than the Japanese plane, making it the superior aircraft in the Pacific.” Thomas Paone, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, 2021. 

A number of British pilots flew this “brute of an aeroplane” in the Pacific and Mediterranean. You can hear some of their recollections, in their own words, in this video.

 

 

 

Additional reading.

 

 

⚠️ Some hyperlinks in this article may contain affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s just one way to Back the Bang. #backthebang 

 

Get banged on the regular, sign up for the newsletter!

David Reeder

David Reeder

About the Author

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Did you know we have merch?


Popular Articles

Lady Liberty Black Beard Belts
Palmetto State Armory. Christmas Sale!
Use code GRIPITRIPIT for 10% OFF until Feb. 28th.
For the love of Camo Giveaway

Gun.deals: back Breach-Bang-Clear

Find what’s in stock, and where, and compare prices. 

⚠️ Some hyperlinks in this article may contain affiliate links. If you use them to make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. It’s just one way to Back the Bang. #backthebang 

Get Patched In

Wretched Minion Patch