Warbird Information Exchange

What's interesting is that the Hellcat was strictly designed for one purpose and had a very short life. It was designed for the immediate task of clearing the skies of Zero's ... and that was it. They were built fast and easy and cheap and by the thousands, kind of the disposable Navy fighter of the war. Still a wonderful airplane and a real tribute to Grumman. I would love to see a 4 ship formation in my lifetime ....

Is the Quonset Air Museum Hellcat going to be a flyer?

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Matt

The Quonsett RI museum F6F is owned by the NMNA. Therefore static only.

There are two reasons that so few Hellcats survive; none were sent overseas as Foreign Military Sales, that honor went to the Bearcat and Corsair. The second reason is that a great many were expended as full scale target droness.

Actually Rick you are mistaken. The Hellcat served overseas in the militaries of Great Britain, France, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

what happened to the f6f that was found in shallow ocean water in the northeast when clinton was still president?? it was found during a security fly over around an area where slick willy was going to be visiting. it was upside down, lying in a silt bed. at 1st it caused a stir as a recent crash, then a sharp eye got the i.d. on it from the air. a recent storm had pushed it their or uncovered it. i remember the navy raising an eyebrow too after it's discovery.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I believe that is the Quonset Hellcat mentioned earlier.