Added: Jul 22, 2007
From: auldm
Duration: 3:25
After early US Navy experience in the Pacific in the early months of WWII, and after consultation with Allied air forces in the European theater, Grumman began to develop a successor to their Wildcat fighter, to be called the Hellcat. Major design changes from the Wildcat included a low-mounted wing, wider landing gear which retracted into the wings, more powerful engine, improved cockpit armor plating, and increased ammunition capacity.The Navy ordered four prototypes of the new airplane, each with a different engine for test and evaluation purposes. Less than a year later, on 26 June 1942, the first prototype (the XF6F-1, with a Wright R-2600 Cyclone engine) flew for the first time. Before much meaningful evaluation of the various engines could be made, however, the Navy decided to press the Hellcat into production by fitting the XF6F-1 prototype with the most powerful engine available, the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. (This turned it into an XF6F-3. The XF6F-2 and XF6F-4 were never evaluated.)The first production model, the F6F-3, first flew in October 1942, and deliveries began four months later with squadron VF-9 on the USS Essex in the Pacific. Extremely robust, powerful and maneuverable, the Hellcat was a potent force against the Japanese, and was credited with over three-quarters of the US Navy's air-to-air kills in the war.The UK's Fleet Air Arm received 252 F6F-3s (designated Gannet Mk I) beginning in 1943. Meanwhile, in the US, over 200 Hellcats were modified as radar-equipped night fighters. During the F6F-3 production run, which lasted until April 1944, Grumman had developed an improved Hellcat, the F6F-5, which utilized 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 on 4 April 1944, and production continued through November 1945. Over 900 more "Dash-5" Hellcats were delivered to the UK under the Lend-Lease program under the designation Hellcat Mk II.
Channel: Autos
Tags: aircraft aviation f6f grumman hellcat warbird ww2
Rating: 4.86 (79 ratings) Views: 55795' favoriteCount='171 Comments: 25
JimmyandNellie Says:
Jun 27, 2008 - I expect the Corsair to be superior to the Me109s in speed and turning?But would the Corsair be a match for the FW190?All four of these fighters are magnificent birds of prey and in the hands of skilled pilots I am sure all can be deadly.Each variant of the four listed could be earlier versions and not as refined as later models and the Hellcats and Corsairs may not have same engines,power adders,weapons,etc. as what the USN/USMC operated.Anyone know of such encounters/results?
Vermiliontea Says:
Jun 30, 2008 - I think a practise flight of 8 british Hellcats with green pilots was jumped by a mixed Me/Fw flight over the north sea. The germans shot down 3 Hellcats in the first pass. After that they were completely "pwned". Hellcats outturned, outclimbed, outdived and outgunned them. Shooting down I think 5 of the germans against no further own losses.
crash1996 Says:
Jul 2, 2008 - my favorite fighter of wwii
sMgauer Says:
Jul 10, 2008 - Don't want to p$a$y for an online dating site? (meetyourfling) c o m jachym2744519
techfan2121 Says:
Jul 23, 2008 - mine 2
dIlocha Says:
Aug 6, 2008 - great machine.... one of the best planes ever... jets just sucks :)
Gez1177 Says:
Aug 7, 2008 - its a beautiful plane but i still think that the p-51 mustang takes the cake
warbird64 Says:
Aug 13, 2008 - What a powerhouse!!! 100% whoopass...Those things really gave the japs hell.....ha ha ha GITSOME BITCHES!!!!
hovanti Says:
Aug 16, 2008 - I have wondered about this myself; would be a jolly good show to see the Corsair vs. the Me109
GeneralHemi Says:
Aug 21, 2008 - Hellcats vs the japper zero. We had the flimsy unarmored but faster more manueverable zeros that would often pound the hell away out of well armor hellcats. Other way around the zero's went down the way the japenese buildings collapse under an earthquake, heh.She is one beautiful bird though, in a brute ugly kinda way
copescustoms Says:
Sep 6, 2008 - My grandfather flew a Hellcat off the USS John Hancock during WW2. I would love to have one of these machines in my barn to honor him.
Tardstrifer Says:
Sep 13, 2008 - I'm having some trouble understanding this..but I'm getting the feeling you think the Zero was better than the Hellcat.The Zero was better than the F4F Wildcat, but most certainly NOT the F6F Hellcat.
Dave839 Says:
Sep 25, 2008 - I've always favored the inline V-12 fighters of this period, but the Hellcat is my favorite of the U.S. Navy radials. And this one is a beautiful specimen.
NJHCRevEdge Says:
Sep 28, 2008 - I think you're thinking of the Wildcat. The Hellcat was faster and more maneuverable than the Zero.
NJHCRevEdge Says:
Sep 28, 2008 - Beatiful aircraft. Had the best kill ratio of any combat aircraft in history, 19:1.
goarmy199 Says:
Sep 30, 2008 - Man i love the way they sound, I saw a Zero and a Hellcat flying over walmart one time i was like WTF!?!
nelllville Says:
Oct 7, 2008 - Id Be An ACE To That Beautiful Bird!
N70er Says:
Oct 16, 2008 - Awful editing... Thanks for cutting off the sound of the low passes half way though~Would be awesome if you didn't try to "make it better"...
five0fan Says:
Oct 22, 2008 - The sound is great!
NAVC130VET Says:
Oct 24, 2008 - God I love this aircraft!!! Love the big band background. Makes me want to go back in time and being with the Fighting eight on CV-6
82MB240D Says:
Oct 25, 2008 - What's the name of the song?
auldm Says:
Oct 26, 2008 - 'Stealin apples' Glen Miller
82MB240D Says:
Oct 26, 2008 - Thanks!
itsallaroundus Says:
Nov 14, 2008 - i bet that old girl appreciates a nice, long wheel landing roll.'atta babe, beautiful machine.
JimmyandNellie Says:
Jun 27, 2008 - Does anyone know of any dogfights that took place that involved the Hellcat vs Me109s or FW190s?Corsair vs Me109s or FW190s?I know the British operated both these fighters in the European theater.I would assume the Hellcat would be superior in a turn against the Me109 but assume it would be evenly matched vs FW190-w/exception being the later FW190s w/inline liquid cooled engines.British and German veterans best ones to give such information.