Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat (64.25")

The Grumman F6F Hellcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy (USN) service. The F6F was best known for its role as a rugged, well-designed carrier fighter which was able, after its combat debut in early 1943, to counter the Mitsubishi A6M Zero and help secure air supremacy over the Pacific Theatre. The Hellcat was called the ‘Aluminum Tank’ by its pilots because of its ability to absorb incredible punishment and still bring its pilot safely home. Such was the quality of the basic simple, straightforward design, that 12,200 were built in just over two years, at one point during the war Grumman was manufacturing one Hellcat per hour – an aircraft production record that has never been equalled. The three large sheet plans were prepared with direct measurement of the full size aircraft preserved in the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, so the experienced modeller will take great pleasure in building this 1:7.95 scale, 1,632mm (64.25”) replica of this stunning warbird.