	Grumman F6F "Hellcat" 

1942 Carrier-based fighter, crew 1 

The F6F is a single-engine fighter used extensively in the second World War against the Japanese forces in the Pacific.  The main landing gear retracted into the wings by turning 90 degrees and folding along the airplane's centerline while the rear landing gear retracted into the fuselage. A retractable hook could extend from the rear of the fuselage for carrier landings. Guns were placed in the wings. The Hellcat was developed as a replacement for F4F "Wildcat" and as an opponent for Japanese A6M "Zero". It had an 18-cylinder engine and 4 to 6 machine guns. It entered service in 1943, and by November, 11 aircraft carriers were equipped with Hellcats. The F6F-3 was the major version.  The production of F6F stopped in 1945. By then, 4401 F6F-3 and 7870 F6F-5 (a later version) were built. About 1300 were sent to Great Britain.

Specifications:
Length: 33' 7" (10.24M)
Height: 13' 1" (3.99M)
Wignspan: 42' 10" (13.05M)
Wingarea: 334.04 Sq Ft (31.03Sq M)
Empty Weight: 9238.00lbs (4189.00Kg)
Gross Weight: 15412.0lbs (6990.00Kg)
Max Weight: 15413.0lbs (6990.00Kg)
Propulsion: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W "Double Wasp" -- 2000 hp
Range: 945 miles (1521.00 Km)
Max Speed: 380.00 Mph ( 611.00 Km/H / 330.27 Kt)
Climb: 2980.00 Ft/min ( 908.26 M/min)
Ceiling: 37300.0 Ft (11368.0M)
Armament: 6x12.7 mm guns mounted in the wings

The simulation is a little difficult to fly.  It easily takes off from the carrier (off the coast of San Francisco in FS5.1), and cruises about 250 knots, but turning is a bit sluggish and landings are tricky.  If you touch down at about 90 knots speed at the right angle, it drops in nicely, but if you hit too hard it bounces high (as 2FS planes often do!).  A little bit harder, and you'll flip it, making landings exciting.  I'm working on this problem (and might have been able to improve it by the time you read this--you'll have to try it and see).  Note: if any really good pilots/plane designers out there can perfect the handling, I'd be interested in the update.  I painted it almost exactly as one I have a picture of, but added my typical initials and date code as the plane's identification.  The coloring makes it a little difficult to see (the point of camouflage, of course!) but I decided it would be better than some fancy "air show" painting.  Have fun with it!

January, 1996
Dennis Wasnich
1003 Cherry Street
Montpelier, Ohio 43543
Internet: dwasnich@bright.net
(feedback is welcome!)
