Grumman F6F Hellcat
The F6F design began as a development of the
F4F powered
by the R-2600 engine, but soon evolved into a much larger and more capable aircraft, with
the R-2800 engine. The F6F was designed and put into service in a very short period,
assuring the ascendance of the USN over the A6M 'Zero' from the second half of 1943
onwards. It was credited with 76% of all aircraft destroyed by USN carrier fighters. In
line with Grumman tradition, the F6F was a rugged aircraft that lacked easthetic appeal.
Typical features were a tail-down attitude in level flight, because of the engine trust
line, and the biggest wings fitted to a WWII fighter. Some were converted into unmanned
flying bombs, used in Korea.
| General characteristics F6F-5 |
| Primary function |
Fighter |
| Contractor |
Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation |
| Power plant |
One Pratt&Whitney R-2800-10W engine |
| Thrust |
2,173 HP |
1,620kW |
| Wingspan |
42.8 ft |
13.06 m |
| Length |
33.6 ft |
10.24 m |
| Height |
13.1 ft |
3.99 m |
| Wingarea |
334 sq ft |
31.03 sq m |
| empty |
9,154 lb |
4,152 kg |
| Weight |
max. |
14,205 lb |
6,443 kg |
| Max. speed |
380 mph |
611 km/h |
| Initial climb rate |
3,250 ft/min |
990 m/min |
| Ceiling |
37,400 ft |
11,400 m |
| Max.range |
1,305 miles |
2,100 km |
| Armament |
2x 20 mm cannons, 4x 12.7mm machine gun (400 rounds each), 6x
rockets and 2x 454 kg bombs |
| Crew |
One |
| Date deployed |
1942 |
| Number built |
12,275 |
Jirka Wagner
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