Grumman F6F Hellcat (WW 2): books - history and deployment

F6F Hellcat - Grumman's Ace Maker in World War II (Legends of Warfare)

The Grumman F6F Hellcat formed the backbone of America's carrier-based fighter force as the Allies pressed the war toward Japan. Powered by a massive and reliable Pratt & Whitney radial engine, the Hellcat racked up an incredible 19: 1 kill ratio against its foes in WWII, and 305 aviators earned ace status while flying the Hellcat. Such famed US naval aces as David McCampbell, Cecil Harris, Eugene Valencia, and Alex Vraciu all flew the Hellcat.
In addition to its wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns, the F6F was equipped to carry bombs as well, allowing pilots to deliver up to 2,000 pounds of bombs on targets.

By the time that Hellcat production ended in November 1945, 12,275 examples had rolled off Grumman's Bethpage, Long Island, assembly line. Through carefully researched photos, many never before published, the history and details of this iconic aircraft are revealed. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

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F6F Hellcat vs A6M Zero-Sen - Pacific Theater 1943-44 (Osprey)

The Grumman F6F Hellcat and Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen were the two principal opposing fighters in the brutal aerial clashes of the Pacific War from 1943 onwards. Reminiscent of the preceding F4F Wildcat, the F6F Hellcat was designed specifically to counter the earlier A6M2 Zero-sen, the strengths and weaknesses of which became fully understood by US designers after an undamaged example was recovered in the Aleutians. The powerful Hellcat had an impressive top speed, rate of climb and armament, and it retained its predecessor's incredible ruggedness.
The A6M5 Zero-sen was also born out of an earlier type, but was intended merely as a stop-gap until more modern Japanese fighters could be produced to restore performance parity with Allied aircraft. The chaotic conditions of the Japanese Aircraft industry and war economy prevented new types from being built.
Featuring detailed artwork illustrating the technical specifications of these two types and the dramatic encounters between them, this volume focuses on how these iconic fighters came into being, and how they fared as they faced one another over the Pacific skies of World War II.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and Development - Technical Specifications - The Strategic Situation - The Combatants - Combat - Statistics and Analysis - Aftermath - Further Reading - Index.

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Les derniers F6F-5 Hellcat

The Hellcat has always been presented as the "Conqueror of the Pacific"; it is thanks to this aircraft that American pilots were able to defeat the Japanese "Zeroes". This collection will help you understand why.

Grumman engineers have placed particular emphasis on the safety and comfort of the pilots. The various circuits have been doubled. Thus the landing gear can be extended thanks to two hydraulic circuits and a compressed air bottle. The armor is much more important than that of its adversary. The engine is very powerful and robust, its 46 liters of displacement are limited to 2 100 hp; it would have been possible to double this power, but to the detriment of the engine potential, and for maritime overflights you need an engine that "lasts".
The plane is a little heavy but history has shown that it was the right choice.

This beautiful plane unfortunately had many accidents, like all those of its time. Despite this, its performance was comparable to that of the first jet fighters.

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