Grumman F6F Hellcat Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids F6F Hellcat

Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats in tricolor camouflage
Role	Carrier-based fighter aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Grumman
First flight	26 June 1942
Introduction	1943
Retired	1960 Uruguayan Navy
Primary users	United States Navy United States Marine Corps Royal Navy French Navy
Produced	1942–45
Number built	12,275
Unit cost	$35,000 in 1945

The F6F Hellcat was a famous fighter aircraft used by the United States Navy during World War II. It was built by a company called Grumman. This powerful plane first flew in 1942 and joined the Navy in 1943.

The Hellcat was designed to be an improved version of an earlier plane, the F4F Wildcat. But it turned out to be much better than expected! It was stronger and could turn more easily in the sky. It was specially made to fight against the fast Japanese A6M Zero planes.

What is the F6F Hellcat?
- Why was the Hellcat important?
  - Night Fighter Role
Hellcat's Design and Performance
- Improvements over the Wildcat
  - Fighting the Zero
Who Used the Hellcat?
- Production and Retirement
Images for kids
See also

What is the F6F Hellcat?

The F6F Hellcat was a type of fighter aircraft. This means its main job was to fight other planes in the sky. It was also a carrier-based plane. This means it could take off from and land on huge ships called aircraft carriers in the middle of the ocean.

Why was the Hellcat important?

The Hellcat became one of the most successful planes in World War II. It helped the United States and its allies win many air battles. Many pilots who became "aces" flew the Hellcat. An ace is a pilot who has shot down five or more enemy planes.

Night Fighter Role

Some Hellcats were even used as "night fighters." This meant they had special equipment called radar installed. Radar helped pilots "see" enemy planes in the dark. This allowed them to fly and fight at night, which was a big advantage.

Hellcat's Design and Performance

The Hellcat was built to be tough and easy to fly. It had a powerful engine that made it very fast. Its strong design also meant it could take a lot of damage and still keep flying.

Improvements over the Wildcat

Compared to the older F4F Wildcat, the Hellcat was a big step up. It had a more powerful engine and a better design. This allowed it to climb faster and turn more sharply. These improvements were very important for fighting against the agile Japanese Zero planes.

Fighting the Zero

The Japanese Zero was a very light and fast plane. The Hellcat was designed to counter its strengths. While the Zero was more nimble at low speeds, the Hellcat could dive faster and was much tougher. This made it a very effective plane for dogfights.

Who Used the Hellcat?

The main user of the F6F Hellcat was the United States Navy. It was also used by the United States Marine Corps. Other countries that used the Hellcat included the Royal Navy (from the United Kingdom) and the French Navy.

Production and Retirement

Grumman built a huge number of Hellcats during the war. Over 12,000 of these planes were made between 1942 and 1945. The Hellcat was retired from the U.S. Navy in 1954. However, some countries, like the Uruguayan Navy, used them until 1960.

Images for kids

Unpainted XF6F-1 prior to its first flight (1942)
F6F-3 aboard USS Yorktown has its "Sto-Wing" folding wings deployed for takeoff (circa 1943-44)
An early F6F-3 in blue-gray over light gull-gray (1943)
An early-production F6F-5 being tested with eight 5-inch HVAR rockets (circa 1944-45)
VF-82 Grumman F6F-5 ready for launch from USS Bennington off Okinawa in May 1945: Most of the F6F-5s built were painted overall glossy sea blue.
A section of Fleet Air Arm Hellcat F Mk.Is of 1840 Squadron in June 1944
Postwar service: A bright orange F6F-3K target drone
XF6F-2 showing the later R-2800-21 installation with Birman turbocharger (1943)
F6F-5N night fighter with AN/APS-6 radar and 2 20mm M2 cannon (c. 1944/45)
Chino Warbirds' F6F-3 painted as a Fleet Air Arm Hellcat Mk. I (2007)
F6F-5 on display at the Air Zoo
An F6F-5 flown by Air Group Commander (CAG), Cdr. Louis H. Bauer of Carrier Air Group 3 (CVG-3), leads a formation of CVG-3 aircraft (a Helldiver, Avenger and Bearcat) in 1946.