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[[Image:F6F Hellcat.jpg|right]]The '''F6F Hellcat''' was the plane that turned the tide for [[America]] in [[World War II]].  It replaced the F4F Wildcat, and like its predecessor, had an air-cooled piston engine and six heavy machine guns.  First operational in 1943, this [[Grumman]] fighter plane gave [[air supremacy]] to U.S. forces in the [[Pacific]], shooting down over 5100 enemy aircraft for the loss of only 270 Hellcats in aerial combat.  More [[Japanese]] planes were shot down by this model than by any other plane.  The top scoring ace in the Hellcat was [[David McCampbell]], who scored 34 aerial victories in the Pacific theater while serving on board the USS ''Essex''.<ref>''Aces'', by William Yenne, 2000</ref>

[[Image:F6F Hellcat.jpg|right]]The '''F6F Hellcat''' was the plane that turned the tide for [[America]] in [[World War II]].  It replaced the F4F Wildcat, and like its predecessor, had an air-cooled piston engine and six heavy machine guns.  First operational in 1943, this [[Grumman]] fighter plane gave [[air supremacy]] to U.S. forces in the [[Pacific]], shooting down over 5100 enemy aircraft for the loss of only 270 Hellcats in aerial combat.  More [[Japanese]] planes were shot down by this model than by any other plane.  The top scoring ace in the Hellcat was [[David McCampbell]], who scored 34 aerial victories in the Pacific theater while serving on board the USS ''Essex''.<ref>''Aces'', by William Yenne, 2000</ref>

The high point of the Hellcat's career was the [[Battle of the Phillippine Sea]], the first part of which was known as the "Marianas Turkey Shoot".  When Japanese carrier planes struck at American carriers covering the landings at [[Saipan]], defending Hellcats shot down over 350 of them, for the loss of only 17 Hellcats.<ref>''Clash of the Carriers: the True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II'', by Barrett Tillman, New American Library, 2005</ref>  Most of the attackers never even came within sight of the American fleet.

The high point of the Hellcat's career was the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]], the first part of which was known as the "Marianas Turkey Shoot".  When Japanese carrier planes struck at American carriers covering the landings at [[Saipan]], defending Hellcats shot down over 350 of them, for the loss of only 17 Hellcats.<ref>''Clash of the Carriers: the True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of World War II'', by Barrett Tillman, New American Library, 2005</ref>  Most of the attackers never even came within sight of the American fleet.

 

A few Hellcats saw action in Europe as well, supporting Allied landings in southern France (Operation Anvil).

After World War II, the F6F's successor as the US Navy's frontline fighter was the Grumman [[F8F Bearcat]].

After World War II, the F6F's successor as the US Navy's frontline fighter was the Grumman [[F8F Bearcat]].