Air Power Series>1:32 die-cast display model>F6F>HA0306

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

Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat “Death & Destruction” Bu.No 72534 White 115 belonged to VF-83 onboard the USS Essex that between March 23 and May 28, 1945 was assigned to assist in the invasion of Okinawa. F6F-5 “Death & Destruction” had mostly been shared by three pilots, McPherson, Kingston and Ward but it was on May 4, 1945 when Task Force 58 was attacked by a concentration of Kamikaze that Ward downed three Alf’s (Kawanishi E7K) and an Oscar (Nakajima Ki-43). All three of these pilots would achieve ACE status.

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