Grumman F6F Hellcat. Photo. Characteristics.

2014-10-16

other

USA

A type: single-engine fighter

Crew: one pilot

The F6F aircraft Hellcat combined the experience gained during the operation of the previous F4F fighter, the Wildcat in the Pacific, and the main points of the air war in Europe. Following the receipt in June of 1941 of the US Navy order for this fighter, Grumman finalized the "paper" airplane by lowering the center wing wing, thereby increasing the chassis's ridge, installing additional armor plates around the cockpit to protect the pilot, and reinforcing the armament. Less than a year after receiving the order, the prototype XF6F-1 made its first flight, and it soon became clear that to provide the fighter with a combat advantage, it was required to install a more powerful engine. With the R-2800-10 engine of the Pratt-Whitney company, the F-1 aircraft received a new designation F-3.

The aircraft made its combat debut in August of the year 1943, and from that moment the question of air supremacy in the Pacific Ocean was no longer raised. The Hellcat aircraft were based on almost all aircraft carriers of the US Navy, and until the day of the victory over Japan, 4947 aircraft were lost. Surprisingly, only three major modifications were made: the plane F6F-3, which from 1942 to 1944 in October was built 4423 copies, improved aircraft F6F-5 and night fighters F6F-3N and F6F-5N. The Royal Navy with 1943 for 1945 year received almost 1200 aircraft. After the war, the Hellkat aircraft was operated very narrowly, it was replaced by a Birkat (Bearcat) aircraft. Of the nine flying aircraft considered to be F6F, seven are now based in the US and two in the UK.

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