Air Power Series>1:32 die-cast display model>F6F>HA0304

General Background

The F6F Hellcat was basically designed as the "Zero Killer". It could fly about an average 55 mph faster than the Zero and it was heavier and more powerful than the Zero. The Hellcat also had the highest kill ratio of any American fighter plane during WWII (19 to1). US Navy pilots referred the Hellcat as the "Aluminum Tank".

The Aircraft

In 1943 while flying with VMF-121 Major Bruce Porter shot down three Zeros. On May 22, 1945 Porter joined VMF(N)-542 on Okinawa as the new CO. His F6F-5N belonged to the former CO and wore a red heart and white "Millie Lou". Porter replaced this with a bottle of Schenley's whiskey and "Black Death" written in white above it on the lower right cowling. On June 15, 1945 Porter became an Ace when he downed a Kawasaki Ki-45 Nick and a G4M Betty bomber carrying a Baka Flying bomb.

Specifications :

Total production :	F6F-3 (4,403), F6F-5 (7,870)
Powerplant :	Single 2,000-horsepower 18-cylinder, Pratt and Whitney R-2800-10W air cooled radial engine
Climb rate to 14,000 ft. :	6 minutes 42 seconds
Armament :	six .50-caliber M2 Browning machine guns a 2,000 lb. bomb load, or six 5-inch rockets
Wingspan :	42 ft. 10 in. (13.1 m)
Length :	33 ft., 7 in. (10.2 m)
Height :	13 ft., 1 in. (4.0 m)
Weight :	9,238 lb. empty
Maximum speed :	380 mph at 23,400 ft.
Ceiling :	37,300 ft.
Range :	945 miles