F6F-5 “White 35” of VF-17 taxiing on the flight deck of the USS Hornet (CV-12) 1945
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was one of the most important carrier-based fighters used by the U.S. Navy during World War II, evolving from a pure fighter into a versatile, multi-role aircraft by the war’s end. The shift to long-range radar on warships in the later stages of the war reduced the need for dedicated scouting aircraft, leading to the consolidation of various roles, such as scouting and dive-bombing, into a single, more adaptable aircraft type—fighters. As the conflict progressed, the U.S. Navy increasingly viewed naval fighters as capable of fulfilling many of the roles previously assigned to specialized bombers, such as dive-bombing and torpedo attacks.
The F4U Corsair had already demonstrated the ability to serve as a multi-role fighter, but it was not until December 1944 that it was officially cleared for U.S. Navy carrier use. Meanwhile, the F6F Hellcat, initially designed as a pure fighter, began to evolve into a fighter-bomber with the introduction of the F6F-5 variant. By late 1944, the Navy, facing the rise of kamikaze attacks and the reduction of Japanese air supremacy, decided to prioritize fighters in its carrier air groups, emphasizing their ability to carry out attack roles as well.
The F6F-5, the final production model of the Hellcat, entered service in April 1944 and brought several key improvements over the earlier F6F-3. These included a tighter cowling around the Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W engine for better aerodynamics, redesigned ailerons to improve roll rate, and the removal of some canopy reinforcements for better visibility. The F6F-5’s armament remained similar, with six .50 caliber machine guns, but an alternative wing configuration with two 20mm Hispano cannons was also offered.
More importantly, the F6F-5 introduced significant improvements to its ordnance-carrying capability, allowing it to function effectively as a fighter-bomber. The aircraft could carry a variety of bombs, including 1,000 lb bombs on three pylons (one under the fuselage and one under each wing), and was equipped with zero-length launchers for 5-inch HVAR (High Velocity Aircraft Rockets). It could also carry the large Tiny Tim anti-shipping rocket, used in combat.
Despite these changes, the Hellcat’s fundamental design as a fighter was retained. The F6F-5’s speed of 380 mph (612kph) allowed it to outperform many Japanese aircraft, including the A6M5 Zero. While it didn’t carry as much ordnance as the later Corsair models, the F6F-5 was a better all-around fighter due to its inherent stability and versatility. Structural reinforcements were also added, particularly to the tail assembly, following issues discovered during high-speed dive tests. These modifications removed earlier speed and pullout restrictions, making the F6F-5 even more formidable.
In addition to serving with the U.S. Navy, the F6F-5 was also used by the British Fleet Air Arm, designated as Hellcat II, with 930 units delivered. After the war, second-hand F6F-5s saw service with the French Aeronavale and the Uruguayan Navy, further extending the Hellcat’s operational life.
Ultimately, the F6F-5 Hellcat embodied the shift toward multi-role versatility in naval aviation, enabling the U.S. Navy to respond to evolving threats and tactics in the Pacific Theater, particularly the kamikaze attacks that characterized the later stages of the war.