HA1111
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 Hellcat could carry two 1,000 pound bombs with its most destructive weapons being six 5-inch HVAR's (High Velocity Aircraft Rockets). It could also carry a torpedo under the fuselage but this was never seen in combat. When it was all over the F6F was one of the most feared and successful planes in WWII.
The Aircraft
The British “Hellcat”s first joined the operation with the Royal Fleet Air Arm during the “Operation Dragoon” (the invasion of South of France) in June 1944.
This Hellcat was repainted in overall gloss black upon the request of Sub Lt. Campbell and his crew during a no-fly spell due to bad weathers. This new finish improved cruise performance and fuel consumption.
