Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
Grumman · USA · first flew 1944 · fighter
The F6F-5 is the improved production Hellcat, incorporating refined ailerons, provisions for rocket and bomb stores, a flat armoured windscreen, and minor aerodynamic cleanups that made it the dominant USN fighter of the final year of the Pacific war.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.24 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Underwing pylons for six 5-inch HVAR rockets or bombs — the F6F-5 introduced provision for heavy ground-attack stores absent on the F6F-3
- Revised spring-tab ailerons and refined cowl flap arrangement give a slightly cleaner cowling profile than the F6F-3
- Flat armoured windscreen panel replacing the F6F-3's curved Plexiglas; the F6F-5 windscreen has a flatter, more angular look from the side
Against F6F-3: look for underwing rocket stubs/pylons, the flat (not curved) armoured windscreen panel, and the refined cowl flap pattern. The two marks share identical dimensions and silhouette — close examination of the windscreen and underwing is required. The F6F-5N adds a starboard wingtip radar pod, unique in the Hellcat family.
Specifications
- The Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat has a length of 10.24 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.06 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 629 km/h (391 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown April 1944; 7,870 built — the most produced Hellcat variant. The F6F-5 replaced the F6F-3 on production lines from mid-1944 and equipped virtually all USN carrier air groups by V-J Day. The FAA received 930 as the Hellcat Mk.II. The F6F-5N night fighter with AN/APS-6 radar was among the most effective night interceptors of the war.
Variants
F6F-5N (night fighter, APS-6 radar pod), F6F-5P (photo-reconnaissance, camera in rear fuselage), F6F-5K (radio-controlled drone target).
Where you'll see it
USN carrier groups 1944–1945, FAA as Hellcat Mk.II. Post-war use by Uruguay and France (Aéronavale flew them into the early 1950s in Indochina). Airworthy examples at Pensacola, Patriots Point, and private collections.
Related aircraft
- Grumman F8F Bearcat
- Grumman F8F-1 Bearcat
- Grumman AF Guardian
- Grumman AF-3S Guardian
- Arado E.580
- Bell XP-77
- Blohm & Voss BV 155
- Curtiss SC Seahawk
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.