Italeri | 91213 | F6F-3/5 Hellcat | 1:72

Plastic model kit, glue and paint are not included.

History

The U.S. Navy carrier-based fighter Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat was introduced in 1943 to replace the older Grumman F4F Wildcat and remained in service until the end of World War II, becoming a key player in the Pacific War. Designed to effectively counter the Japanese Zero, it was equipped with the powerful 2,000-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engine, which provided high speed and excellent flight performance.

Armed with six 12.7 mm Browning machine guns mounted in the wings, in the hands of trained pilots it proved extremely effective both in air superiority missions to defend the fleet and in close support and ground attack missions. The impressive kill-to-loss ratio demonstrated the operational efficiency of the “Hellcat” design.