NAS Grosse Ile Aircraft

NAS GROSSE ILE

GRUMMAN F6F-5 HELLCAT

Photo taken of Sam Sturgis by his CO of VF59A over Gibralter, Michigan
Before the red stripe was added around the fuselage

This photograph may not be used or published, neither commercially nor for other purposes, in any form, including but not restricting to the Internet, magazines and books, without the photographer's permission. For all inquiries please contact the photographer by e-mail or by other means.

The 2000 hp F6F-3 Hellcat made its massive presence in the Pacific theater felt in a big way. It accounted for about 75% of all US carrier based victories - some 5,000 enemy aircraft falling to its cannon. The Hellcat was a strong all round fighter, effective at any altitude and must be considered to be one of the most successful carrier based aircraft of all time. Hellcats were also operated in the European theater and with the British Fleet Air Arm, as well as the US Navy and Marine Corps.

TYPE	single seat carrier fighter/bomber
ENGINE	Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp
HORSEPOWER	2000 (water injection 2200)
MAX. SPEED	396 MPH @ medium altitudes
CLIMB RATE	(clean) 3,410 feet per minute
CEILING	37,300 Feet
RANGE	1,040 miles (with internal fuel 235 gal.)
WT. EMPTY	9,153 to 9239 lbs.
NORMAL WT. AT TAKEOFF	12,500 lbs.
MAX. WT. AT TAKEOFF	15,413 lbs.
WING SPAN	42 ft. 10 in. (wings folded 16 ft. 2 in.)
LENGTH	33 ft. 7 in.
HEIGHT	13 ft. 1 in.
WING AREA	334 sq. ft.
ARMAMENT:	six 0.5 Browning machine-guns (400 rounds each) provisions for 2 to 3 bombs (max. 2000 lbs.) six 5 inch HVAR rockets
TOTAL PRODUCED	12,275 machines
COMBAT KILL TO LOSS RATIO	19 to 1 +