Grumman F6F Hellcat facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
F6F Hellcat
An F6F Hellcat

The F6F Hellcat was an American World War II fighter aircraft made by Grumman. It first flew in 1942 and was introduced in 1943. It was supposed to be a little bit better than the F4F Wildcat, but became a big improvement. It was more powerful and could turn better. This was supposed to fight the Japanese A6M Zero. It was able to take off of aircraft carriers. It was also used by the navy as a "night fighter", which means that a radar was put on it so it could fly at night. During the war, it had the most aces fly it. It was retired in 1954.

Images for kids

  • Grumman XF6F-1 Hellcat 1942

    The unpainted XF6F-1 prior to its first flight

  • Ray Wagner Collection Image (16156795450)

    An F6F-3 aboard USS Yorktown has its Sto-Wing folding wings deployed for takeoff

  • F6F-3 over California 1943

    An early F6F-3 in Blue-Gray over Light Gull-Gray

  • F6F-5 HVAR NOTS NAN4-2-45

    An early production F6F-5 being tested with eight 5 in. HVAR rockets

  • Hellcats 1840 NAS in flight 1944

    A section of Fleet Air Arm Hellcat F Mk.Is of 1840 Squadron in June 1944

  • F6F target drone

    Postwar service: A bright orange F6F-3K target drone

  • Grumman XF6F-2 Hellcat

    XF6F-2 showing the later R-2800-21 installation with Birman turbo-charger.

  • F6F-3N NAS Jax 1943

    F6F-5N night fighter with AN/APS-6 radar and 2 20mm M2 cannon.

  • Grumman F6F Hellcat, Chino, California

    Chino Warbirds' F6F-3 painted as a Fleet Air Arm Hellcat Mk. I.

  • Carrier Air Group 3 aircraft in flight 1946

    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 in 1946.


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